Microsoft Word - reportEnvironmental Impact Assessment of Investigative Drilling of the Broadway Run Clay Deposit in
Cowichan River Provincial Park
Prepared by: S.P. Toth, AScT, R.P.Bio. Toth and Associates Environmental Services 6821 Harwood Drive Lantzville, B.C. V0R 2H0
November 15, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4.0 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................... 14
5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................. 14
6.0 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................. 14
LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Potentially occurring rare animal species ............................................................ 3 Table 2. Potential rare plant species .................................................................................. 3 Table 3. Potential rare ecological communities in the project area ................................... 4 Table 4. Plant Species Identified Within the Study Area .................................................. 9
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Photograph 1 View of pole-sapling regenerative forest along the seasonally deactivated logging road. ....................................................................................................................... 6 Photograph 2. View of transition from pole-sapling to mature forest ............................... 7 Photograph 3. View of old unused road grade................................................................... 7 Photograph 4. View of mature deciduous stand at the project site. ................................... 8 Photograph 5. View upstream from old road grade of small watercourse at waypoint 158. ........................................................................................................................................... 11 Photograph 6. View downstream from old road of small watercourse at waypoint 159. 11
EIA of BCCF’s test drilling in Cowichan River Provincial Park.
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1.0 Introduction Toth and Associates Environmental Services (Toth and Associates) were retained by the British Columbia Conservation Foundation (BCCF) to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in support of a BC Parks Park Use Permit Application for a proposed drilling investigation project within Cowichan River Provincial Park. The objectives of this assessment were to:
Inventory and classify wildlife habitats, significant features and plant communities on the property;
Compile lists of plant and wildlife species and plant communities that occur or have the potential to occur on the property;
Produce a report and study area map detailing the results of the study; and
Provide recommendations for retention, mitigation and compensation of significant features, for consideration in the final design.
1.1 Project Description
The project involves accessing a large clay bank area on the south slope of the Cowichan River, locally referred to as the Broadway Run clay bank. The purpose of the project is to determine the depth of the clay deposit and underlying material via drilling several test holes. The long term objectives may include future remediation of the clay bank (J. Damborg, BCCF biologist, pers. comm.) to prevent further impacts to the water quality and fisheries resources of the Cowichan River created by run-off and slumping originating from the clay bank. The project will require accessing the site with a tracked drill rig and excavator via an existing old road grade which runs directly to the project site. The duration of the project is expected to be 3-4 days.
1.1 Project Area
The project area consists of a narrow corridor needed to access the project site located within Cowichan River Provincial Park. Access will be via existing old logging road grades on the south side of the Cowichan River upstream of Skutz Falls (Figure 1). Cowichan River Provincial Park was established in 1995 and currently protects 1,414 ha of lowland habitat along 20 km of the middle and upper stretches of the river (BC Parks website).
The Cowichan River flows approximately 47 km west out of Lake Cowichan to Cowichan Bay, east of Duncan. The Cowichan River is a provincially designated Heritage River and supports populations of coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chinook (O. tshawytscha), and chum (O. keta) salmon, cutthroat (O. clarkii) and rainbow trout (O. mykiss), including steelhead and an introduced population of brown trout (Salmo trutta).
The project area occurs within the western variant of the Very Dry Maritime subzone of the Coastal Western Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone (CWHxm2). The CWHxm subzone occurs at lower elevations along the east side of Vancouver Island as far north as Kelsey Bay, and on the islands around southern Johnstone Strait. It also occurs inland on Vancouver Island along major
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valleys from Nimpkish Valley in the north to Cowichan Valley in the south (Green and Klinka, 1994). It is the warmest and driest subzone of the CWH biogeoclimatic zone, which is otherwise the wettest biogeoclimatic zone in British Columbia (Meidinger and Pojar, 1991).
2.0 Methods
Survey methods included those outlined in Environmental Objectives, Best Management Practices and Requirements for Land Developments (MELP 2001), Develop With Care:
Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia (MOE, March 2006), the Field Manual for Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems (LMH #25 MELP, MOF 1998) and the B.C. MOE Land Use / Occupancy Park Use Permit Application.
