Welcome to the Boulevard Lake Dam Class Environmental Assessment Public Information Session #1 June 14, 2016
Boulevard Dam - Overview Built approximately 100 years ago Owned and operated by the City of Thunder Bay Associated waterpower facility is operated by Current River Hydro Partnership under a lease from the City of Thunder Bay Located approximately 700 m upstream of where the Current River discharges into Lake Superior The existing dam structure is approximately 112 m long and is oriented in an east/west direction Concrete construction with a series of concrete spillways and a series of log controlled sluiceways East approach is concrete retaining wall and west approach is 440 m rock berm
Boulevard Dam - Overview 1960s post tension anchors installed in each buttress to address risk of floodwaters associated with regulatory storm event 1990 s Fish ladder installed to facilitate movement of Steelhead for spawning upstream Walkway on top of dam used as part of trail system Dam created Boulevard Lake which is a recreational resource used by residents The Boulevard Lake Dam is operated twice a year outside of actions taken during isolated weather events and maintenance requirements; water levels are drawn down in fall and raised in summer
Sluiceways Downstream Upstream
Downstream Spillways
History of Boulevard Dam Project Boulevard Lake Dam is an aging structure: The last major restoration project was completed in 1976, when four sluiceways were constructed in order to pass the Regulatory Flood Minimal maintenance has been performed since then Original Condition Assessment of the Dam complete in 2000 by JML Engineering and updated in 2008 Condition assessment identified potential issues with: Deterioration of concrete all over the structure Ability of dam to withstand flood waters associated with regulatory storm in accordance with the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act (LRIA) Some issues associated with use of walkway across dam Initial iterations of project identified project activities as Schedule A+ under the Municipal Class EA Project File report submitted in March 2015 and found deficient by MOECC in a number of areas EA being restarted to resolve deficiencies Opportunities to implement potential Boulevard lake improvements may be examined
Problem Assessment Protective concrete at exterior of dam infrastructure is deteriorating and needs rehabilitation Severe spalling and delamination of the east retaining wall Severe cracking and significant separation of the upstream concrete facing wall at the spillways Soft concrete, spalling, delamination, and erosion at numerous buttress locations Significant spalling, cracking, and erosion throughout the spillway and sluiceway aprons, and at the spillway slab Spalling of the concrete slabs at the existing railing post locations and at a few locations at the underside of the sluiceway slabs Severe longitudinal cracks at the spillway slabs Structural strength of dam is not sufficient to meet Lake and Rivers Improvement Act (LRIA) requirements for redundancies, should there be a regulatory storm event
Opportunity Assessment Parks undertook a community driven effort to identify potential long term improvements to Boulevard Lake and Park Some of the improvements could be addressed during the rehabilitation of the dam depending on the construction method chosen Water quality in Boulevard Lake is an on-going issue and should the lake be drawn down during construction there may be the opportunity to improve water quality Paddle sports using Boulevard Lake have identified the need for dredging to improve water depth for dragon boating The opportunity to address these issues is likely contingent on the method of construction
Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Do Nothing No repairs to the dam would be made, and the concrete would continue to deteriorate at an accelerated rate No redundancies in strength would be provided The dam would continue to operate through stop log operations Pedestrian traffic would remain unchanged at the dam The dam will continue to perform satisfactorily for a limited horizon On balance negative effects of doing nothing outweigh benefits therefore, this alternative is eliminated from further consideration
Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Rehabilitate the Dam All required concrete repairs would be completed and the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act requirement for redundancies in strength would be met Pedestrian traffic and movement across the dam would be improved Stop log operations can be enhanced or replaced with gates to ensure the dam can adequately pass the Inflow Design Flood Potential to look at opportunities to improve water quality depending on construction method chosen On balance benefits of dam rehabilitation outweigh the negative effects therefore, this alternative is preferred and is carried forward for more detailed consideration
Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Reconstruct the Dam Construct a new dam upstream or downstream of the existing dam The new structure would be designed to all applicable codes and standards Flow control, fish passage, and power generation could be greatly improved The existing structure would be demolished Provision of new improved trail connection over new bridge and provisions of better connections onto and off of dam Cost of reconstruction is significantly higher than for rehabilitation or removal On balance negative effects of dam reconstruction outweigh benefits therefore, this alternative is eliminated from further consideration
Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Remove the Dam Completely remove all dam infrastructure and allow the Current River to return to its natural watercourse Boulevard Lake, an important recreation area within Thunder Bay since 1909, would be eliminated Removal of barrier against migration of invasive species, such as Sea Lamprey, up Current River Removal of fish ladder and opportunity to facilitate migration of Steelhead Removal of trail connection in this location Removal of power generation capacity; termination of contract with private operator would incur financial penalty On balance negative effects of dam removal outweigh benefits therefore, this alternative is eliminated from further consideration
Alternative Design Concepts Rehabilitation of the Dam is the preferred alternative solution, therefore, alternative design concepts will include the following components: Alternative ways to enhance strength of dam to meet LRIA requirements for redundancy Alternative ways to repair the protective concrete Alternative ways to achieve and enhance public access across the dam structure Alternative ways to operate the dam to improve responsiveness and avoid conflict with recreational users Alternative ways to undertake construction Alternative ways to enhance function of the fish ladder Each set of alternatives will be assessed and combined into an overall preferred alternative Depending on the resultant preferred alternative, the team will examine additional opportunities to improve water quality and potential for dredging to facilitate paddle sports as per the Park Strategic Plan
Potential Evaluation Criteria Environmental Component Natural Social Technical Cost Criteria Change to aquatic species and habitat Change to function/operation of existing fish ladder Change to terrestrial habitat Change to water quality Change to recreational opportunities available in Boulevard Park Change in recreational opportunities available in Boulevard Lake Change to operation of small hydro generation Potential for nuisance effects associated with construction (noise, odour, dust, traffic, access, etc. Potential for disruption of archaeological and heritage resources. Ease of construction Duration of construction Ease of operation. Ability to manage water levels. Capital Cost Operation and Maintenance Cost
Baseline Studies - 2016 Bathymetry Vegetation and Flora Fish Occupancy Soils and erosion Hydrology Water quality Odour Archaeology/Built Heritage Resources and Landscapes Survey of Dam/Park Use
Baseline Ecologic Conditions Aquatic - Limited data on fish community in Boulevard Lake: field studies currently on-going - Walleye, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike found in Current River upstream - Rainbow Smelt, Walleye, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout and suckers found in Current River below the dam - Dam prevents most fish species from moving upstream, including invasive species such as Sea Lamprey - The fish ladder was built in 1991 to allow Rainbow Trout (Steelhead) to migrate upstream but its effectiveness is unknown - Most of the lake is less than 2 m deep - the maximum depth is over 5 m - The winter drawdown probably harms fish habitat by killing off aquatic plants and invertebrates in the shallow water - Small areas of wetland at the north of the lake and in a basin on the east side
Baseline Ecologic Conditions Terrestrial - Boulevard Lake Park includes 40 ha of mature mixed forest; remainder is mostly open lawn and wooded lawn - White-tailed Deer and Beaver are common residents - Breeding bird community includes warblers, thrushes, and vireos - Flocks of migrating shorebirds and Canada Goose use the lake and lawns for feeding and staging, especially in the spring and fall - The park may act as a corridor for animals moving from the largely forested area to the north to the Lake Superior shoreline - A provincially rare plant, Scabrous Black Sedge (Carex atratiformis) grows on the east side of the lake - Great Lakes Arctic-Alpine Basic Open Bedrock Shoreline may be present on the Current River upstream of Boulevard Lake
Overview of Class EA Process The Municipal Class EA is a 5 phase project planning process study for municipal projects including road, water and wastewater projects The process includes evaluation of impacts on the natural and social environment (i.e., impacts to wildlife, soils, traffic patterns, local residents/businesses) Municipal projects are classified into schedules based on the scale and scope of the project to determine the level of assessment required: Schedule A: Generally includes normal or emergency operational and maintenance activities where the environmental effects of these activities are usually minimal, and therefore these projects are preapproved Schedule B: Generally includes improvements and minor expansions to existing facilities where there is the potential for some adverse environmental impacts and therefore, the municipality is required to proceed through a screening process including consultation with those who may be affected Schedule C: Generally includes the construction of new facilities and major expansions to existing facilities, and these projects proceed through a five phased environmental assessment planning process Boulevard Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project is considered Schedule C
Overview of Schedule C Class EA Process 5 Phase Environmental Planning Process 1. Identify Problem or Opportunity 2. Identify Alternative Solutions to Problem or Opportunity 3. Alternative Design Concepts for Preferred Solution 4. Environmental Study Report completed and placed on public record for 30-day review period Public has opportunity to comment and request Part II Order 5. Implementation
Next Steps Undertake field studies Develop and evaluate alternative methods Undertake effects assessment Next Public Information Session Fall 2016 How can I participate in the Class EA? Public consultation is a fundamental part of the EA process The City hosts Public Information Sessions in the community as well as consults directly with municipal councils, review agencies, interest groups, and stakeholders Project information will be posted on the City website Please complete a comment sheet