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Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers

1. There should be adequate warm weather after this period to re establish vegetation on the disturbed footprint bordering the construction Site Providing the opportunity for vegetation to become established immediately after the completion af the project itis easier and less expensive to move and stabile soil during this period Soils are often either frozen or saturated at other times of the ear making them more difficult to stabilize and costly to move To minimize environmental impacts caused by erosion and sedimentation the length of time it akesto carry out the permitted alterations must be minimized and planned so as not to coincide tants with pericdsof increased sensitivity for fish such as spawning and egg incubation periods Specific conditions will vary for different areas throughout the province depending on the number and species of fish involved Generally the construction period is best planned to take place during the normal low flow period which is between lune 1st and September 30th every year The reasons for this are listed below AN notifications will be valid from June 1 to September 30 Be aware that when a notification is submitted to Nova Scotia Environment the expiration date will automatically be set to the next September 30 Notifications cannot be extended beyond September 30 If works are anticipated to extend beyond the September 30 expiry date a standard approval wil be
2. a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sss 5 3 STEPS TO LAYING OUT A CULVERT ON A 4 Determine the existing watercourse slope WATERCOURSE Maai 100 Where A is the upstream control located at the thalweg elevation of the existing Watercourse at the proposed culvert inlet 1 Site Assessment general site conditions is it a watercourse as defined by NSE and are Since Where Bis the downstream control thalweg elevation at the first natural undisturbed fifie located downstream of the proposed energy dissipation pool It is located at a distance of 3 times the culver diameter width plus a minimum of 35 m downstream of the culvert outlet The 2 5 m may be needed to stabilize the downstream 2 Once the watercourse and watershed has been identified then the structure can be sized for the 1 100 year estimated storm flow Once the diameter is calculated then the length of the proposed culvert can also be determined based on the proposed right of way specific to that project road cover end af the pool required and the proposed area of the ee crossing Where L s the distance between A and B See Figure 5 1 3 Create the profile of the esting watercourse slope by surveying the Watercourse far enough upstream and downstream of the proposed structure to captureat least two rifles upstream and wo rifles downstream S Once the watercourse slope is calculated from the existing stream profile in step
3. washed thoroughly to dislodge any fine material The wash water should be pumped away from the watercourse to prevent sedimentation of the watercourse Once the wash water runs clean then the permanent a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois watercourse can then be re directed through the culvert This type of replacement structure is less likely to be dammed by beavers compared to closed bottom culverts 383 Culvert Lining Culver lining is the re enforcing of a closed bottom culvert necessitated by a failure of the structural integrity of the structure This would include replacing the bottom of corroded steel culverts with concrete or other material or inserting sleeves inside weakened or deformed culverts Culvert ining is considered to be a modification to an alteration or structure The work can be done under Notification so long as the reduced capacity of the culvert mests the regulatory requirement of having a capacity to accommodate the peak flow for a 100 year return period See section 5 3 and meets Fisheries and Oceans fish passage requirements as per the Guidelines for the design of fish passage for fuverts in Nova Scotia Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region as updated from time to time 39 THE NEXTSTEP During the planning proces watercourse alteration sites are identified For access across a watercourse structures such as culverts br
4. Certification Manual For Watercourse Alteration Sizers January 2015 NovaSGOTIA Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ii OBECTWVE 12 UMITATIONS OF THE CERTIFICATION MANUAL FOR WATERCOURSE ALTERATION SIZERS 13 REGULATIONS 131 Government Departments amp Agencies involved in watercourse alterations 132 Definitions 133 Governing Acts and Regulations 14 APPROVALS AND NOTIFICATIONS 141 Approvals 142 Notifications 15 NOVA SCOTA WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS STANDARD 18 CERTIFICATION AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 17 COMPLETION OF TRAINING PROGRAM 171 Eligible submissions for a Sizer 1 72 Responsibilities of Certified Sizes 173 Failure to Comply 2 POSSIBLE IMPACTS OF WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS 21 EROSION 2 2 SEDIMENTATION 23 WATER QUALITY 24 RIPARIAN ZONE 25 _ ALTERATION OF BANK AND BED OF WATERCOURSE 251 Littoral Zone of Watercourse 26 OTHERIMPACIS 27 METHOD OF DEFENSE 3 PLANNING WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS 31 PROPOSED CROSSING LOCATION 311 Areasto Avoid 32 FIELDINSPECTION 321 Scheduling the Field Inspection 322 Choosing a Watercourse Crossing Location danis a 10 n 2 2 E ED E E 16 16 E E E E 18 18 18 20 20 20 2 2 2 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 323 Information to gather during the field inspection 33 WATERCOURSE SLOPE only needed if you want to installa pipe culvert or et
