Municipalities urged to back stance against gravel mining
The Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission is in the process of getting support from municipalities for its stance against gravel mining in alluvial aquifers, specifically in the Red Deer/Medicine River aquifer.
Please click here for the full report published by the Mountain View Gazette.
Gravel Extraction in Water Aquifers of the Medicine Flats
The following letter was sent to the Red Deer Council on November 21, 2009:
Dear Mayor, Elected Councillors and Staff:
(Red Deer County Constituent Representatives)
Re – proposed applications for gravel/aggregate removal and associated activities within the Alluvial Water Aquifer of the Red Deer River and Medicine River Flats area. Specifically, at this time, the applications by 6M Holdings Ltd. on SE 24-36-02-W5 and Howells SE 13-36-02-W5.
We request a moratorium be placed on any further gravel extraction approvals in the extremely sensitive Red Deer River/Medicine River Flats Area, specifically the precious Water Aquifer (proven high water table). If you should deem that insufficient scientific information is available to make an informed decision, then we request that a major, unbiased study of what development is environmentally sustainable and appropriate in the Medicine Flats area be initiated.
Mayor Kinsella wrote (Red Deer County News paper 09-11-06) quote, “As a lifetime resident of Red Deer County, I hold our environment in very high regard. When making decisions, Council and I always aim to preserve and uphold, our land, air and water”, end quote. As approval granting authorities and regulators, your actions and words need to match.
As a resident landowner of Red Deer County, I have grave concerns for the protection of our precious water resources. Please carefully review this information so that you may make an informed decision when it comes to reviewing and correctly disallowing any and all applications related to gravel/aggregate removal and associated activities within the Water Aquifer of the Medicine River Flats area.
We believe the following topics of discussion (summarized and attached) should convince anyone even slightly concerned about the environment to rethink approving any gravel extraction operations in sensitive ground water aquifers such as the Medicine Flats or any other water aquifer for that matter.
Please find attached an Executive Summary along with Discussion Issues and detail of concerns and extensive references documenting the rationale for our concerns which include, but are not limited to:
- Irreversible Changes to the Landscape (extraction in high water table)
- Red Deer River/Medicine Flats Aquifer Supplements Flows
- Cumulative Effects of Further Gravel Extraction (precedents with applications)
- Effects of Gravel Extraction on Sensitive Aquifer and Adjacent Water Wells
- Preservation of Water Quality in the Medicine Flats Aquifer
- Protection of Aquatic Environment, Particularly Fish Habitat in Medicine River
- Effects of Pits in the Flats Area (erosion, channel degradation, river rerouting)
- Effects of Noise, Air Quality, Quality of Life and Land Values
- Preservation of Agriculture Lands
- Reclamation Plans and Adequacy
Dean Sundquist - Phone 403-318-1613
Medicine Flats Gravel Extraction Discussion Items
- Irreversible Change to the Landscape (extracting gravel in the proven high water table)
- Red Deer River/Medicine Flats Aquifer Supplements Flows in the Medicine and Red Deer Rivers during Low River Flows
- Cumulative Effects of Further Gravel Extraction in the Medicine Flats Aquifer
- Effects of Gravel Extraction on the Water Aquifer and Adjacent Water Wells
- Preservation of Water Quality in the Medicine Flats Aquifer
- Protection of the Aquatic Environment, Particularly Fish Habitat in the Medicine River
- Effects of Additional Gravel Pits in the Medicine Flats Area (erosion, channel degradation, river rerouting)
- Effects of Noise, Air Quality, Quality of Life and Land Values
- Preservation of Agriculture Lands
- Reclamation Plans and Adequacy
Please click here for the complete document inclusive pictures that give a great reason for not digging below the water table in a flood zone, particularly on the Medicine Flats area.
Latest update of this file: May 7, 2010!(File size 970 KB)
Medicine River Concept Plan & Study
Study Content:
- Background - Legislative & planning Framework - Approach & Methodology
- Townscape Analysis - Study Area - Visual Inventory - Environmental Characteristics - Historic and Cultural Resources - Settleement/Community Profiles - Land Use - Infrastructure - Assets, Issues, and Opportunities
- Area Conceptplan - Land Use Concept - Nodes & Connections - Open Space System - Tourism
- Guidelines for New Development
- References and Appendices
Please click here for the full study (File size 7.9 MB)
Howell Application
This document contains the required information and drawings for the application for registration of Howell's Excavating Ltd. Pit under the Code of Practice for Pits.
Please click here for the document. (File size 1.2 MB)
Border Paving Ltd.
Content:
- Application
- Gravel Pit Activities Plan
- Drawings
Please click here for the complete document.
(File size 4.9 MB)
Letter to Todd Aasen sent by Water Matters Society of Alberta
Water Matters is concerned about two aggregate extraction applications by 6M Holdings Ltd., and Howell Excavating Limited (Palkot Farms, land owner). The aquifer where the two proponents plan to mine gravel is located in the aquifer at the confluence of the Red Deer River and Medicine River, to be referred to as the Red Deer Medicine River Aquifer (RMA).
Please click here for the full text. (File size 207 KB)
Letter to Mayor Earl Kinsella and Curtis Herzberg, County Manager Red Deer County sent by Watershed Alliance
Re: Excavation of Alluvial Aquifers....
Please click here for the full text. (File size 105 KB)
|
| 
