: Abbotsford rr %IIMission Water & Sewer Services

REPORT

To: Abbotsford Mission Water & Sewer Commission

From: Tracy Kyle, Director of Water & Solid Waste

Date: April 7, 2011

Subject: Bevan Avenue Wells Environmental Assessment Commitments

File: 5650-15/Bevan Wells

Report No.: WSC 48-2011

UTILITY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (UMC) RECOMMENDATION

THAT Report No. WSC 48-2011, dated April 7, 2011 , from Tracy Kyle, Director of Water & Solid Waste, regarding the Bevan Avenue Wells Environmental Assessment Commitments, be received.

BACKGROUND

An expansion of the existing well field in Abbotsford is underway. An environmental assessment (EA) is required before exceeding the 75 lIs threshold. Ultimately, four wells are required with a capacity of 290 lIs. The Bevan Wells project was issued a Section 10 Order on April 16, 2008, which indicates that it is a reviewable project. A Section 11 Order was issued on July 25, 2008.

DISCUSSION

The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) will refer the Bevan Wells Project to the Ministers on April 12, 2011 . The Ministers will have 45 days to review the Project and make a decision on the AMWSC's ability to operate the Bevan Wells at full capacity.

The Table of Commitments for the Project, which is approved, will form part of the Certificate from the EAO. The AMWSC will be legally bound to these commitments. Staff, our environmental consultant, stakeholders, First Nations and the EAO have worked together to develop these commitments. The Table of Commitments is attached as Appendix A.

ANALYSIS

Mitigation Wells

Clearbrook Waterworks District (CWD) well 7-00 is expected to experience a drawdown during the operation of the Bevan Avenue Wells at full capacity. The Environmental Assessment application proposed three options for mitigation to negate the impact on that well. The CWD is agreeable to the installation of a replacement well to mitigate the impacts of the Bevan Avenue Wells. Funding for this mitigation well was approved earlier (WSC 21-2011).

WSC Report No. 48-2011 Page 2 of 2

Groundwater modeling suggests that full capacity operation of the Bevan Wells could impact surface flows in Horn Creek and Boa Brook. A decrease in flow could affect fish habitat by elevating water temperature and decreasing dissolved oxygen. A plan was drafted to mitigate the potential effects by developing two new wells to replenish Boa Brook and Horn Creek. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has approved this mitigation plan. Funding for this mitigation was approved earlier (WSC 4-2011).

Monitoring and Annual Reporting Monitoring and annual reporting of groundwater levels, surface water levels, surface water flows, aquifer and surface water quality and Bevan Well flows is a commitment that will need to be undertaken while the Bevan Wells are in operation . Additionally, measurements and photo documentation of surface water and riparian areas will need to be included in the annual report to the EAO.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Funding for the three mitigation wells has been approved by the AMWSC in earlier reports . Annual monitoring and reporting commitments will cost approximately $70,000. For 2011 this can be funded from the Bevan Wells budget. During the 2012 budget process, this operational cost will be added into the budget through to 2016.

COMMUNICATION PLAN

The AMWSC must provide notification and communicate to groundwater well users within the Bevan Wells zone of influence and the public, for each year of the operation phase of the Project. This will be coordinated with Corporate Communications and Marketing.

SUMMARY

The Bevan Avenue Wells project is predicted to cause an impact to Clearbrook Waterworks District well 7-00, Horn Creek and Boa Brook when at operating full capacity. To mitigate that effect, a replacement wells will be drilled. Monitoring and reporting commitments are also a requirement.

