Authors: Brinker, CJ; Symbaluk, MD; Boorman, JG


DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1152_55_Brinker

Cite As:
Brinker, CJ, Symbaluk, MD & Boorman, JG 2011, 'Constructing habitat for a sustainable native fisheries in the Sphinx Lake end pit lake system', in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & A Beersing (eds), Mine Closure 2011: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 525-534, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1152_55_Brinker

Download citation as:   ris   bibtex   endnote   text   Zotero


Abstract:
Fisheries habitat and watershed integrity are highly valued resources in the subalpine natural subregion of west-central Alberta. Teck’s Luscar open pit coal mine has been in operation in this area since 1969, and 51-C6 pit was mined from 1992 to 1999. Accomplishing a sound development and reclamation plan to meet biodiversity objectives for 51-C6 pit included operational considerations such as surface water diversions and post-mining fisheries habitat development. The pit had to be mined and reclaimed such that the end pit and inlet/outlet streams would sustain in perpetuity the full range of habitat and watershed features needed to support native Athabasca Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus). The five year post-reclamation fisheries habitat and population assessment indicates a surging Rainbow Trout population, high growth rates and enhanced habitat conditions as compared with the pre-mine cold-water, lotic system. This paper covers the process from environmental assessment through construction and reclamation to closure assessment, highlighting the challenges, uncertainties, and successes of Teck’s award-winning Sphinx Lake system within the context of biological diversity.

References:
AENV (1999) Alberta Environment. Surface water quality guidelines for use in Alberta.
Anderson, R.S. (1971) Crustacean plankton of 146 alpine and sub-alpine lakes and ponds in western Canada. Journal of Fisheries Research Board Canada, Vol. 28, pp. 311–321.
Beckingham, J.D., Corns, I.G.W. and Archibald, J.H. (1996) Field guide to ecosites of west-central Alberta, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Special Report 9.
Boorman, R. (2006) Seasonal limnological surveys of five end pit lakes on the Cardinal River Operations Mine Lease, 2005–2006, Prepared for Teck Cardinal River Operations by Pisces Environmental Services Ltd., 34 pp +App.
CCME (2003) Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Canadian environmental quality guidelines: water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, Ottawa, ON.
CRO (2005) Cardinal River Operations. Proposal for an end pit lake monitoring program for the Luscar Mine.
EPLWG (2003) End Pit Lake Working Group Guidelines for lake development at coal mining operations in the mountains and foothills of the northern east slopes, Report #ESD/LM/00-1, Alberta Environment, Environmental Service, Edmonton, AB, 89 p.
Mayhood, D.W. and Anderson, R.S. (1976) Limnological survey of the Lake Louise area, Banff National Park, Prepared for Parks Canada by the Canadian Wildlife Service, Calgary, AB.
Pisces Environmental Consulting Services Ltd (2008) Sphinx Lake monitoring in 2007, Prepared for Teck Cardinal River Operations by Pisces Environmental Services Ltd.
Pisces Environmental Consulting Services Ltd (2009) Sphinx Lake monitoring in 2008, Prepared for Teck Cardinal River Operations by Pisces Environmental Services Ltd.
Rasmussen, J., Peterson, S., Lele, S. and Rosenfeld, J. (2009) Report to the selenium working group on the selenium fish science panel (SeFSP) workshop, October 9–11, 2007, Hinton, AB.
Rexstad, E. and Burnham, K.P. (1992) User’s guide for interactive program CAPTURE, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 29 p.
Ricker, W.E. (1975) Computation and interpretation of biological statistics of fish populations, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Bulletin 191.
Schwartz, T. (2002) Fish populations, biomass and growth in Lac Des Roches, Alberta, Prepared for Cardinal River Coals Ltd by Pisces Environmental Services Ltd.
Thompson, G.E. (1978) Limnology of high mountain lakes in Kananaskis Country, Alberta Fish & Wildlife Division, Calgary AB, 151 pp.




© Copyright 2024, Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au