Ecological Knowledge and Environmental Problem-Solving Concepts and Case Studies (1986) / Chapter Skim
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16. Protecting Caribou During Hydroelectric Development in Newfoundland
16. Protecting Caribou During Hydroelectric Development in Newfoundland
Pages 205-226
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From page 205... ...
Even if such a target species is well known, however, predicting the impact of the project on it can be difficult, and the project might have to proceed on a contingency basis, taking cautionary measures and altering them if effects on the target species are different from those anticipated. The effects of the Upper Salmon Hydroelectric Development on woodland caribou constitute an example of this type of problem.
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From page 206... ...
Before the USD, water flowed from Meelpaeg Reservoir through Crooked Lake and Great Burnt Lake down the North Salmon River to Round Pond (Figure 11. Water from Cold Spring Pond flowed down the West Salmon River to Godaleich Pond and then into Round Pond.
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From page 207... ...
l 17 r - ~m a },,,'< ;:~^LIVIVI ~\ / / DAM(, t \ / I WEST \ _J ~SALMON \ ~J RIVER \ \ ROUND I POND [? /: GODALE ICH \ {: POND FIGURE 1 The Upper Salmon Hydroelectric Development.
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From page 208... ...
The Grey River caribou usually calve in the Wolf Lake-Dolland Pond area in late May to early June, but some have been known to calve near the southern end of Cold Spring Pond. Traditionally, these caribou have used the Cold Spring Pond area as part of their postcalving range during the last half of June and early July.
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From page 209... ...
PROTECTING CARIBOU DURING HYDROELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT 209 (°°~ cow _ Fit A?
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From page 210... ...
In this brief discussion of the movement patterns of the Grey River caribou, specific locations such as point "x" where they winter and point "y" through which they migrate have been avoided. The purpose of the avoidance was to indicate the inherent variability in caribou movements.
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From page 211... ...
It argued that the main elements of the USD (the West Salmon dam, the power canal, the intake, and the penstock complex) were perpendicular to the general direction of movement of the Grey River herd from the postcalving area to the summer range.
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From page 212... ...
It was also hypothesized that caribou might migrate around the USD on the west side of Cold Spring Pond and so not use habitat within the USD area. Loss of this habitat might have a major impact on the annual energy budget of at least part of the herd.
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From page 213... ...
As the USD proceeded, it was decided that similar protection was required for other construction activities, such as vehicular traffic on access roads and construction at various civil works areas and at borrow pits and quarries. The criteria varied with the sensitivity of caribou at the time of
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From page 214... ...
The major fall movement appears to occur west of Cold Spring Pond. The postcalving aggregation was concentrated west of the West Salmon dam during construction.
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From page 215... ...
Place special emphasis on the ecology of the Godaleich delta and North Cold Spring Pond region" (Figure 1~. · "Recognize caribou migration requirements in design and construction of the access road, transmission lines, diversion canals and during reservoir filling, especially between Cold Spring Pond and Great Burnt Lake.
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From page 216... ...
Therefore, during the fall of 1978, woodland caribou populations came to be seen as a valued ecosystem component. Monitoring studies and mitigating measures were adopted in response to this new concern.
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From page 217... ...
Development and Implementation of Study Strategy Detailed planning of the study program began after two political decisions were taken: that the development would be built and that caribou constituted a valued ecosystem component. Therefore, the program was oriented toward the monitoring of impacts, rather than assisting in making a "go, no-go" decision, which is usually the underlying goal of environmental impact assessment.
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From page 218... ...
Helicopter surveys of the USD area, in cooperation with the Newfoundland Department of Environment, provided valuable information on caribou numbers and distribution to both NWD and the consultants conducting the behavior study. Telemetry surveys by NWD assisted in the scheduling of these monitoring flights.
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From page 219... ...
Information from these studies was often used to make USD-related decisions. For example, knowledge of the migration routes of caribou from telemetry data obtained in 1979 was used to determine areas of the reservoirs that should be cleared to facilitate future caribou migration (Kiell, 19811.
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From page 220... ...
A specifically designed study documented the effect of the USD on caribou behavior. Before the study program was implemented, information about the biology of the Grey River herd was obtained from published papers, mostly by Bergerud, in the late 1960s and early 1970s (e.g., Bergerud, 1971)
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From page 221... ...
Analog Studies The development of oil resources in the Canadian and American North in the last decade required construction of pipelines to markets in the South or to tanker ports. Many studies have been undertaken to investigate the impact of pipelines, vehicular traffic, compressor noise, helicopter harassment, etc., on caribou migration, e.g., those of Banfield (1974)
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From page 222... ...
As construction activities multiplied, the criteria were modified to include all project activities and to be cognizant of the differing degrees of sensitivity to disturbance expected during the calving, postcalving, and migratory periods. This flexibility worked to protect the caribou around the USD.
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From page 223... ...
advisor; study design ad vice; visited site Technical advice on behavior study; visited site Technical advice on behavior study; visited site; familiarity with Scandinavian experience Assistance with behavior study design Review of early reports; experi ence on analogous studies Administration; wildlife tech niques Administration; experience in environmental impact assess ment Assistance with behavior study design and statistical analysis Management and administration with environmental back ground; wildlife biology tech niques Wildlife biology; experience with Newfoundland mammals Finally, it was recognized early in the program that an ecological approach was needed to answer the complex questions about the interaction of caribou with a hydroelectric development. Information of different types was obtained from various sources.
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From page 224... ...
1983. Reactions of Caribou Observed During Construction at the Upper Salmon Hydroelectric Project, October, 1979-August, 1981.
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From page 225... ...
Impact of the Upper Salmon Hydroelectric Development on the Grey River caribou herd. In McGill Subarctic Research Papers.
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From page 226... ...
A major problem, and one that is likely to occur regularly in similar projects, is that public access to previously roadless areas is greatly facilitated by roads built for project construction. The general disturbance and illegal hunting in the area might be much more serious for the long term welfare of the Grey River caribou herd than was the disturbance during construction itself.
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