5. E Sedmom Carat Using A Cotterdam Cottam Types 93 TEMPORARY DIVERSIONS When constructing a temporary plastic or rock lined diversion 1 Design to accommodate the peak seasonal flows for the time period the diversion will be in place 2 The diversion channel must not be any longer than absolutely necessary to efficiently accomplish the planned project and shall be excavated from the downstream end in isolation of water low see figure 82 Janas Excavate a temporary channel parallel to and as close as possible to the existing stream channel working from the downstream end to the upstream point of diversion Line the temporary channel with plastic and secure with rock Stake the plastic into place at the top of the channel side slopes stabilization remove first the downstream then the upstream cofferdam from the watercourse The diversion channel should be restored as closely as possible to pre project conditions s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers ss 9 4 DAM AND PUMP Stemming the flow upstream of the in channel work area and pumping the flaw around the site to a point immediately downstream of the work area see figure 9 3 1 Animpermeable cofferdam must be constructed to block the flow upstream and downstream if necessary to prevent back flooding of the 2 Arrangements must be made to ensure the flow is c
6. E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 7 TEMPORARY BRIDGES Temporary crossings are constructed or prefabricated structures that provide access across the watercourse for a limited period of time They are generally use to provide heavy equipment with working access o a crossing under construction to maintain traffic flow for the general public while an existing structure is being repaired or replaced and to provide temporary access across a watercourse for short term use 74 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS Temporary bridges should not be left in lace long term because the waterway opening is typically designed for a limited period of time during normal flow conditions outside the spring freshet and the construction materials may not be appropriate for a Permanent crossing They are often constructed from untreated timbers which may collapse due to deterioration it lft in place Temporary bridges should be used instead of temporary culverts because their installation results in minimalimpactto aquatic habitat and disturbance ta the bed and banks ofthe watercourse They also have the least potential of creating a barrier to fish migration Temporary crossings are designed to accommodate pesk flows but only those expected to occur during the period the crossing is required which must not include the spring freshet period In Nova Scotia temporary crossing can be installed without an Approval or
7. _312 ha 312 km E Design Flow Qm s _ 1 25 3 12 km 2339mj The design flow is 3 9 ms Janas 54 2 Calculating Diameter Closed Bottom Culvert The following procedure is used to determine the capacity of a culvert for a known drainage area using anomograph see nomographs providedin figures 5 S and 6 See Appendix A far the following nomographs For Corrugated Steel Circular Pipe showing the determination ofa culvert size using dd ratio for HW D For Concrete Plastic Circular Pipe showing the determination of a culvert size using Va ratio for HW D For Corrugated Steel Pipe Arch showing the determination of a culvert size using i ratio for HW D 2 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sers Figure 5 5 Nomograph for Corrugated Steel Circular Pipe Culverts data provided by the Bureau o Pui oat swing the determination f ele sie ing tra for D EH PIPE CULVERTS WITH T CONTROL ane E Pes cuim gm WT emm n lae TTE E Beo T ameo i ze T aaoo g Bre E aooo i We lue Hz mie E iE dE z e E Ere E EL Eb aoo 3 Bh 100 e ale L E eS E L3 pm DIA D 1200 mm pe Q 135 msec Tes Ls danas Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Saers Figure 5 6 Nomograph for Corrugated Stel Circular Pipe Culverts data provided by the Bureau of Public Roads showing the determination of a culvert siz
8. the work is restricted restoring the structure back te its original or near original condition and allthework takes place above the ordinary high water mark Maintenance to a structure requires notification i the work is restricted to preserving the iteration orstructure inastateascloseas possible to the state it was in when it was installed the work is done below the ordinary high water mark and the work begins on or after June 1 and lends on or before September 30 NOTE Maintenance work is restricted to the original structures footprint Hf the maintenance work proposed wil extend minimize or otherwise change the sie of the structure the work is considered to be modification Restoring a non functional structure to its original condition may not be appropriate if the restoration does not alleviate on going water conveyance problems or fish passage issues Prior to initiating 2 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois maintenance on an existing crossing structure a site survey should be conducted to identity any surrounding issues that the structure may be causing For example during s site survey the following watercourse features should be reviewed Up downstream bank stability Poole sequence up and downstream of crossing Structur s ability to pass fish Le is the culvert hanging is the depth of water in the culvert too shallow etc Scou
