Revised Final Environmental Study Report (24 MB) - Gold Canyon ...

Water Crossings on the Proposed Springpole Road
East of Red Lake, Gold Canyon Resources Inc.
Introduction
Gold Canyon Resources Inc. is a mining exploration company with an active drilling program on
properties it holds near the west end of Springpole Lake. The drilling program is supported by a
sixty person tent camp with cookhouse, sewage treatment plant, domestic water supply, core
shacks, storage, dock, heli-pad and ancillary lay down areas. Access to the Springpole Camp is
currently by helicopter, float plane and a seasonal ice road across Birch Lake to the north of the
camp.
It is projected that increased drilling activity and mine development will occur over the next few
years and it is necessary to improve access to the Springpole Camp. An existing forest access
road is located south of the camp (Wenasaga Road 82-6). It is proposed to build a forestry winter
operational road from the existing road to the camp, a distance of about 40 km. At 18.2 km along
this route is the Birch River, a large river crossing. It is proposed to build the Birch River Bridge to
primary road standard in order to provide better protection of environment and to facilitate future
upgrades to the road without impacting the river. For simplicity, the trail and future forest access
road, will be referred to as Springpole Road.
The MNR procedure for identifying water crossings on forest access roads has been followed on
this project. Any creek or river mapped on 1:50,000 Federal series contour maps or on 1:20,000
OBM Provincial maps is considered a water crossing. Furthermore, any un-mapped water course
that has a defined channel without vegetative growth in it is also considered a water crossing.
Adamson Consulting has been retained by Gold Canyon Resources Inc. to provide engineering
design services related to the water crossings along the route of the proposed trail / road.
Design Standards and Approvals
Standards for water crossing design on Crown land have been established by MNR, DFO and
Transport Canada (TC). They are contained in various documents referenced at the end of this
report. In general, the following standards apply to this project:
No bridge or culvert can cause the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish
habitat, unless authorized under the Fisheries Act. (DFO)
The Crown Land Bridge Management Guidelines, 2008 must be adhered to. (MNR)
The Operational Statement for Clear-Span Bridges, 2009 must be adhered to. (DFO)
Bridges must clear span the channel defined by the ordinary high water mark. (DFO)
Bridges must provide 2m vertical clearance above normal high water level and provide 6m
horizontal clearance if the channel is used by motor boats. (TC)
Bridges must provide 0.5m vertical clearance above the 25-flood level. (MNR)
Water Crossing Report Adamson Consulting Page 1 of 14
Springpole Road October 21, 2012