Public Comment Period on Intent to Make a Determination
Install Beaver Control Structures, South Escarpment Stillwaters

July 7, 2020 — The Department of National Defence must decide whether the proposed project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this decision, the Department of National Defence is inviting comments from the public on the project and its potential effects on the environment. All comments received will be considered public. For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website.

Written comments must be submitted by July  27, 2020 to:
Corey Cooney, Wing Environment Officer
Department of National Defence
5 Wing Goose Bay
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL
E-mail: Corey.Cooney@forces.gc.ca

The Proposed Project

In 2017, construction of engineered wetlands at the South Escarpment Stillwaters Site at 5 Wing Goose Bay in Happy Valley- Goose Bay (HVGB) was completed. Since project completion, beaver populations have interfered with the intended water levels within the constructed engineered wetlands, flooding the areas and preventing intended plant growth. To address this issue and prevent future occurrences, a new project is proposed to install a Flexible Leveler waterflow device within an existing beaver dam, and to install a Beaver Barrier at an existing culvert location that is especially prone to damming. The flexible leveler waterflow device will allow the existing dam to remain in place, while at the same time allowing water to flow slowly and quietly though the dam, allowing the upgradient area to return water to natural level. The beaver barrier is intended to deter construction of new dams at the culvert location.

In order to access the existing beaver dam to install and maintain the Flexible Leveler waterflow device, vegetation clearing and construction of a gravel access road approximately 150 metres in length is required. Vegetation in the area consists of mature trees and small shrubs. Harvesting and utilization of mature trees will follow Provincial requirements and remain on site for use by the general public. Vegetation will be cleared using forestry equipment and/or manual cutters and will occur outside of breeding bird season. The access road is required from the Trans Labrador Highway (TLH), approximately 2 kilometres outside HVGB, to the waterbody shoreline at the location of the existing dam.

The project is planned to be completed in the late summer/early fall of 2020 by Defence Construction Canada on behalf of the Department of National Defence.