9. 600mm 6 1800 mm 30 750mm 8 2400 mm danis a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers APPENDIX C Design Flow Formula Map for Nova Scotia for 1 Permanent Structures 00 Year Storm Event NOVA S SCOTIA Rainfall Coefficient Map 1 100 Year Return Period Benet boast nent Un Ec d 128 Minis lie Paama ant gr y 225 yp y po po om SCALE 1 650 000 Projection UTM NADES Zone 20 pp womens Produced by Nova Scotia Geomatics Centre Janas a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sos APPENDIX C Design Flow Formula Map for Nova Scotia for 1 100 Year Storm Event Permanent Siru danis Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers APPENDIX C Design Flow Formula Map for Nova Scotia for 1 2 Ye Temporary Structures 0 40 0 60 NOV SCUTIA Rainfall Coefficient Map 1 2 Year Return Period rte sns Cr rm 21 puer at 150 E E ary sn iu NER Dae e IM Sh ame e vy 1 por eer iet eda Pat Ne 9 29 97 f p t p 10 lores ET a SCALE 1 650 000 Projection UTM NADE3 Zone 20 Produced by Nova Scotia Geomaties Centre ocan omis Janas s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois APPENDIX C Design Flow Formula Map for Nova Scotia for
10. watercourse bed is not disturbed Complete section SA B Work ta improve fish habitat nota exceed 16 m no use of vehicular machinery Complete section SB D Maintenance of structure in watercourse does nol include removal replacement expansion or reductions work dons below the ordinary high water mark Complete section SC LL Culvert or closed bottom sucre on watercourse sloped less than 8 watershed area not exceeding 20 km Jengin of structure 25 m or less Complete section 5D Bridge or other open bottom structure watercourse bed is not disturbed bridge with maximum span 15 metres ther open bottom stucture wih maximum length af 25 m and maximum span of 3600 mm Complete section SE Pra ii Dates rmm You must provide projected start and end dates for the project All work taking place under a notification must happen between lune 1 and September 30 Start Construction Date End Ciosure Date SECTION 5 ACTIVITY DETAILS This section is mandatory Please complete the section that corresponds with the box checked in Section 4 5A lol tne flowing information must be provided fora accepted eration in a watercourse or he nofication wl not be Purpose of bank alteration check atleast one erosion rotecton wharf or boat launch water intake other Bank Ateration length m cannot exceed 5 metras tis t ecaedeten you must suert an opcm apse Information for the certified installer will
11. Engineer design the structure and the design must follow the Guidelines for the design of fish passage for culverts in Nova Scotia Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region as updated from time to time A property sized culvert shall have the capacity to accommodate the peak flow for a 100 year return period This means that there is a Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers probability of a peak flow event occurring once in every 100 years All culverts must be designed to carry intended loads The minimum circular pipe culvert size permitted for installation ina watercourse is 450 mm 18 in The maximum permissible diameter for an open bottom culvert is 3660 mm 12 ft The drainage area watershed above the Watercourse crossing must not exceed 20 km2 for culverts under notification process The maximum length of any closed bottom culvert to be installed is 25 m 82 ft under the notification process The culvert inlet invert elevation must be set at the thahweg elevation of the esting The culvert outlet invert elevation must be set at a depth equal to 20 of the culvert diameter height to a maximum of 0 4 m below the downstream control thalweg elevation the first natural undisturbed rifle downstream This downstream control is not to be altered Culverts installed under Notification must be installed between June 1 and Sep
12. Notification if they are installed in a manner that does not impact the watercourse or water flow The following sections outline the expected conditions to be met in order to reduce the Janas impact te the watercourse from a temporary crossing 72 CONSTRUCTION The conditions placed on construction activities are influenced by the time of year during which the crossing is to be installed and the length of time that he crossing will be in use The installation and maintenance ofthe crossing must be given the same environmental considerations ss a permanent crossing Hydraulic design for temporary structures is based on the 1 2 year storm event based on the average flows for the period of time that the structure is to be installed if the minimum criterion outlined below is not sufficient to allow the waters of the 1 2 year rainfall event then additonal clearance will be required between the deck and surface of water No disturbance of the bed or banks of the The bridge must completely span the watercourse with the sils or abutments placed bac rom the top of banka minimum of 1 metre Sil logs used to support temporary bridges shall be placed on firm stable ground outside of the watercourse bed Place sil logis parallel to the watercourse at least 1 m back from the edge of the banks of the watercourse to found the stringers on Sil logs should be at least 4 m long and have a minimum diameter of 250 mm Bri
