Peace Project Water Use Plan - BC Hydro

Peace Project Water Use Plan
Annual Report: 2010
� investigate the optimum nutrient conditions for biostimulating the growth of native
plants; and
� develop a composting process for debris.
Project Description: Strategies for reducing aeolian erosion are being assessed via
the following trials:
� tillage trial sites testing response of aeolian dust concentration to different
treatments of beach surface roughness;
� irrigation trial system testing response of aeolian dust concentration to an
increase in beach surface moisture;
� vegetation protection trial sites that use physical barriers to prevent destruction of
existing vegetation in a wetland area; and
� vegetation enhancement trials testing plant response to (i) different nutrient
treatments, (2) transplant to non-vegetated areas, and (3) native grass seed
dispersal in non-vegetated areas.
Contractor: This work is being led by Dr. William Nickling of the University of
Guelph, Dr. William Schillinger of the University of Washington, Dr. William Fryrear,
Dr. Manivalde Vaartnou and Associates, Dr. Sietan Chieng of the University of British
Columbia, and Dr. Abimbola Abiola of Olds Agricultural College.
ToR Status: A ToR resubmission was approved in March 2009, and again on April
22 2010 with respect to required changes to scope and budget. Presently, scope,
schedule, and budget are in compliance. An additional amendment is expected to
trial more vegetation work in future years and to try other works suggested by the
scientists involved.
5.1.19.2 Contractor’s Report
Each year the draw down of the Williston Reservoir for the production of hydro
electric power results in the exposure of approximately 10,000 hectares of wide flat
beaches with surfaces comprised predominantly of fine-grained sediments. On
exposure in the spring, these sediments are prone to deflation by wind, resulting in
large dust storms. There is need to design, test, and implement a dust mitigation
program to decrease atmospheric dust concentrations to acceptable levels. The
authors of this report proposed that tillage to roughen the beach by lifting silt and clay
from below the soil surface would likely provide effective dust mitigation by trapping
saltating soil particles.
In May 2008, a field trial was initiated on Omineca Flats beach on the Williston
Reservoir to assess the most effective tillage technique to reduce dust emissions and
sand transport on exposed beaches. A replicated experiment was designed to test
two tillage implements, the twisted-point chisel and lister plow, to determine their
effectiveness in providing durable roughness on Williston beaches. Omineca Flats
Beach was selected as the site for the 2008 tillage experiment due its elevation and
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