Survey locations and all significant features within the project area were identified using a Garmin Map60CSx Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS was also used to continuously monitor the surveyor’s location to provide the track log coverage indicated in Figure 2. GPS data was downloaded to a geo-referenced Google Earth© July, 2005 orthophoto using OziExplorer© software.
Habitat values were assessed within the project area by recording vegetative and wildlife habitat characteristics along the entire proposed access route and drill sites.
Species of vascular plants and byrophytes were recorded and cover classes based on visual estimates were assigned to each species. Total cover for each stratum, as described in Land Management Handbook No. 25 (1998), were recorded (A - Trees; B - Shrubs; C - Herbs; D - Mosses/Seedlings). Additional features described included: wind damage, evidence of fire and historic logging, susceptibility to fire/wind damage, geologic features, surface water features, and drainage patterns.
Forest community composition and structure was qualitatively assessed to determine the suitability in providing habitat features of value to known or potential wildlife species. Habitat features assessed during the survey included: wildlife trees, veteran trees (A0 layer), horizontal and vertical structure, coarse woody debris, forage abundance and availability; and special features (nest sites, etc.).
3.0 Results
3.1 Background Review
A search of the B.C. Conservation Data Centre’s (CDC) internet mapping framework did not indicate any known rare species or ecological community occurrences on or immediately adjacent to the proposed project area. The closest rare element occurrences include Cowichan Lake Lamprey (Lampetra macrostoma) at Lake Cowichan (red-listed), located approximately 6.6km northwest, and Macoun’s groundsel (Packera macounii - blue listed) and California-tea (Rupertia physodes - blue-listed) which have been documented in the Skutz Falls area, located approximately 3.4km east of the project area.
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A search of the CDC’s BC Ecosystem Explorer database provided lists of potential rare plant and animal species for the project area. The search was refined to include only the Coastal Western Hemlock (CWH) biogeoclimatic zone within the Cowichan Valley Regional District area of the South Island Forest District. The search provided a table of 68 potential rare animal species, and 65 potential rare plant species. A search of the CDC’s BC Ecosystem Explorer database provided a list of 22 potential rare ecological communities within the project area. The search was refined to include only the western variant of the Coastal Western Hemlock very dry maritime subzone (CWHxm2) within the Cowichan Valley Regional District area of the South Island Forest District and Leeward Island Mountains Ecosection.
The lists were refined to exclude those species and ecological communities with nil potential, or known not to occur within the project area based on field surveys and known distribution limits. The vast majority of the rare species listed as occurring within the South Island Forest District have distribution limits restricted to south of the Malahat Range or are associated with Garry oak (Quercus garryana) ecological communities. The refined list indicated 19 rare animal species (Table 1), 11 rare plant species (Table 2), and 13 rare ecological communities (Table 3) with potential to occur in the project area.
Table 1. Potentially occurring rare animal species Scientific Name English Name COSEWIC BC List
Accipiter gentilis laingi Northern Goshawk, laingi subspecies T (Nov 2000) Red
Anaxyrus boreas Western Toad SC (Nov 2002) Yellow
Ardea herodias fannini Great Blue Heron, fannini subspecies SC (Mar 2008) Blue
Butorides virescens Green Heron Blue
Cervus canadensis roosevelti Roosevelt Elk Blue
Contopus cooperi Olive-sided Flycatcher T (Nov 2007) Blue
Dendragapus fuliginosus Sooty Grouse Blue
Glaucidium gnoma swarthi Northern Pygmy-Owl, swarthi subspecies Blue
Hemphillia glandulosa Warty Jumping-slug SC (May 2003) Blue
Megascops kennicottii kennicottii Western Screech-Owl, kennicottii subspecies SC (May 2002) Blue
Monadenia fidelis Pacific Sideband Blue
Mustela erminea anguinae Ermine, anguinae subspecies Blue
Myotis keenii Keen's Myotis DD (Nov 2003) Red
Patagioenas fasciata Band-tailed Pigeon SC (Nov 2008) Blue
Pristiloma johnsoni Broadwhorl Tightcoil Blue
Prophysaon vanattae Scarletback Taildropper Blue
Rana aurora Red-legged Frog SC (Nov 2004) Blue
Sorex palustris brooksi American Water Shrew, brooksi subspecies Red
Zonitoides nitidus Black Gloss Blue
