Nalcor Energy Lower Churchill Project, Environmental Effects Monitoring Program 2017 Mealy Mountains Herd (MMH) Caribou 2017 Aerial Survey Prepared for: Nalcor Energy Hydro Place, 500 Columbus Drive P.O. Box 12800 St. John s, NL A1B 0C9 Prepared by: Stassinu Stantec 141 Kelsey Drive St. John s, NL A1B 0L2 19-21 Burnwood Drive Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL A0P 1C0 File No: 121414600 Field Report
Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION... 1 2.0 SURVEY OBJECTIVES... 1 3.0 METHODS... 1 4.0 RESULTS... 2 4.1 SURVEY EFFORT AND CONDITIONS... 2 4.2 STRIP TRANSECT SURVEYS... 5 5.0 SUMMARY... 5 6.0 REFERENCES... 6 LIST OF APPENDICIES Appendix A 2017 Mealy Mountain Strip Transect Survey Results LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Caribou Survey Team, February 13-14, 2017... 2 Table 4.1 Survey Effort and Weather Conditions, Mealy Mountains Caribou Herd Aerial Survey, February 2017... 4 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4-1 Survey Transects and Observations, February 13, 2017... 3 Figure 4-2 Survey Transects and Observations, February 14, 2017... 4 i
INTRODUCTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Mealy Mountains Herd (MMH) of sedentary caribou were assessed as part of the Labrador- Island Transmission Link (the Project) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Nalcor 2009). The EIS noted that the MMH herd was stable, but the main limiting factors were illegal hunting and predation, both of which may increase as a result of construction of the Project (e.g., through increased access by Off-Highway Vehicles and predators). The EIS predicted that there would be adverse environmental effects on the MMH, however, the Project would not cause a population decline such that the viability or recovery of the Herd was threatened. To address the concerns and commitments made in the EIS, the MMH Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Program was developed to examine the distribution and movements of telemetered MMH caribou prior to the initiation of construction activities (i.e., baseline data from available telemetry data from 2007-2012, plus data accumulated until the start of construction in this area) with data collected during Project construction. To this end, a collaring and aerial survey program was initiated in 2014 to document MMH caribou observations (and/or indications of presence) during the construction phase. The 2017 surveys represent the final year of sampling for the MMH EEM Program. This field report describes the methods and results from aerial surveys completed in February 2017. A final report will be submitted at a later date, combining the efforts and findings from all surveys. 2.0 SURVEY OBJECTIVES The primary objective of the MMH EEM Program is to monitor the effects of the Project on MMH caribou, particularly whether their movement and distribution patterns change because of Project activities (e.g., vegetation clearing). The specific objectives of the 2017 field program were: To record locations of caribou and/or evidence of their presence (e.g., tracks, cratering) in the winter range of the MMH To support ongoing Project mitigation 3.0 METHODS The Study Team for the field program included Stassinu Stantec personnel and members of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation s Wildlife Division (NLDEC-WD), as well as a pilot from Universal Helicopters Newfoundland and Labrador (Table 3.1). 1 File No: 121414600
RESULTS Table 3.1 Caribou Survey Team, February 13-14, 2017 Team Members Wayne Tucker Richard Martin Tony Parr Christopher White Richard Neville Role (Position in Helicopter) Project Manager Pilot, Universal Helicopters Newfoundland and Labrador (Front Right) Field Team Lead, Biologist (Navigator / Front Left) Field Observer (Rear Left) Field Observer, Biologist with NLDEC-WD (Rear Right) Prior to start of the field program, all personnel reviewed Stantec s Risk Management Strategy (RMS) 1 and 2 forms to ensure safety hazards were identified. An aerial strip transect survey was completed over a two-day period between February 13 and February 14, 2017, covering a 20 km-long area of overlap between the Project footprint and core winter habitat (and habitat with potential occupancy) for the MMH. A Bell 206L Long Ranger helicopter equipped with bubble rear windows (to enhance visibility) was used throughout the survey. The aircraft was flown at 100-120 km/hour at an altitude of approximately 100 m above ground level (agl), along pre-established transects (Stantec 2017) spaced at 2 and 4 km-intervals. Each observer searched an area extending approximately 200 m on either side of the aircraft, for signs of caribou. Waypoints of caribou sightings and/or tracks/cratering were geo-referenced using GPS and additional comments were recorded on field data sheets. 4.0 RESULTS 4.1 Survey Effort and Conditions Twenty transect lines were flown on February 13 (Figure 4-1), and 15 on February 14 (Figure 4-2). A total of 11.5 hours of flying time was required over the two-day period to complete the survey (Table 4.1). Weather conditions on both survey days were suitable for aerial observations (Table 4.1). 2 File No: 121414600
