Public Information Centre No. 4 Preliminary Preferred Solution for Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment City of Cambridge November 29, 2017
Welcome Meeting Agenda ► Background / Process 1. Project Recap ► Problem Statement ► Consultation ► Ownership ► Hybrid Alternative Development 2. Review of Recent Activity ► Stakeholder Workshops (2) ► Indigenous Communities Consultation ► Structural Inspections ► Natural / Physical Environment 3. Alternative Assessment and Comparison of Rebuild Dam vs. ► Flooding, Stream Stability, Fisheries /Species At Risk, Water Naturalize River Quality / Temperature ► Social Environment ► Cultural Heritage, Boating, Fishing, Park Vistas, Public Safety ► Economic Environment ► Life Cycle, Liability 4. Summary of Stakeholder Perspectives 5. Preliminary Preferred Solution 6. Next Steps & Schedule 7. Frequently Asked Questions Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap
1. Project Recap – Study Area Context to Grand River Riverside Dam and Headpond Grand River Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap - Study Area Riverside Dam Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap - Background General ► Riverside Dam was constructed between 1860 and 1880 to support Erb Mill ► Maintenance of the structure likely ended once the dam and associated mill race were no longer required to power the mill ► Dam has deteriorated to current state ► 2008/2009 structural investigation (Sanchez) determined dam to have elements in poor structural condition ► Emergency repair of south control structure completed in December 2008 Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap - Background Study Need ► Riverside Dam is structurally in poor condition and in need of management Study Purpose ► Understand the constraints and opportunities associated with the future of the Riverside Dam and the immediate Study Area ► Determine the preferred future management alternative for the dam through technical study and consultation with stakeholders and regulators Approach ► Study being completed under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process ► The complexity of the potential solutions dictate the associated ‘Schedule’ or the work and Riverside Dam is being planned as a Schedule ‘B’ undertaking Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap - Background Phase 3 Phase 1 Phase 2 Alternative Design Phase 4 Identify Alternative Phase 5 Concepts Environmental and Describe Planning Implementation For the Preferred Study Report the Problem(s) Solutions Solution •Identify reasonable •Identify alternative designs •Compile an Environmental •Proceed to construction of alternative planning to implement the preferred Study Report (ESR). the project. solutions. solution. •Place ESR on public •Monitor environmental •Evaluate the alternative •Inventory natural, record for review for 30 provisions and solutions, taking into social/cultural and days. commitments. consideration economic environments. •Notify the public and environmental and •Identify the impact of the government agencies of technical factors. alternative designs after completion of the ESR •Identify a preferred mitigation. and of the Part II Order solution to the problem(s). •Evaluate alternative provision in the EA Act. Schedule “B” Class designs. Environmental •Identify a preferred We are design. Assessments are here Agency and to complete Phase Stakeholder Consultation 1, 2 and 5 . Public Consultation Problem Statement Preferred Solution Preferred Design ESR Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap - Summary of Consultation ► Notice of Project Commencement ► Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meetings (4) ► Technical Advisory Committee Meetings (4) ► Public Information Centres (3 to-date excluding this evening) ► Stakeholder Workshops (2) ► Indigenous Communities (Notices and Face to Face Meetings) Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
1. Project Recap - Ownership ► Dam originally built to provide power for Erb Mill operation ► Current Mill owner, P&H Milling no longer uses the dam ► The Province controls the bed and banks of the river ► The City, in 2009, constructed interim works to ensure the safety of the dam in the short term ► While clear ownership remains uncertain, the City has acted as a responsible party, ensuring the safety of the Public, hence has taken on the ownership of the project Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
2. Review of Recent Activities
2. Review of Recent Activities i. Hybrid Alternative Development: Off-Line Dam Initially screened (2013 / 2014), Amec Foster Wheeler developed additional technical detail on the Offline Dam Alternative, including: ► Geometry ► Configuration ► Pre-design details Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
