2021 to 2023 Field Studies


Scientific field studies will be taking place along the proposed alternative corridors to understand the existing conditions of the environment including terrain, groundwater, surface water, fish, birds, wildlife, and vegetation. The studies will be conducted during multiple seasons over several years The information we collect through these studies will be strengthened by the Indigenous Knowledge (IK) that will be shared with us by Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations and the neighbouring Indigenous Communities through the IK Program.

Vegetation Surveys / Ecological Land Classification (ELC): Vegetation surveys consist of plots to sample and record vegetation in the study area. Field data collection aligns with the provincial ELC program for the boreal region. These surveys were conducted across three seasons including spring, summer and fall.

2023 Surveys Date (From) Date (To)
Wolverine Hair Snag #1 January 23, 2023 February 5, 2023
ARU Maintenance February 7, 2023 February 11, 2023
Mammal Winter Tracking Survey February 16, 2023 February 27, 2023
Caribou Collaring Program February 18, 2023 February 27, 2023
Wolverine Hair Snag #2 February 26, 2023 March 6, 2023
Wolverine Hair Snag #3 March 31, 2023 April 8, 2023
Wolverine Hair Snag #4 April 26, 2023 May 4, 2023
Wolverine Hair Snag #5 May 22, 2023 June 1, 2023

Waterfowl Aerial Surveys and Ground Surveys– Spring #1

Waterfowl ARU and Camera Stations

May 16, 2023 May 24, 2023
Waterfowl Aerial Surveys and Ground Surveys– Spring #2 June 1, 2023 June 7, 2023
Surface Water – Spring June 8, 2023 June 14, 2023
Fish and Fish Habitat – Spring June 8, 2023 June 18, 2023
Breeding Birds and ARU Maintenance#1 June 11, 2023 June 22, 2023
Vegetation – Spring June 16, 2023 June 30, 2023
Trail Camera Stations Deployment June 20, 2023 June 27, 2023
Breeding Birds #2 June 28, 2023 July 7, 2023
Vegetation – Summer July 17, 2023 July 31, 2023
ARU Maintenance July 18, 2023 July 24, 2023
Surface Water Sampling – Summer July 27, 2023 August 3, 2023
Waterfowl Aerial Surveys and Ground Surveys- Fall #1 August 25, 2023 September 5, 2023
Fish and Fish Habitat – Summer August 15, 2023 August 24, 2023
Vegetation – Fall August 25, 2023 September 7, 2023
Bird /Bat Sweeps for Geotechnical Drilling August 10, 2023 September 1, 2023
Geotechnical Drilling August 10, 2023 September 20, 2023
Bathymetric Surveys August 10, 2023 August 24, 2023
Benthic Invertebrate September 8, 2023 September 16, 2023
Surface Water – Fall September 17, 2023 September 24, 2023
Waterfowl Aerial Surveys and Ground Surveys and Equipment Recovery- Fall #2 and ARU Maintenance September 17, 2023 September 25, 2023

Trail Camera Maintenance

ARU

October 11, 2023 October 18, 2023

Terrain Surveys: Soil surveys using a hand auger to ground-truth existing terrain maps, identify potential aggregate, and thickness of peat.

Geotechnical Drilling: Geotechnical drilling and laboratory testing will be conducted in summer/fall 2023 to support engineering design. Soil and bedrock samples will collected to understand geotechnical parameters and acid rock drainage potential. Groundwater monitoring wells are being installed at borehole locations to support the groundwater program.

 

2022 Surveys  Date (From) Date (To)
Wolverine Aerial Tracking Survey March 1, 2022 March 8, 2022
ARU Maintenance March 24, 2022 April 3, 2022
Geotechnical Drilling April 7, 2022 April 28, 2022
Waterfowl – Spring #1 May 16, 2022 May 20, 2022
ARU Deployment May 31, 2022 June 6, 2022
Waterfowl – Spring #2 May 30, 2022 June 2, 2022

Breeding Birds #1

ARU Deployment/Maintenance

June 6, 2022 June 16, 2022
Vegetation – Spring June 6, 2022 June 19, 2022
Breeding Birds #2 June 27, 2022 July 6, 2022
Fish and Fish Habitat – Spring July 7, 2022 July 17, 2022
Vegetation – Summer July 17, 2022 July 28, 2022
ARU Maintenance July 18, 2022 July 26, 2022
Waterfowl – Fall #1 September 10, 2022 September 15, 2022
Fish and Fish Habitat – Summer August 15, 2022 August 24, 2022
Vegetation – Fall August 26, 2022 September 9, 2022
Waterfowl – Fall #2 October 15, 2022 October 20, 2022
Terrain/Ground Truthing October 15, 2022 October 19, 2022
Bathymetry October 22, 2022 October 27, 2022
ARU Maintenance November 16, 2022 November 27, 2022

Terrain Surveys: Soil surveys using a hand auger to ground-truth existing terrain maps, identify potential aggregate, and thickness of peat.