NALCOR ENERGY LOWER CHURCHILL PROJECT, ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS MONITORING RESULTS Figure 4-1 Survey Transects and Observations, February 13, 2017 *Flagged areas indicate locations of observations. 3 File No: 121414600
NALCOR ENERGY LOWER CHURCHILL PROJECT, ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS MONITORING RESULTS Figure 4-2 Survey Transects and Observations, February 14, 2017 *Flagged areas indicate locations of incidental observations. Table 4.1 Survey Effort and Weather Conditions, Mealy Mountains Caribou Herd Aerial Survey, February 2017 Date Departure Time / Return Time Survey Start Time # Transects Flown Total Flying Time (hours) Feb13 0930h / 1530h 1032h 20 6.3 Approximately -31 C, no wind; clear blue skies. 5.2 Approximately -24 C, winds calm. Overcast skies with broken cloud later in the day. Light flurries at midday. Feb14 0915h / 1600h 1002h 15 4 Weather Conditions File No: 121414600
SUMMARY 4.2 Strip Transect Surveys Over the two-day survey period, the following observations of significance were made (Figure 4-1 and Appendix A): Two bald stag caribou were observed in transit to the survey area, approximately 2.5 km north of the transect survey lines (at 52.6623 N / -59.0634 W). Evidence of recent caribou cratering (at 52.6557 N / -59.1018 W). Incidental observations included otter and moose, and tracks of otter, wolf, lynx, and moose (Appendix A). The majority of moose tracks were found along the Kenamu and Traverspine rivers, where seven moose were observed. 5.0 SUMMARY The 2017 aerial survey documented two caribou, as well as evidence of caribou presence (tracks and cratering) in the MMH winter range, although the observations of caribou were beyond the area covered by the survey transects. Note that results from this survey only examined a small portion of the MMH core winter range in proximity to the Project, and do not reflect overall status of the population. Information from the 2017 surveys will be used in combination with results from previous surveys to assess movement and distribution patterns of MMH caribou in relation to Project activities. 5 File No: 121414600
REFERENCES 6.0 REFERENCES Nalcor Energy. 20012. Labrador-Island Transmission Link Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 2A Existing Biophysical Environment. pp. 467 + Appendix 10-1. 6 File No: 121414600
APPENDIX A 2017 Survey Results
Table A.1 2017 Mealy Mountain Strip Transect Survey Results Waypoint Date Latitude Longitude Species Observation 822 February 13 52.7842-59.3177 Wolf Tracks 823 February 13 52.6623-59.0634 Caribou 2 animals 824 February 13 52.5262-58.9375 Wolf Tracks 825 February 13 52.6156-58.9789 Moose Tracks 826 February 13 52.4258-59.0506 Otter Tracks 827 February 13 52.4245-59.0505 Moose Tracks 828 February 13 52.4826-59.0824 Otter Tracks 829 February 13 52.5062-59.0838 Otter Tracks 830 February 13 52.6557-59.1018 Caribou Tracks 831 February 13 52.6559-59.1500 Moose Tracks 832 February 13 52.6767-59.1511 Moose Tracks 833 February 13 52.6109-59.1798 Lynx Tracks 834 February 13 52.5053-59.2015 Moose Tracks 835 February 13 52.6519-59.2087 Wolf Tracks 836 February 13 52.6514-59.2978 Moose Tracks 837 February 13 52.5392-59.2922 Otter Tracks 838 February 13 52.6727-59.3259 Lynx Tracks 839 February 13 52.6967-59.3249 Otter 1 animal 840 February 13 52.7156-59.3601 Otter Tracks 841 February 13 52.7537-59.4511 Moose Tracks 842 February 13 52.6751-59.4688 Wolf Tracks 843 February 13 52.6705-59.5061 Wolf Tracks 848 February 14 52.5962-59.5603 Moose Tracks 849 February 14 52.6484-59.6229 Moose Tracks 850 February 14 52.6956-59.6554 Moose Tracks 851 February 14 52.9036-59.7272 Moose Tracks 852 February 14 52.7104-59.7437 Fox Tracks 853 February 14 52.7852-59.8082 Otter Tracks 854 February 14 52.7700-59.8373 Moose Tracks 855 February 14 52.8253-59.8715 Otter Tracks 856 February 14 52.7638-59.9305 Otter Tracks 857 February 14 52.8944-59.9946 Moose Tracks 858 February 14 53.0325-60.0792 Otter Tracks 859 February 14 53.1076-60.3896 Moose Tracks 860 February 14 53.1147-60.4169 Wolf Tracks 861 February 14 53.1377-60.4701 Moose Tracks 862 February 14 53.1403-60.4391 Wolf Tracks 863 February 14 53.1467-60.4258 Moose 3 animals A-1
Waypoint Date Latitude Longitude Species Observation 864 February 14 53.1534-60.2794 Moose Tracks 865 February 14 53.1624-60.1680 Moose Tracks 866 February 14 53.1664-60.1610 Moose Tracks 867 February 14 53.2141-60.1728 Moose 4 animals 868 February 14 53.2306-60.1766 Moose Tracks 869 February 14 53.2334-60.1879 Moose Tracks 870 February 14 53.2268-60.2692 Moose Tracks 871 February 14 53.2174-60.3842 Moose Tracks 872 February 14 53.2114-60.4544 Moose Tracks A-2