Table 2. Potential rare plant species Scientific Name English Name COSEWIC BC List
Carex interrupta green-fruited sedge Red
Claytonia washingtoniana Washington springbeauty Red
Cyperus squarrosus awned cyperus Blue
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Scientific Name English Name COSEWIC BC List
Glyceria leptostachya slender-spiked mannagrass Blue
Heterocodon rariflorum heterocodon Blue
Psilocarphus elatior tall woolly-heads E (May 2001) Red
Psilocarphus tenellus slender woolly-heads NAR (May 1996) Blue
Trifolium cyathiferum cup clover Red
Table 3. Potential rare ecological communities in the project area
Scientific Name English Name BC List
Picea sitchensis / Rubus spectabilis Sitka spruce / salmonberry Very Dry Maritime Red
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa - Alnus rubra / Rubus spectabilis black cottonwood - red alder / salmonberry Blue
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Salix sitchensis black cottonwood / Sitka willow Blue Pseudotsuga menziesii / Polystichum munitum Douglas-fir / sword fern Red
Pseudotsuga menziesii - Tsuga heterophylla / Gaultheria shallon Dry Maritime
Douglas-fir - western hemlock / salal Dry Maritime Blue
Thuja plicata / Carex obnupta western redcedar / slough sedge Blue
Thuja plicata / Lonicera involucrata western redcedar / black twinberry Red
Thuja plicata - Picea sitchensis / Lysichiton americanus western redcedar - Sitka spruce / skunk cabbage Blue Thuja plicata / Polystichum munitum western redcedar / sword fern Very Dry Maritime Blue
Thuja plicata / Rubus spectabilis western redcedar / salmonberry Red
Thuja plicata / Tiarella trifoliata Very Dry Maritime
western redcedar / three-leaved foamflower Very Dry Maritime Red
Tsuga heterophylla - Pseudotsuga menziesii / Eurhynchium oreganum
western hemlock - Douglas-fir / Oregon beaked- moss Red
Tsuga heterophylla - Thuja plicata / Blechnum spicant western hemlock - western redcedar / deer fern Red
EIA of BCCF’s test drilling in Cowichan River Provincial Park.
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Figure 1. Project Area Overview
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3.2 Field Assessment
Field surveys were undertaken on October 14, 2010 by Steve Toth, R.P.Bio (Toth and Associates) accompanied by Jeramy Damborg, R.P.Bio (BCCF). The footprint areas of the proposed access route and test drill sites were visited, described and photographed. Old road grades and cut stumps were prevalent throughout the project area, indicative of historic logging activities.
3.3 Access Route
The proposed project requires access through approximately 830m of Cowichan River Provincial Park. The initial 230m of the access route within the park boundary is via a seasonally deactivated logging road (Photograph 1). Evidence of continued use of this road within the park boundaries by four wheel drive and all terrain vehicles was noted. The first 170m of the route are through pole-sapling stage regenerative forest. At approximately 170m the road enters mature mixed forest (Photograph 2). Approximately 230m along the logging road the proposed access route turns southeast onto an older unused road grade for approximately 600m to the proposed drill sites. The old unused road was in good condition with relatively intact stream crossings and little in the way of regenerative forest on the road grade (Photograph 3).
Photograph 1 View of pole-sapling regenerative forest along the seasonally deactivated logging road.
EIA of BCCF’s test drilling in Cowichan River Provincial Park.
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Photograph 2. View of transition from pole-sapling to mature forest
Photograph 3. View of old unused road grade.
3.3.1 Vegetation Characteristics
The initial 170m of the access route is through pole-sapling regenerative forest comprised primarily of red alder (Alnus rubra), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), willow (Salix spp.) and Douglas- fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Upon entering into the mature forest polygon at approximately
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170m the forest cover changes to a relatively open canopied mixed forest of western redcedar (Thuja plicata), western hemlock, bigleaf maple and red alder with an understory of sparse salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) and dense sword fern (Polystichum munitum). The access route turns onto an old unused road grade at approximately 230m. Vegetation along the unused road grade progresses from mature western redcedar, western hemlock, red alder and bigleaf maple to an almost pure stand of open canopied bigleaf maple and red alder at the clay deposit project site (Photograph 4).
