Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
13.5.19 Where sediment-laden waters are allowed to pond in areas where bedrock is at or near the
surface, including borrow pits, there is a risk that the contaminated waters may flow through
fractures in the bedrock, into local groundwater and into local watercourses.
13.5.20 An assessment of the effects on aquatic habitats is presented in Chapter 11: Terrestrial
Ecology.
13.5.21 The effects from erosion and sedimentation on the surface water bodies downstream of the
site, which have low receptor sensitivity, are considered to be of a large magnitude and
moderate or slight scale without mitigation.
Water Quality
13.5.22 A number of chemicals may be stored and used on-site during the construction of the
proposed wind farm. These include unset concrete, concrete additives, fuel and oil. These
pollutants may adversely affect the water quality of the receiving surface water and
groundwater environment.
13.5.23 Spillages of concrete may occur during concrete pouring operations into turbine bases, which
may runoff into surface watercourses or seep into groundwaters. An assessment of the
effects of changes to water quality on aquatic habitats is presented in Chapter 11: Terrestrial
Ecology.
13.5.24 Contamination of surface water may also occur as a result of spillages from routine plant
maintenance, improper storage and accidental spillages.
13.5.25 Should an unmitigated pollution incident occur, there is a potential for periods of heavy rain to
increase the volume of surface water runoff with pollutant loads such as oils and fuels from
hardstandings and unset concrete from turbine foundations.
13.5.26 Due to the potential use of the chemicals adjacent to watercourses on-site, the potential
effects associated with chemical pollution on the water quality of the surface waters (low
sensitivity), any releases of chemicals are likely to be of a large magnitude and therefore
have a moderate or slight effect without mitigation.
Soils
13.5.27 During construction, some excavations may require temporary sub-surface water controls,
such as physical cut-offs or dewatering. Cut-off drains divert flows away from construction
activities, while dewatering temporarily lowers the water table in the vicinity of the excavation.
13.5.28 Changes to soil flow patterns can be caused by the movement of construction traffic that may
lead to compaction of the soil, reducing soil permeability and rainfall infiltration.
13.5.29 The effects of construction on drainage patterns on the medium sensitivity soils are
considered to be of a medium magnitude and moderate level of effect.
Superficial Deposits
13.5.30 The excavation of foundations can have adverse effects on the superficial deposits (glacial till
etc). The magnitude of this effect is considered to be small and the sensitivity of superficial
deposits is low, and therefore the level of predicted effects would be slight or negligible.
Bedrock Geology
13.5.31 The excavation of foundations for turbines may effect on the bedrock and have adverse
effects on the local geological resource.
March 2013
13-22
Copyright Partnerships for Renewables Development Co. Ltd 2013 ©
Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Ground Conditions