13. Watercourse Alteration Program What are the New Regulatory Submission Requirements provides some guidance fon what types of crossings require a notification an application for approval or does not require any submission to Nova Scotia Environment The document is only guidance refer to the Activities Designation Regulations for legal purposes A watercourse alteration application must be completed and fled with the NS Department of Environment No watercourse alteration con begin until the application has been adequately reviewed and an approval issued The watercourse alteration program includes the following types of submissions 1 Approvals 2 Notifications 141 Approvals Approvals authorize work on a single Watercourse alteration within a specific time period and with specific terms and conditions A fee per alteration is applicable Approvals are required for alterations that are typically higher fisk including alterations that do not meet the eligibility criteria for notifications Amendments are used for alterations that have an existing approval have nat yet commenced or finished and require change to the alteration originally applied for A fee per amended ateration applies Renewals are used for alterations that have existing approvals ave not yet commenced or danas finished and require an extension to the approval expiry date in order to complete the work Renewals must be requested prior to the ex
14. Watercourse Evidence would include visible water visible stream channel rifles eroded areas bars rapids pools ete and vegetation which indicate a watercourse Misit the ste Look for a clearly defined stream channel Is there a mineral soil channel is there sand gravel and or cobbles evident in a continuous pattern over a continuous length with Ite to no vegetation Is there an indication that water has flowed ina path or channel for a length of time and at a rate sufficient to erode a channel or Pathway Is there water flowing in this channel Are there pools rifles or rapids Are there aquatic animals insects or fish Are there aquatic plants Iftwo or more of these characteristics are present than itis a watercourse unless otherwise determined by NS Environment Be aware it is possible for a watercourse to disappear underground for a certain distance and re appear elsewhere Some small streams may course through or turn into wetland in places You will need to walk some distance up and downstream to view conditions as part of determination and not be confined to evidence at one location Does the watercourse now exist in its present channel as a result af developments in the past and has the watercourse established itself as habitat for aquatic plants and animals There are lakes for example in the province that have been created or enhanced by man made impoundments If a watercourse has been aered by ditching dredging or o
15. Watercourse Alteration Sizers 9 On the downstream side of the work site construct a second cofferdam above the discharge area This cofferdam is intended to prevent the movement of sediment from the Work site into the watercourse 10 Remove any fish trapped in the isolated area of he existing stream and relocate migrating fish upstream of the cofferdam and non migrating fish downstream of the cofferdam A license to collect and move fish may be obtained from DFO prior to the fish rescue Please contact DFO through the National Online Licensing System at http www dfo mpo ge ca index eng htm 31 Pump any residual water from the isolated area of the stream channel into a designated treatment area such as a settling pond behind fiter fabric dam or into a vegetated area Once n n u as filtered the water can be released downstream ofthe lower cofferdam Following culvert installation remove first the downstream then the upstream cofferdam fram the watercourse Restore stabilize any soil disturbance along the stream banks or within the workarea The water pumping system must be continuous whenever there is sufficient water to facilitate pumping until the installation is complete This System must never be left unattended A complete back up system should be kept on site atali times to accommodate any increases in Water flow and as a precautionary measure in case of breakdowns Atter comp
16. Watercourse Alteration ers sois 57 MULTIPLE CULVERTS 58 NEXTSTEDS 59 TIMING OF INSTALLATION 6 ARCH CULVERT AND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION 61 REQUIREMENTS FOR OPEN BOTTOM CULVERT DESIGN AND SELECTION 62 OPEN BOTTOM CULVERTS SIZING 63 PERMANENT BRIDGE STRUCTURES REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTION AND DESIGN 6A BRDGESZNG 641 Calculating the Design Flow 6 42 Calculating the Waterway Opening 643 Verifying Bridge Size Does it meet the requirements 64A Bridge Length 65 FISH PASSAGE amp 5 NEXTSTEDS 67 TIMING OF INSTALLATION 7 TEMPORARY BRIDGES 71 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS 7 2 CONSTRUCTION 73 TEMPORARY BRIDGE REMOVAL 8 EROSION PROTECTION CALCULATING RIP RAP SIZE 81 Determining Water Velocity 9 WATER CONTROL MEASURES WHEN WORKING IN A WATERCOURSE 91 SzINGREQUIREMENT 9 2 COFFERDAMS 93 TEMPORARY DIVERSIONS 94 DAM AND PUMP 10 EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL 101 DESIGN PRINCIPLES 11 MATERIALS USED IN WATERCOURSE 11 1 FRESH CONCRETE CAN BE TOXIC TO AQUATIC LIFE 112 TREATED WOOD Janas a s st s s s2 s ss 56 56 se se se se se se so so so Ei Ei Ei E E E ss 66 E E n n n Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 113 ROCK MATERIAL Janas AUDITING GLOSSARY OF TERMS REFERENCE DOCUMENTS conracts APPENDICES n n EI 76 7 s2 Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sere ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Nova Scotia Environment would like to acknowledge the foll