Definitions:

BEVAN AVENUE WELLS GROUNDWATER SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

TABLE OF COMMITMENTS

Bevan Wells: the four existing Bevan Avenue Groundwater Wells located in Centennial Park (NE %, Section 17, TP. 16 NWD) in the City of Abbotsford. Construction Phase: the replacement of the existing pumps in the Bevan Wells with the Replacement Pumps and the construction of the Mitigation Wells. OFO: Fisheries and Oceans Canada FVA: Fraser Health Authority Identified Affected Parties: groundwater well users within the Zone of Influence who self identify to the City of Abbotsford a potential affect to their groundwater well

that could be attributed to the operation of the Projecl. Mitigation Wells: the two wells to be constructed and operated to mitigate potential effects to Horn Creek and Boa Brook by augmenting low surface water flows

between May and September in each of the watercourses. Operation Phase: the period following the Construction Phase until December 31,2015. Post Operation Phase: the period following the Operation Phase, commencing January 1, 2016 onward . Responsible Agency: the agency responsible for ensuring the commitment has been mel. Replacement Well: the new groundwater well that will be constructed to mitigate the potential effects to Clearbrook Waterworks District (CWD) Well 7-00, in

accordance with the agreement signed on March 10, 2011 between the City of Abbotsford and the CWD. Replacement Pumps: the four 150 horsepower pumps that will be installed in the Bevan Wells. SCAOA: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Zone of Influence: area surrounding the Bevan Wells where the aquifer water level is predicted to be lowered by 10 centimetres or more.

Source of Project

No. PhaselTiming Commitment Commitment of Action

Environmental Management Plans

The City of Abbotsford must complete and provide to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) an Operation Environmental Management Plan, prior to operation phase of the Project, that includes the following sub-plans:

Application • Water Quality Monitoring Plan (see Commitments 4 and 6);

1 Section Operation • Fish and Fish Habitat Plan (see Commitment 5);

14 • Fish and Fish Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Plan (see Commitments 4, 5 and 6);

• Surface Water and Groundwater Users Monitoring and Follow-up Plan (see Commitments 3, 4, 5,6, 10,12,13,14 and 15); and,

• Emergency Response Plan (see Commitment 2). 0 - ----- - -

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Responslbte Agency

EAO

Page 1

Emergency Response Plans

The City of Abbotsford must update the existing Emergency Response Plan for the operation of the waler system to include:

Application o Operation of the Bevan Wells up to 290 U s;

Construction! o Operation of the mitigation wells for Horn Creek and its tributary Boa Brook; FHA, EAO, 2 Section

Operation o Project related Accidents and Malfunctions as defined in section 9 of the Application; and, DFO 14.1

Use of the Bevan Wells in the event of an emergency during the operation phase of the Project. The updated Emergency Response Plan must be prepared to the satisfaction of the Fraser Health Authority (FHA), prior to the installation of the replacement pumps.

Water Resources

The City of Abbotsford must implement a groundwater level monitoring program in the general vicinity of the Bevan Wells for the operation phase of the Project. The monitoring program must include:

o Continuous (real-time through the City of Abbotsford 's Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system) monitoring of water levels in the Bevan Wells and the mitigation wells; and .

o The water levels in the existing test wells - TW06-1 , TW06-2, Exhibition Park, Columbia Bible Application College, Heritage RV Park, and the Department of National Defence South Townline wells

3 Section Operation referenced in section 14.2.2.3 of the Appl ication . EAO

7.7.3.6 The City of Abbotsford must ensure annual reports containing the information stated above, are prepared by a qualified professional with competence in hydrogeology. Annual reports must be submitted to EAO and made available to interested parties including the Matsqui First Nation, Ministry of Environment (MOE) and Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO). Should unanticipated adverse effects to groundwater, as described in sections 6 and 7 of the Application and assessed in sections 5 and 7 of the Assessment Report be identified, the City of Abbotsford must develop and implement mitigation measures and!or adaptive management measures to address the identified adverse effects to the satisfaction of EAO.

