DFO in process of creating dredge material site
Public input sought
TONEY RIVER — Fisheries and Oceans Canada wants to use a Toney River property to dispose of dredge material and is looking for public input as part of the approval process.
The Toney River property is located along the Sunrise Trail in Pictou County (PID #65210932).
The plan would include construction of an access road for transporting the dredged material. Soil at the disposal site will be reworked to create berms that will contain the dredge material during dewatering. Once the material is dry, it could then be reworked to blend into the existing landscape.
According to information posted by Fisheries and Oceans, a site management plan will be developed to identify appropriate mitigation measures that will address potential impacts to the surrounding environment and provide details on the proper handling and storage of dredge material onsite to avoid adverse off-site impacts.
“At a minimum, groundwater will be monitored through the installation of monitoring wells at representative locations on the property,” the information states.
Written comments from the public have to be submitted by Nov. 7 to Scott Burley, Public Service and Procurement Canada, 902-237-5392 Scott.burley@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca.
Steve Hachey, communications advisor for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard in the Gulf region, explained dredging is required to ensure the harbour can be safely navigated.
“Like many harbours, dredging is required at Toney River in the spring of each year to support the fishing industry and provide harbour access,” he stated in response to The News.
In Nova Scotia, DFO is subject to new provincial regulations and standards to dispose of dredged materials from harbour basins and channels, he said. They are currently working with Public Services and Procurement Canada and the province of Nova Scotia on options to dispose of dredging materials in accordance with federal and provincial regulations.
“These options include finding alternate disposal or uses for the material being dredged such as disposal at sea, beach nourishment, as well as building containment cells on DFO-SCH’s properties,” he stated.
The Toney River site was chosen because it is close to the harbour.
“As Toney River harbour is dredged in the spring when road weight restrictions are in place, reduced trucking activity makes this site the most practical and economicallyfeasible option,” Hachey said.
Approximately 10,000 cubic metres of harbour sediments are dredged each year from the Toney River harbour site. About half of this is placed along the eastern shoreline for beach nourishment. The remaining materials will be placed at the planned Dredge Material Management Site in Toney River in the spring of each year.