17. a culvert or other closed bottomed si notification wi not be accepted The Watercourse Aeration Siar cous Teaches ow To determine The Warman requested below Pier Tar to The certian training manual for guidance A af the folowing information must be provided for this section Information about the watercourse Upstream Drainage Are ev cannot excoed 20km Watercourse Slope e cannot exceed 8 Watercourse Veloci mis Watercourse Channel Wadi im Watercourse Channel Dept im Information about the construction check one New construction 2 Removal Replacement A Expansion Q or Reduction Length at cuvert jm cannot exceed 25 m Diametre of cunei imm Length of dissipation pal a Width o dissipation poo im ilii is exceeded than you must submit an application for approval Watercourse slope check one 2 Culvert on a watercourse with 0 5 slope or less or 2 Culvert on a watercourse with slope between 0 5 and 8 0 Requires a Profesional Engineer to design You must provide the name and phone number of the certified sizer or Professional Engineer Also provide the certlication ualficaton number fte certe sizer or professional engineer Name ot certified watercourse alteration sizer or professional engineer Phones Cerifcaton s Information for the certified installer wil be required as of October 2016 Name ot certified watercourse alteration installer required after Oct
18. and decommissioning of crossing structures The goals of this training program are to train people on how to interact with watercourses in a less impactful manner deimprove the level of compliance with existing watercourse alteration regulation through education of regulations and standards to provide a better understanding of the importance of environmental protection and the Federal Fisheries Act to inform people on the watercourse alterations approval and notification process 12 LIMITATIONS OF THE CERTIFICATION MANUAL FOR WATERCOURSE ALTERATION SIZERS The following limitations are placed on the use of this training manual The manual does not cover every type of watercourse alteration type but attempts to provide general guidance for selecting and sizing some watercourse crossings It provides recommendations which would be applicable danis to mast alterations but not all Specific conditions pertaining to individual watercourse alterations will vary with each project In some casos supplemental mitigation measures are necessary to resolve site specific problems The manual does not cover alterations to wetlands and does not cover activities in tidal watercourses or coastal areas The manualis not a regulation and the manual 3s not to be interpreted as a method of design or a design code Following this manual does not exempt a person from liability for any damage resulting from the aerat
19. be required a of October 2016 Name of corti watercourse ateraton instale required ar October 2016 Phone w Certticatan 58 Alo the folowing information must be provided for Work to improve fish habitat na watercourse or ho roticaton Wil not be accepted Description of wark To improve sh habitat Please provide a shart project description cluding the scope ofthe projec the type af installation e g digger logs rock silis etc and how the work will be done e g what kind of tools will be used Length of watercourse alteration __ m cannot exceed 15 m iih creates than you musi sub engin lor eo Information for the certified installer will be required as of October 2016 Prone t Cariicatan t 5C Al of he folowing information must be provided tor maintenance of structures in a watercourse or the natiication will not be accepted Descrpion of maintenance Please pravide a short projec description including the scope of the project ard the type of structure undergoing maintenance Please note that any change to the size of the structure is considered a modification and means the activity does not qualify under the maintenance notification category Information for the certified installer will be required as of October 2016 Name of corte watercourse altraon instale required afier October 2016 Prone Ceriticaton n 5D AI of he folowing Information must be provided for
20. following conditions are met the length of the culvert or structure is 25 morless the watercourse slope is less than 0 59 the watershed of the watercourse crossing is 20 km2 or less in area and the work begins on or after June 1 and ends on or before September 30 Excavated materials associated with the structure being replaced are generally at least partially saturated and should not be used to backfill around the new culvert Excavated materials should be removed and replaced with imported clean dry backfil material suitable for compacting 382 Replacement of a Closed Bottom Structure with an Open Bottom Structure Closed bottom culverts can be replaced with open bottom culverts In certain instances it may be appropriate to replace a closed bottom with an open bottam culvert due to their ease of installation orto re establish a natural channel or to improve fish passage Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers The utilization of open bottom culverts im watercourses is a feasible means of conveying water flow under a roadbed in many situations Open bottom culverts should not be used at stes where soils are unstable or incapable of supporting the structure Erosion of the banks and streambed ofthe newly constructed structure is of concern and must be considered during planning in situ soft organic bed material is exposed when the existing culvert is removed the site may not provide
