Week 8- Environment And Sustainability

Question 1

What is Sustainability?

Answer 1

Achieving “sustainability” generally refers to the need to meet social, economic, and environmental needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 2

Under the provincial Water Sustainability Act, “changes in or about a stream include”:

Answer 2

• any mod to the nature of a stream, including mods to the land, vegetation and natural environment of a stream or the flow of water in a stream
• any activity or construction within a stream channel that has or may have an impact on a stream or a stream channel

Question 3

Name the two types of WSA applications for proposed developments that include changes in or about a stream

Answer 3

1. Notifications (used for straight-forward activities with low riparian habitat risks, such as culvert installations/removals or stream crossings)
2. Approvals (used for complex projects with higher riparian habitat risks, such as stream relocation)

Question 4

What’s Riparian Area?

Answer 4

RA’s provide shade and shelter from predators, as well as a home and food for insects that are food for fish.

A healthy riparian area acts as a buffer to changes in weather, temperature, flooding and pollution. This resilience is critical to the survival of fish in a developing landscape.

Question 5

What is the distance for a riparian area?

Answer 5

Any area within 30m of a stream, lakes, and wet lands is considered Riparian in BC

If A+B is less than 60 then 30m
If A+B is greater than 60 then 10m

Question 6

What is a QEP?

Answer 6

Qualified Environmental Professional- a prof biologist, geoscientist, forester, and/or agrologist registered with education, expertise. And knowledge relevant to sensitive environment, ecosystems, and/or riparian management

Question 7

What is a RAA?

Answer 7

Riparian Area Assessment- a QEP with establish areas with the 30m RAA that can be developed and recommend mitigation or enhancement measures. Remaining areas not developed are called Streamside Protection and Enhancement Area (SPEA)

Question 8

Name some water course protection strategies

Answer 8

1. Stream bank Bioengineering
2. Planting over existing riprap
3. Fish passage

Question 9

Why is erosion and sediment control important in engineering?

Answer 9

-ESC are required at construction sites
-ESC are necessary to ensure fish-bearing streams are protected from discharge of sediment-laden water and erosion caused from construction activities
-ESC will minimize the overall cost of projects. It costs more to repair damages to water courses, the environment and other properties than implementing proper ESC

Question 10

ESC best practices

Answer 10

1. Required at construction sites
2. Clean water management
3. Access/Egress control (wheel wash, rock pads)
4. Perimeter Control Measures (silt fencing, mulch, log berms)
5. On-site water management (interceptor ditches/swales, slope drains)
6. Storm inlet protection (filter socks, check dams)
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