From: on behalf of Panel Registry Subject: FW: TNG registration of ...

Prosperity Mine Aquatic Impact Assessment prepared for
MiningWatch Canada by Dr. David Levy, (2009). This report concurs
with the evaluations of the Taseko Mines proposal that were made
by Dr. Levy (Mining Watch), and the DFO.
After reviewing relevant sections of these documents I have
concluded that if the mine is developed as indicated in the project
documents, the project will have profound and detrimental effect of
the Fish Lake/Little Fish Lake ecological system. Water movement
and flow direction would be drastically altered, the two lakes would
be eliminated, and the land around the site of Fish Lake would be
altered by mining facilities infrastructure.
Substantive biological issues include; near total disruption of
the aquatic environment, detrimental effects on fish production and
sustainability. These impacts interface negatively with historically
based use by indigenous people, current recreational potential, and
esthetic qualities. All are important. In my view, the Taseko Mines
proposal for compensations comes nowhere near making up for
ecosystem loss and disruption that it would be caused if the mine is
developed as planned.
The Mine Plan – Ecosystem Changes
The mine plan includes five important elements of watershed
change as part of its development and operation. The changes are:
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• Change in direction and location of water movement and
flow by construction of a 10.8 km Headwater Channel (HC)
to the east of the present NW flowing Fish Creek system,
• Creation of a Headwater Channel Retention Pond (HCRP) for
storage of collected water,
• Creation of an engineered spawning and rearing channel
between the HCRP and a newly created ‘lake’ (Prosperity
Lake),
• Creation of, Prosperity Lake, south of a 1.6 km. dyke that
serves to contain the south end of the Tailings Storage
Facility (TSF) “Lake”, and