21. is necessary to measure or estimate the distance lo the nearest vertical line to the west and to the nearest horizontal line to the south and to add these metric values to the grid values given at the margin Figure 4 Civilian System As in the above example if a point is located 400 metres east of the vertical line of 357 000 and 200 metres north of the horizontal line of 5 476 000 its coordinates would be Zone 14 357 400 5476 200 With these three numbers any point any kind of technical data It does however require the use of large and somewhat cumbersome figures To get around this military map makers have developed a somewhat different system consisting of a combination of letter and numbers the Military Grid Reference System This material updated from The Universal Transverse Mercator Grid Department of Energy Mines and Resources Canada Surveys and Mapping Branch Ottawa 1969 The Queen s Printer
22. is otherwise stabilized For information on erosion and sediment control measures refer to the Erosion ond Sediment Control Handbook for Construction Stes at hte novascotia ca nse surface water doce erosionsedmentcontrelhandbook construction pd Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 11 MATERIALS USED IN WATERCOURSE Only materials which will nat negatively impact water quality may be used in watercourses or in close proximity to watercourses 111 FRESH CONCRETE CAN BE TOXICTO AQUATIC ure Frosh wet uncured concrete must not come into contact with waterlow in the watercourse or in contact with water that wil flaw nto a watercourse Concrete used in a watercourse that has not been isolated from water flow must be pre cast and cured away from the watercourse Concrete blocks must be cured for at least one week before using ta crossing site Concrete used in a watercourse that has been isolated from water flow must be permitted to cure long enough prior to releasing water fow so that it does not contaminate the water after the flow is released Concrete must be cured for at least one week prior to farm removal Excess unused concrete must not be permitted Wash water contaminated with concrete must 11 2 TREATED WOOD Some treated wood wood containing preservatives cannot be used in watercourses Lumber treated wih creosote or pentachlorophenol PCP must not be used in the construct
23. no option fora Notification If you are hired to size a multiple culvert crossing some key installation features should be kept in mind Minimizing the space between the culverts to reduce the amount of granular material and clay seals is desirable Horizontal space between two adjacent culverts should be 1 culvert diameter span or 1 0 m whichever is the greater One pipe must be designed to pass higher flood flows and the other main pipe must be installed as the primary fish passage structure The pipe dedicated to fish passage must be installed lower than the flood culvert s ie the overflow culvert to ensure low flows are not spik which might otherwise provide insufficient flows or depth for fish passage danis 58 NEXT STEPS After the type of structure has been selected and the size of structure the following actions may be completed Return to the field to layout and mark the ste for installation at a minimum mark the location of the structure inlet and the outlet and markthe outlet ofthe energy dissipation pool Provide drawings and information to installer with instruction on how to follow the marked layout 53 TIMING OF INSTALLATION All instream activity including culvert installations shal be cared out between June 1 and September 30 of the same year preferably during low water conditions The actual time of onstruction should be kept to a minimum inan efort to prevent any u
24. resions Maritimes martimes contact eng ntm It shouldbe noted that although not all sensitive and unique areas are identified on maps or photos they must stil be avoided It is good practice to contact provincial or federal government agencies to ensure that all significant areas are addressed in planning a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois These agencies may include but are not limited to Nova Scotia Environment the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada 32 FIELD INSPECTION A field inspection of the proposed crossing location s essential in identifying any limiting environmental factors not apparent during the planning process The field inspection may result in the need to make adjustments to the planned location of watercourse crossings 324 Scheduling the Field Inspection Schedule field inspections during the spring or fall when potential water problems would be evident These problems would include springs seeps wet areas ete which are not always visible on a map or photo Field inspections should be completed on foot to be most effective 322 Choosing a Watercourse Crossing Location Establish and clearly mark minimum buffer zone of 30m 100 between the edge ofthe proposed road and the watercourse Align the crossing structure to cross the watercourse at right angles to prevent any redirection of the flo