Photograph 4. View of mature deciduous stand at the project site.
Accurate determination of site series was not possible due to the level of past disturbance, but it is likely that the project area formerly represented the Western redcedar / sword fern Very Dry Maritime (Blue-listed) ecological community. The CDC’s Conservation Status Report for this ecological community indicates that “this productive forest community is moderately common within its range, but continues to be threatened by logging and other development, especially in the CWHxm1. Although the rate of decline has slowed, only around 3 percent of the total range of the community remains as old forest, with more than 80% in early to mid seral stages. The range of this ecological community occupies a total of 9052 square km (BEC map Version 6). It occurs at lower elevations along the east side of Vancouver Island (above the CDF, where present), north to Kelsey Bay and along major valleys from Cowichan to Nimpkish”.
Coarse Woody Debris (CWD) on the forest floor was relatively common and was primarily comprised of older decay classes of large diameter logs and stumps left from historic logging. Newer CWD was uncommon and represented by small to medium diameter red alder and bigleaf maple.
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Snags were rare within the project area and represented primarily by small to medium diameter red alder, western hemlock and bigleaf maple. Plant species documented within the project area are included in Table 4.
Table 4. Plant Species Identified Within the Study Area
Trees Big leaf maple Acer macrophyllum Bitter cherry Prunus emarginata Black cottonwood Populus trichocarpa Coastal western redcedar Thuja plicata Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Grand fir Abies grandis Red alder Alnus rubra Western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla Shrubs Cascara Rhamnus purshiana Common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus Dull Oregon grape Mahonia nervosa Himalayan blackberry Rubus discolor Pacific ninebark Physocarpus capitatus Red elderberry Sambucus racemosa Red huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium Red-osier dogwood Cornus stolonifera Salal Gaultheria shallon Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius Scouler’s willow Salix scouleriana Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Trailing blackberry Rubus ursinus Herbs Blue wildrye Elymus glaucus Bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum Common horsetail Equisetum arvense Creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens Deer fern Blechnum spicant False lily-of-the-valley Maianthemum dilatatum False Solomon’s-seal Smilacina racemosa Goat’s beard Aruncus dioicus Herb-robert Geranium robertianum Lady fern Athyrium filix-femina Large-leaved avens Geum macrophyllum Licorice fern Polypodium glycyrrhiza Miner’s lettuce Claytonia perfoliata Pacific bleeding heart Dicentra formosa Queen’s cup Clintonia uniflora Self-heal Prunella vulgaris Siberian miner’s lettuce Claytonia sibirica Skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanum Small-flowered wood-rush Luzula parviflora Stinging nettle Urtica dioica Sword fern Polystichum munitum Vanilla leaf Achlys triphylla Wall lettuce Lactuca muralis Western trillium Trillium ovatum
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3.3.2 Wildlife
The surveyor recorded all wildlife utilization evidence including direct observations, vocalizations, tracks, game trails, scat, browsed and grazed vegetation, bones, feathers, nests, nest cavities and woodpecker holes. Utilization of forest types and habitats present by wildlife was deduced from an analysis of habitat features, and observations and evidence of utilization.
No raptor or heron nests or evidence of use by these species were documented within the project area during the survey.
Evidence of woodpecker use of the project area was noted on snags within the mature forest polygon. Several of the larger diameter western redcedar trees in the project area had rectangular forage holes indicative of pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). No woodpeckers were documented during the survey.
Songbirds documented during the field surveys included common resident forest songbirds such as chestnut-backed chickadee (Parus rufescens), golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa), spotted towhee (Pipilo erythropthalmus), winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), and red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis), in moderately low numbers. The timing of the survey precluded documentation of migratory songbird use within the project area.