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The City of Abbotsford must implement a surface water monitoring program for the duration of the operation phase of the Project to confirm anticipated adverse potential effects to surface water flow, surface water levels, and surface water quality described in sections 6 and 7 of the Application and assessed in sections 5 and 7 of the Assessment Report, to confirm the results of the numerical groundwater flow modelling study in Appendix 6·.3-1 of the Application. The monitoring program must include:

• Surface water flows: surface water flows must be monitored at Horn, Downes, Willband, Fishtrap 1, and Fishtrap 2 creek monitoring stations on a monthly basis between July 15th and October 30th

;

• Surface water levels: Water levels must be measured in Laxton Lake and Judson Lake on a monthly basis between May and October; and,

• Surface water quality:

Application 0 monthly water quality measurements must be collected at the Horn Creek sampling

location; at the outfalls for the supplemental water flow mitigation on Horn Creek and 4 Section Operation Boa Brook; and at a control site on Willband Creek. The parameters measured must be DFO, EAO

7.7.3.6 turbidity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, nitrate and nitrite, ammonia, and phosphorus; and,

0 water quality measurements must be collected three times within a year (September, January and May) in conjunction with surface water flow monitoring at Downes Creek, Fishtrap 1, and Fishtrap 2. The parameters measured must be turbidity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, nitrate and nitrite, ammonia, and phosphorus.

The City of Abbotsford must ensure annual surface water monitoring reports containing the information stated above, are prepared by a qualified professional with competence in hydrology. Annual reports must be submitted to the EAO, regulatory agencies (DFO, MFLNRO and MOE) and the Matsqui First Nation. Should unanticipated adverse effects of the Project to these surface water bodies, as described in sections 6 and 7 of the Application and assessed in sections 5 and 7 of the Assessment Report be identified, the City of Abbotsford must develop and implement appropriate mitigation measures and/or adaptive management measures to address the identified adverse effects to the satisfaction of EAO.

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The City of Abbotsford must design and construct the mitigation wells to augment water flows in Horn I

Creek and its tributary Boa Brook, prior to installation of the replacement pumps as follows:

• Construction of the mitigation wells, for the purpose of introducing groundwater pumped from the mitigation wells into the existing stormwater system with outfalls in the headwaters of each watercourse for the operation phase of the Project;

• Implementation of design measures to ensure continuous flow, including redundancies to ensure continued operations in the event of power interruption;

Application • Design measures for pumps: accounting for the 70/30 relative flow split between watersheds, the

Construction minimum pumping capacity for the Horn Creek headwaters well must be 10.8 Us and the 5 Section minimum capacity of the Boa Brook well must be 4.6 Us; DFO, EAO

IOperation 6.4.7 • Connection of the well pumps to the City of Abbotsford's SCADA system, to monitor and control

the mitigation well pumps; and ,

• Update and operate the SCADA system such that pumping is initiated when:

the Bevan Wells have pumped more than 175 ML during the preceding 30 days; and, 0 the measured creekflows at the Horn Creek station are below 25.2 Us.

The mitigation wells must be constructed and tested prior to the operation phases of the Project. An as-built report must be provided to DFO within 90 days of the completion of construction of the mitiQation wells and related components.

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The City of Abbotsford must implement a follow-up and adaptive management monitoring program, undertaken by a qualified professional biologist, to confirm the effectiveness of the mitigation wells in avoiding ' adverse effects to fish and fish habitat The monitoring and follow-up program must be carried out for the operation phase of the Project and must include:

• Monthly analysis of the continuous fiow monitoring provided by the SCADA system from July 151h

through to October 301h, to comply with the Pacific Salmon Least Risk Window (July 151h to

September 15th) and the resident trout Least Risk Window (August 1" to October 30Ih

);

• Water quality must be measured monthly at the outfalls into Horn Creek and Boa Brook as outlined in commitment # 4, The parameters measured must be turbidity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, nitrate and nitrite, ammonia, and phosphorus; and,

Application • Physical characteristics of the channel and riparian area must be documented with 6 Section Operation measurements and photos to determine if any changes have occurred, The City of Abbotsford EAO,DFO

6.4.7 must develop a workplan, to the satisfaction of EAO, detailing intended measurements and photo documentation. This workplan must be developed based on guidance contained in the BC Instream Flow Methodology (found in Lewis et al 2004), adapted for the Horn Creek and Boa Brook watercourses, Measurements must occur on a monthly basis from June through October