25. surface membranes Suffocation of fish eggs and young fry due to sediment filing the interstitial spaces in the gravel Hyperventilation in response to extreme stress that causes an increase in mucous production o Abrasion or scraping of gill membranes and fish scales dans Disruption of spawning activities due to Changes in feeding efficiency in response to decreased visibility c Reduction in food supply due to a decrease in photosynthesis affecting algae and other aquatic plants c Reduction im food supply due to a decrease in aquatic invertebrate Populations Reduction in suitable spawning areas due to the interstitial spaces between rocks rubble and gravel being filed Water Quality f Increased water temperature and decreased oxygen levels due to changes in water depth as a result of sediment deposition Decreased visibility as water clarity diminishes in response to increased turbidity Other users of the watercourse Decreased water quality due to suspended sediment in water being used for commercial industrial or municipal use Impacted water quality affecting recreational use of watercourse TUST A REMINDER Any activity which disturbs soil has the potential to damage aquatic habitat v Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sss 23 WATER QUALITY In addition to siltation of the watercourse water quality can be affected by cons
26. the proposed crossing site on the map with a circle See figure 6 2 Highight the watercourse including all tributaries upstream of the location Mark small dots on the high points along both sides of the watercourse See figure 63 Connect the dots around the watercourse moving in ia clockwise fashion The line should cross contours at right angles as much as possible Delineation is complete when the area is enclosed See figure 6 4 Using a Planimeter or Dot Grid measure the outlined area on the map to determine the drainage area upstream of the crossing s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sos NOTE Mapping software such as Are GIS Figure 6 3 Topographic Map identifying Map Info or other software can also be utilized high points of elevation surrounding the to delineate drainage area Figure 6 2 Topographic Map of Watercourse Crossing Site identified Figure 6 4 Delineation of the drainage area above crossing site danis E Certification Manual for Watercourse Aeratinsiaers sois leulating the Waterway Opening The waterway opening represents the minimum end area of the bridge required fora crossing location tis calculated by measuring the rise and span from the crossing location AMPE 63 CALCULATING DESIGN FLOW What isthe design flow Q for a drainage area A equaling 1500 ha Convert to km 1500ha 100 150km Design Flow Q 125x150k
27. the installation Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration ers sois cof watercourse alterations or directly supervise the work or allwatercours alterations taking place undera notification all watercourse alterations taking place under an approval as per section SA 2 a of the Activities Designation Regulations for example alterations that do not meet the notification conditions dredging permanently diverting a watercourse from its natural channel Note an Installer certification is not required for wetland alterations water withdrawals or dams danas EI Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 17 COMPLETION OF TRAINING PROGRAM Certified Watercourse Alteration Siers have succesfully completed a course of instruction relevant to the sizing of watercourse crossings that has been approved by the Minister af Environment Individuals successfully completing this Certification program will be recognized by Nova Scotia Environment as having been suitably trained for sizing bridges and culverts eligible for Notification as per the Watercourse Alteration Standard ie a Sizer Certified individuals are recognized to size bridges and culverts up to the specifications published in the Regulations to be installed between dune 1st and September 30th of the same year Notifications do not extend to alterations proposed for wetlands areas Any developments in or near wetlands are reg
28. to as the notifier Certified watercourse alteration sizers or installers can be notifier The danas notifier must understand the regulatory obligations thatapply to the activity and must ensure the activity is carried out in accordance with requirements Ol activities taking place under a notification must comply with the Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard The notifier would complete and sign the notification form for the alteration if you are providing the sizing for a watercourse crossing but your client is signing the form you wil need to provide information concerning the activity details section 5 of the form Activity details include information about the watercourse and construction structure information about the lease refer to Appendix D for guidance on how to complete the notification form The calculations and other information used to determine the type and size of crossing structure must be kept The information isnot submitted with the notification form but you may be required to provide this and other information for an audit being conducted by NS Environment See section 10 0 Auditing Pease note Blanket approvals wil not be issued after October 1 2014 A notification form must be provided for every eligible alteration For those acts that do not dually for notification or no submission an application for approval must be submitted n Certification Manual for Waterc
