Wolfe Creek Fish Habitat Offsetting Project

Client

Copper Mountain Mine

Location

Princeton, British Columbia

Project Duration

2015 – ongoing

Background

The East and West Dams of the Copper Mountain Mine Tailings Management Facility are to be raised on an annual basis to an elevation of 997 m as per amended Mines Act Permit M-29. To protect the toe of the East Dam and prevent encroachment into Wolfe Creek the mine realigned 2.9 km of Wolfe Creek, of which 915 m was fish-bearing. To offset residual impacts to fish habitat the mine developed the Wolfe Creek Fish Habitat Offsetting Plan (FHOP) in support of regulatory approvals. The FHOP was designed to provide higher quality habitat for rainbow trout than what was impacted by the Wolfe Creek realignment and includes new meandering run-pool-riffle channels, spawning riffles, and overwintering and summer rearing ponds.

Copper Mountain Mine received the Metal Mine Reclamation Award from the BC Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation (TRCR) for this project at the 45th Annual Mine Reclamation Symposium. Tim Poulton and Colleen Hughes presented a paper on the Wolfe Creek Realignment and Fish Habitat Offsetting Plan during the Symposium for which they won the Tony Milligan Book Award which is given to the authors of the paper that best exemplifies the practical aspects of reclamation. Tim and Colleen’s paper can be located here.

Services Provided

Hatfield provided environmental design input during development of the Wolfe Creek Realignment, developed the FHOP, supported engagement with Indigenous communities, obtained regulatory approvals (Fisheries Act Authorization and Water License pursuant to the BC Water Sustainability Act), developed an effectiveness monitoring plan for a period of nine years post-construction of the FHOP, provided designer oversight during construction of the FHOP, and are currently undertaking effectiveness monitoring of the FHOP in accordance with the monitoring plan. It was rewarding to see that success metrics for fish productivity in the FHOP were already achieved in year one post-construction.

Watch the showcase presentation video of the Wolfe Creek Realignment Fish Habitat Offsetting Project here.