Evidence of black-tail deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) use in the project area was present, but not common. Inactive trails, old tracks and buck rubs were noted. Little evidence of foraging by deer was documented in the project area. No deer were observed within the project area during the survey. Evidence of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) use of the project area was not found, however a single bull elk rub was noted along the logging road within approximately 1 km of the project area.
No evidence of black bear (Ursus americanus) use of the project area was found. Cougar (Felis concolor), wolf (Canis lupus) and pine marten (Martes Americana) sign was not found during the surveys. Evidence of small mammal use on the property included Douglas squirrel (Tamias douglasii) and raccoon (Procyon lotor).
One adult red-legged frog (Rana aurora) was observed near the top of the exposed clay bank site during the survey.
3.3.3 Watercourses
Five small ephemeral watercourses were crossed on the old unused road portion of the access route (Photographs 5+6). All of these streams were >20% grade, non-fish bearing seasonal drainages < 1m in channel width. Four of the five drainages can likely be crossed with only minor temporary modifications to the road to allow the drill rig and excavator to cross. The largest of the seasonal drainages at waypoint 159 (Figure 3) will likely involve construction of a temporary crossing structure to allow machine access. Several windthrown trees
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crossing the old unused road grade will need to be removed to allow machine access; sections of the larger diameter windthrown trees could possibly be used to create a temporary timber bridge deck at waypoint 159.
Photograph 5. View upstream from old road grade of small watercourse at waypoint 158.
Photograph 6. View downstream from old road of small watercourse at waypoint 159.
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Figure 2. Project Area
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Figure 3. Waypoints, track log and watercourse crossings
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4.0 Discussion
No sensitive wildlife features (e.g. raptor nest sites), high wildlife use areas or rare plant species were documented within the project area during the field survey. Species of concern likely to be present include red-legged frog (documented) and Pacific sideband (Monadenia fidelis).
The proposed project footprint poses minimal threat of damage to the environment and will involve a single access into and out of the park. The project may require limited brushing of vegetation along the roadside and will require removal of several deadfall trees along the access route. Some disturbance to the road surface is expected from tracked machines. This impact is expected to be minor and short term.
Disturbance to wildlife within the park from the proposed project is expected to be short term and will likely result in avoidance of the project area by most wildlife species during working hours for the duration of the project.
5.0 Recommendations
Areas of exposed soils resulting from the project should be seeded with a coastal reclamation grass seed mix upon project completion. Sediment mitigation measures may be required at the drill sites, depending upon the level of ground disturbance. We recommend that staked silt fence sections be available on site.
Project works should occur during relatively dry conditions and avoid or shut down during periods of high precipitation (i.e. > 50mm/24 hours).
Machines should be in good working order, clean and free of any leaks. We recommend that machines be washed prior to mobilization to the site to reduce the chance of introduction of invasive plant species. Machines are required to have spill kits on board.
Upon completion of the test drilling, deadfall logs removed from the old road should be reinstated across the road to prevent unauthorized vehicle access, especially at the intersection of the old road grade and the seasonally deactivated logging road.
6.0 References B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, B.C. Ministry of Forests. 1998. Field Manual
for Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems, Land Management Handbook No. 25. 214 pp.
B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, March 2001. Environmental Objectives, Best Management Practices and Requirements for Land Developments. 98 pp.
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B.C. Ministry of Environment, March 2006. Develop With Care: Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia 242 pp.
Campbell, R. W., N. K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-cowan, J. M. Cooper, G. W. Kaiser, M. C. E. Mcnall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia. Volume Two: Nonpasserines, Diurnal Birds of Prey through Woodpeckers. 636 pp.
Demarchi, D. 1996. An introduction to the ecoregions of British Columbia. MELP, Wildlife Branch. Victoria, B.C. 46 pp + appendices.
Green, R.N. and K. Klinka. 1994. A field guide for site identification and interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region. Land Management Handbook Number 28. BC Ministry of Forests. Victoria, B.C. 285 pp.
Luttmerding, H.A., D.A. Demarchi, E.C. Lea, D.V. Meidinger and T. Vold. 1990. Describing Ecosystems in the Field, Second Edition. BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, BC Ministry of Forests. Victoria, B.C. 213 pp.