2. Review of Recent Activities i. Hybrid Alternative Development: Off-Line Dam Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
2. Review of Recent Activities ii. Stakeholder Workshops ► Held May 24 and June 29, 2017 ► Invited Stakeholders included: ► Ancient Mariners Canoe Club ► Grand River Conservation Authority ► P&H Milling ► Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry ► Save the Dam ► Region of Waterloo ► Preston Towne Centre ► City Department Staff Business Improvement Area ► City Councillors (BIA) ► Municipal Heritage Advisory ► Cambridge Environmental Advisory Committee (MHAC) Committee (CEAC) Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
2. Review of Recent Activities ii. Stakeholder Workshops ► Purpose ► Engage in Class EA Process ► Provide clarity around selection of Alternatives and Evaluation process ► Opportunity to provide input to Alternatives, Criteria, Weighting, and Ranking ► High-Level Outcomes ► Good consensus for most criteria ► Some mixed opinions on Boating, Fishing, Liability and Tourism ► Overall Ranking (Stakeholder Majority) – Naturalize ► Overall Rating (using Stakeholder Majority weighting with Tourism) – Rebuild ► Overall Rating (using Stakeholder Majority weighting without Tourism) – Naturalize Note: GRCA, Region and MNRF did not participate in ranking / rating exercise Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
2. Review of Recent Activities iii. Indigenous Community Consultation ► Notified at Project Start-Up ► Notified of Public Information Centres (PICs) ► Recent Face-to-Face Meetings ► Six Nations of the Grand River (SNGR) September 18, 2017 ► Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation (MNCFN) September 28, 2017 ► Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) Pending Outcomes: Verbal support provided for “Naturalize“ alternative from SNGR and MNCFN. Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
2. Review of Recent Activities iv. Structural Inspection ► Concern raised in 2014 Structural Inspection that dam is continuing to deteriorate ► Municipality proactively conducting annual inspections to determine structural condition and potential need for short-term repairs ► Dam inspected August 24 and 25, 2017 ► Findings ► Poor condition particularly control structures ► Further deterioration since 2014 ► Debris build up to be addressed ► Failure remains imminent (2 to 10 years) ► Increase inspection frequency to every six (6) months Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
3. Alternative Assessment and Comparison of “Rebuild Dam” versus “Naturalize River”
3. Alternative Assessment and Comparison of “Rebuild Dam” versus “Naturalize River” Long-List of Alternatives ► Eight (8) alternatives considered: A. Do Nothing B. Repair Riverside Dam C. Rebuild Riverside Dam D. Lower Dam Crest E. Naturalize Speed River (Remove Dam) F. Construct In-Steam Rock Structures (Remove Dam) G. Build ‘New’ Offline Dam and Naturalize Speed River (Partial Dam Removal) H. Incremental Decommissioning of Dam Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
3. Alternative Assessment and Comparison of “Rebuild Dam” versus “Naturalize River” Screening of Long-list of Alternatives to Short-list of Alternatives Where alternative deemed to have significant or unjustifiable negative effects, or lacks significant positive effects relative to other alternatives, it was screened out: A. Do Nothing ► Does not address deteriorating dam B. Repair Riverside Dam ► Does not offer any measurable benefit over Alternative C: Rebuild Riverside Dam and has a lower life expectancy and more construction uncertainty D. Lower Dam Crest ► Minor adjustments to the dam crest can be considered as an option under Alternative C: Rebuild Dam ; reduces headpond size and depth and impacts cultural heritage H. Incremental Decommissioning of Dam ► Ultimately mimics “Naturalize” alternative, however with more risk of adverse impacts Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
3. Alternative Assessment and Comparison of “Rebuild Dam” versus “Naturalize River” Initial Short-list of Alternatives Offer a greater number of positive effects overall, or address certain key positive effects, along with acceptable or manageable negative effects: C. Rebuild Riverside Dam E. Naturalize Speed River (Remove Dam) F. Construct In-stream Rock Structures (Remove Dam) G. Off-line Dam and Naturalize Speed River (Partial Dam Removal) Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment
Recommend
More recommend
