Access Route and Drill Pad Construction at Inch Creek Hatchery

As part of the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI), the Inch Creek Hatchery was selected to receive funding to expand the aquaculture capacity onsite in order to meet specific conservation enhancement targets for salmonid populations.  To facilitate the required program expansion, the water supply infrastructure at the hatchery must be expanded to ensure adequate rearing capacity and overall system redundancy.

This project will involve the drilling of two groundwater production wells and two monitoring wells, each accompanied by a crushed-gravel installation pad. Both production wells will have an associated pumphouse, as well as underground piping to direct water where needed by the facility. Some tree and vegetation removal will be required to clear adequate space for the well pads and pumphouses, as well as to ensure safe access for the construction machinery. Crushed gravel will be put in place after the completion of tree and vegetation clearing over approximately 3200 square meters to create a safe access route for long-term use. A fence will be installed along the access route to delineate DFO property from the neighbouring property.

A creek crossing will be installed across Inch Creek to allow access for machinery and to route the groundwater piping and utilities over the creek. Care will be taken to ensure there is no harm to fish or obstruction of fish passage during key habitat-use windows. The proposed construction will involve the installation of:

  • (2) crushed-gravel production well pads. Dimensions: 50 feet x 60 feet. Base will consist of 24" of #2 crushed stone with a top dressing of #3 crushed stone.
  • (2) crushed-gravel monitoring well pads. Dimensions: 15 feet x 20 feet. Base will consist of 24" of #2 crushed  stone with a top dressing of #3 crushed stone.
  • Crushed-gravel access route to wells. Access route width: 4 meters. Access route width at corners: 6 meters. Access route full length: 360 meters. Base will consist of 24" of  #2 crushed stone (2 ½" - 3") with a top dressing of #3 crushed stone (1/2"-2").
  • Fencing to delineate DFO property line. Length: 330 meters. Fencing Height: 7'. Fabric: 2" mesh x 9 gauge, vinyl coated. End and gate posts to be 4' longer than the height of the fabric to accommodate barbed wire, corner posts to be 3' longer than the fence height and topped with a corner barbed wire arm.
  • (2) pump houses (production wells only). Construct a 10 ft x 10 ft pump house around each production well. Form and pour a 11 ft x 11 ft concrete slab to support pump house. 2x4" framing. Sloped roof. 9 ft height on entry / front. 7 ft height on rear. R20 insulation. Install floor drain.
  • Penstock / Supply & Purge Lines. Install 12" HDPE line from each production well to the sockeye facility. (2) total. Route supply lines parallel to the new access roadway in the stripped utility corridor. Install underground rated gate valves on each supply line downstream of purge line Y fitting. Install a purge line off of each supply line to drain into Inch Creek. Purge line to be fitted with underground rated gate valve.
  • Utility Wiring. Run (2) conduits from existing sockeye facility to each production well pumphouse. High voltage conduit, Low voltage / controls conduit (SCADA). Route conduits parallel to new access route within the stripped utility corridor.
  • Installation of a Culvert Across Inch Creek;   BCL-625 Highway Load Rating, road width 3.5 meters clear, 500mm wide barriers, minimum 600mm cover between road surface and top of culvert, 2:1 slope between road surface and culvert, design flow of 800 L/s through culvert.
  • Culvert Dimensions
    • Width: 3.05 meters
    • Height: 1.2 meters
    • Length: 10 meters

Pump around bypass of effluent channel to accommodate in-stream construction of culvert. Dewatered portion of the creek would be excavated to native soils and topped with a granular bedding. The banks of the creek will be stripped of organic overburden and backfilled with engineered crush up to the culvert walls. Installation of geotextile below road service in select areas as determined in detailed design.

Tree and vegetation removal activities will be carried out outside the regional bird nesting window. Mitigation measures will be applied to ensure work is stopped should distressed animals be observed. The project will require some shallow ground disturbance in a corridor alongside the gravel access route to install the underground water piping and pumphouse utilities. Disturbed soil will be contained in the same general area of the site. Any work in proximity to Inch Creek will employ erosion and sediment control measures. Equipment and crew will arrive on site via public road.

Inch Creek Hatchery is located in Dewdney, BC, approximately 11 kilometres east of the town of Mission, BC. The 5.77 ha site consists mainly of active hatchery footprint, surrounded by various grassy and wooded areas.  The site is under jurisdiction of DFO, and as such is on federal land.

Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

 

Latest update

December 19, 2022 – The public comment period on the project and its potential for causing adverse effects is closed. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is considering comments received to inform its determination on whether the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

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Contacts

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Real Property, Safety and Security
Kyle Doyle, Senior Project Technologist
200 - 401 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3S4
Telephone: 604-358-1896
Email: Kyle.Doyle@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


  • Location

    • Inch Creek Hatchery (British Columbia)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Building and Property Development
    • Water Management

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2022-06-01

  • Proponent

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Real Property, Safety and Security

  • Authorities

    • Fisheries and Oceans Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    84081

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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