Geotechnical Drilling: Geotechnical drilling and laboratory testing was conducted in spring 2022 to support engineering design. Groundwater monitoring wells were installed at borehole locations to support the groundwater program.

Bathymetry: Bathymetric surveys to support engineering design of watercourse crossings.

Fish and Fish Habitat Surveys: Includes fish habitat assessments and fish community sampling using minnow traps and eDNA. These were conducted at potential water crossings in spring and summer.

Breeding Bird Surveys: Installation of Acoustic Recording Units (ARU) and point count surveys to determine presence/absence of species as well as abundance/distribution and the status and trends in the bird populations. The ARUs are left in place year-round, with field crews periodically replacing their batteries and SD cards. Point counts are conducted by skilled observers to identify birds by sight and sound.

Waterfowl Migration Surveys: Low-level aerial surveys over water bodies (lakes, ponds, stream and rivers to estimate the seasonal distribution, abundance and density of waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors. These surveys are conducted in spring and fall.

Bat Surveys: Installation of ultrasonic Acoustic Recording Units (ARU) to identify bat species and distribution within in the study area. They are set up in the spring and taken down in the fall, with field crews periodically replacing their batteries and SD cards.

Wolverine Surveys: Wolverine aerial tracking surveys conducted during winter to look for evidence of wolverine dens. Survey was conducted to support permitting of geotechnical drilling program as well as the biology program.

2021

2021 Surveys Date (From) Date (To)
Waterfowl – Spring #1 May 11, 2021 May 13, 2021

Waterfowl – Spring #2

ARU Deployment

May 25, 2021 June 4, 2021
Fish and Fish Habitat – Spring May 31, 2021 June 10, 2021
Breeding Birds #1 June 10, 2021 June 18, 2021
Vegetation – Spring June 10, 2021 June 23, 2021
Breeding Birds #2 June 23, 2021 July 2, 2021
Vegetation – Summer July 5, 2021 July 18, 2021
ARU Maintenance August 9, 2021 August 20, 2021
Fish and Fish Habitat – Summer August 9, 2021 August 19, 2021
Waterfowl – Fall #1 14-Aug-2021 17-Aug-2021
Terrain/Ground Truthing August 22, 2021 August 28, 2021
Vegetation – Fall September 7, 2021 September 16, 2021

Waterfowl – Fall #2

ARU Maintenance

October 15, 2021 October 19, 2021

Terrain Surveys: Soil surveys using a hand auger to ground-truth existing terrain maps, identify potential aggregate, and thickness of peat.

Fish and Fish Habitat Surveys: Includes fish habitat assessments and fish community sampling using minnow traps and eDNA. These were conducted at potential water crossings in spring and summer.

Breeding Bird Surveys: Installation of Acoustic Recording Units (ARU) and point count surveys to determine presence/absence of species as well as abundance/distribution and the status and trends in the bird populations. The ARUs are left in place year-round, with field crews periodically replacing their batteries and SD cards. Point counts are conducted by skilled observers to identify birds by sight and sound.

Waterfowl Migration Surveys: Low-level aerial surveys over water bodies (lakes, ponds, stream and rivers to estimate the seasonal distribution, abundance and density of waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors. These surveys are conducted in spring and fall.

Bat Surveys: Installation of ultrasonic Acoustic Recording Units (ARU) to identify bat species and distribution within in the study area. They are set up in the spring and taken down in the fall, with field crews periodically replacing their batteries and SD cards.

Vegetation Surveys/Ecological Land Classification (ELC): Vegetation surveys consist of plots to sample and record vegetation in the study area. Field data collection aligns with the provincial ELC program for the boreal region. These surveys were conducted across three seasons including spring, summer and fall.

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