The City of Abbotsford must ensure annual monitoring reports containing the information stated above, are prepared by a qualified professional with competence in biology (employed or retained by the City of Abbotsford). Annual monitoring reports must be submitted to EAO, DFO, MFLNRO, MOE and the Matsqui First Nation, Should unanticipated adverse effects of the Project, as described in sections 6 and 14 of the Application and assessed in sections 5 and 10 of the Assessment Report, be identified through the follow-up program and require action to address them, the City of Abbotsford must develop and implement appropriate mitigation measures and/or adaptive management measures to address the identified adverse effects to the satisfaction of the EAO,

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First Nations

The City of Abbotsford must consult with the Matsqui First Nation as follows:

• During the operation phase of the Project, the City of Abbotsford must invite the ongoing involvement and. input from the Matsqui First Nation through the continued provision of information related to the Project, including the annual reports to be submitted as per commitments 3, 4 and 6 above;

Application • The City of Abbotsford must invite the Matsqui First Nation to provide input on proposed

Construction I measures to address the adverse effects of the Project that are identified through monitoring 7 Section

Operation programs described in commitments 3, 4 and 6 above. This commitment excludes situations EAO 2.2.6 where identified adverse effects require immediate action, as required under the Emergency

Response Program; and,

• The City of Abbotsford must provide the opportunity for the Matsqui First Nation members to receive training, so that the results of the monitoring programs can be interpreted and understood. This training will be provided through meetings with the Matsqui First Nation and the City of Abbotsford staff or consultants to discuss the results of the reports. The City of Abbotsford is not required to fund Matsqui attendance at these meetings.

Application The City of Abbotsford must invite the Matsqui First Nation to participate in a site visit of the proposed 8 Section Construction mitigation wellS, prior to construction. The purpose of the site visit is to observe the vegetation of the EAO

8.3.1 mitigation well sites, as well as the outfalls to the creeks, and to understand the SCADA system.

Application The City of Abbotsford must provide the Matsqui First Nation with the opportunity for a representative

9 Section Construction to be present during construction of the mitigation wells, to monitor ground disturbance. The

EAO City of Abbotsford must notify the Matsqui First Nation of this opportunity three weeks prior to 8.3.1 construction of the mitigation wells.

For the Matsqui Indian Reserve #4 (IR#4) groundwater well the City of Abbotsford must:

• Consider any information received on the operation of the groundwater well on IR#4, in concurrence with the analysis for, and preparation of, annual reports for the groundwater monitoring program described in commitment 3 above; and,

Consultation • Initiate groundwater level monitoring on the groundwater well on lR#4, provided permission is

Meeting granted, if the groundwater level monitoring program described in commitment 3 above concludes EAO 10 November

Operation that the predicted Zone of Influence (ZOI) is larger than predicted in the Application, and the

29, 2010 Project has the potential to negatively affect the yield of the groundwater well on IR#4. The determination of potential adverse effect must be made by a qualified professional with competence in hydrogeology, retained by the City of Abbotsford.

The City of Abbotsford must discuss with the Matsqui First Nation the options for addreSSing any Project-related negative effect on the IR#4 well and must mitigate these effects to the satisfaction of EAO.

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Consultation The City of Abbotsford must explore the opportunity for the Matsqui First Nation members to

11 Meeting Operation

participate in any future watercourse mapping work, subject to the City of Abbotsford obtaining funding EAO

November for their watercourse mapping program, to contribute traditional knowledge and receive training, 29,2010 potentially through field work shadowing , from City of Abbotsford environmental staff or consultants.

Other Well Users

The City of Abbotsford must mitigate effects on the yield of Clearbrook Waterworks ~istrict Application (CWO) groundwater well 7-00 in accordance with the agreement dated March 10,2011 reached

12 Section Operation between the CWO and the City of Abbotsford. EAO

7.7.3 The City of Abbotsford must complete drilling and testing of the replacement well prior to the operation phase of the Project.

Public and In the event that the CWO cannot rely on CWO groundwater wells 1-87 or 3-93 to maintain existing

Stakeholder water supply and the interference can potentially be attributable to the operation of the Project, the

13 Comments Operation City of Abbotsford must retain a qualified professional (with competence in hydrogeology) to

EAO Tracking determine if there is an unanticipated adverse effect from the Project on these well(s). If so . the

Table City of Abbotsford must then work with the CWO to mitigate identified adverse effects to the satisfaction of EAO.

The City of Abbotsford must provide notification and communicate to groundwater well users within the ZOI and the public, for each year of the operation phase of the Project, in the following manner:

• Advising groundwater well users by mail at least two weeks prior to the planned annual commencement of the operation of the Project;

Application • Providing contact information to groundwater well users as a means to communicate with the

14 Section Operation City of Abbotsford about any potential adverse effects of the Project on their wells; and,

EAO • Advertising the annual commencement of the operation of the Project in local newspapers and

7.7.3 on the City of Abbotsford website as outlined below:

• the advertisements in the newspapers must run on a weekly basis starting at least two weeks prior to operation of the Project and run for a minimum of three weeks. ; and ,

• the website notice must be placed on the City of Abbotsford website at least two weeks prior to operation of the Project and the notice must remain on the website while the Project is operating.

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The City of Abbotsford must seek to work with identified affected parties to develop mitigation measures for Project effects to other groundwater well users, to the satisfaction of EAO. The City of Abbotsford must implement mitigation measures in cases where the operation of the Project is determined by a qualified professional, retained by the City of Abbotsford, (with competence in hydrogeology) to interfere with the groundwater users well, to the point that the impacted groundwater well owner(s) cannot rely on their well(s) to maintain the existing water supply. In the

Application event that mitigation measures require funding support and engineering and construction services,

15 Section Operation the City of Abbotsford must provide such funding and services support. Funding and servrces

EAO support may include: 7.7.3

Rehabilitating or refurbishing an existing groundwater well and pump system so that it is • capable of meeting the same requirements of the well prior to operation of the Project;

• Providing the groundwater well owner with water service by connecting to the City of Abbotsford 's water distribution system; or

• Constructing a new groundwater well and pumping system so that it is capable of meeting the same requirements of the well prior to operation of the Project.

Annual Well Use Reporting

The City of Abbotsford must report annually to EAO during the operation phase of the Project

16 Working Operation including information on the volume of water pumped and the dates the Bevan Wells were operating

EAO Group throughout the year. This reporting must also include general maintenance activities and/or emergency use of the Project between October 1" and Apri l 30th

Post Operation Program

Following the operation phase of the Project, the City of Abbotsford must develop a Post Operation Use Plan for the emergency operation of the Project to the satisfaction of EAO. The Post Operation Use Plan must include, without limitation to, the following :

• Notification procedures with City of Abbotsford contact information;

• Reporting requirements to EAO including timing of reports and information relayed; and, 17 Working Post

EAO Group Operation • Implementation procedures for the Post Operation Monitoring Plan including notification procedures/adaptive management measures for unantiCipated adverse effects.

The City of Abbotsford must provide EAO with confirmation that the City of Abbotsford 's Emergency Response Plan has been updated to the satisfaction of the FHA to reflect use of the Bevan Wells in the event of an emergency during the post operation phase.

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Following the operation phase of the Project, the City of Abbotsford must engage a qualified I professional with the necessary expertise, to develop a Post Operation Monitoring Plan taking into account regulations and best management practices of the time, to be completed prior to May 1" 2016. The Post Operation Monitoring Plan must be developed to the satisfaction of EAO and relevant regulators .

In preparation of the Post Operation Monitoring Plan, the City of Abbotsford must consider the

Working Post results of the monitoring programs conducted during the operation phase and must identify future 18 Group Operation monitoring needs that may be required for potential emergency use of the Project during the post EAO,DFO

operation phase. The Post Operation Monitoring Plan must also include:

• A determination of when monitoring may be required based on a volume amount of groundwater extracted or the duration of time for operation of the Bevan Wells;

• The type and frequency of that monitoring;

• An analysis of the trigger for the activation of the mitigation wells at the Horn Creek and Boa Brook watercourses.

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