29. universal transverse Mercator A projected coordinate system that divides the world into 60 north and south zones 6 degrees wide repperi Nova Scotia is broken up into 3 UTM Zones Zone 19 Zone 20 and Zone 21 The majority of the province will all into Zone 20 Zone 19 is a small area close to Yarmouth Zone 21 is a small area close to Glace Bay on Cape Breton Island See Zones below The X and Y values for UTM coordinates are called Northing and Easting Nothing is a 6 digit number Easting is a 7 digit number There are three easy ways to collect UTM coordinates you can use a GPS unit Google Earth o ake them directly from a 150 00 topographical sheet NTS GPS Collection The first thing to do is enter your GPS units set up sereen to set up the GPS to collect in UTM Use your supplied user s manual to accomplish this Most Garmin GPS units will follow the following procedure There may be slight variations ofthese directions depending on which GPS you have Main Menu gt Setup gt Scroll down to the Position Format gt Scroll down to UTM Grid gt select UTM UPS gt Map Datum NAD83 Always take note of what zone you are collecting in and write that information down Now any point you collect will be in a UTM format Google Earth Install Google Earth on your machine if you do not have it Click on the Tools dropdown menu and select Options The following window will opem m Em tn
30. with a calculated design fow of 14 25 m s The span measures 4 1 m andthe rise is 4m Waterway Opening m rise xspan Area a dimxam 16am Water velocity v m s Q 1425 mils an 0 86 m s A water velocity of 0 86 m s is less than the maximum acceptable limit of 1 8 m s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers Before finalizing the bridge size in the prescribed submission the bridge design must take into account the existing conditions st the crossing site by considering the following factors The design must provide sufficient span width to prevent ice blockage The rise height must provide sufficient clearance to keep the roadbed free from flood waters which may overtop the structure during period of high flow The rise height must provide for sufficient clearance for navigation if required An increase in the rise of 120 cm 48 in above the high water mark is suggested IF the bridge design does not meet the required hydraulic capacity or any of these preceding factors stat the proposed crossing location the bridge size must be increased by adjusting either the rise or the span In cases where the waterway opening under the bridge must be dramatically increased the economies of the construction mayresutin choosing another crossing location GAA Bridge Length Under Notification the following applies to determining the length of the bridge The le
31. 1 2 Year Storm Event Temporary Structures danis 9 Pr c APPENDIX D NOTIFICATION FORM a EET Eu The notification form must be received by Nova Scotia Environment at least 5 days before work commences Work may only star after you the notifier have received a notification receipt from Nova Scotia Environment Ht you provide your email address and your notification is complete Nova Scotia Environment will aim to send you the notification receipt by email within 5 days W there is no email provided Nova Scotia Environment wil aim to put the notification receipt in the mall within 5 days PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE Complete sections 1 3 4 applicable parts o 5 and 6 or the notification will not be accepted Please keep a copy of your notification form Incomplete forms wil not be returned to the notifier previous notation Type of Newa Renewed Amended this i a renewed or amended natfcation provide For Type of notification please check one af the following boxes Now if the notification is for a new activity Renewed f the notification is to renew the notification for an activity that had been submitted in 2 previous year I this s the case please indicate the previous notification number in the box that has If this is a renewed or amended notification please provide notification Amended if
32. 1995 Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO DFO has the lead federal role in managing Canada s fisheries amd safeguarding its waters The Department administers and enforces the federal Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act aquatic species oniy Transport Canada Navigation Protection Program Transport Canada administers the Navigation Protection Act through the review and authorization cof works in navigable waters The majority of work in this area involves evaluating impacts to navigation and acting to minimize risks to navigation through decisions and compliance activities Navigable fresh waters in Nova Scotia include Bras d Or Lakes Great Bras d Or and Lahave River fom rapids in ads Bridgewater to the Atlantic Ocean See wr te g ca eng programs 632 html Department of Natural Resources DNR DNR administers the Widife Habitat and Watercourse Protection regulations which protect Water quality and maintain various elements of wildlife habitat on all forest harvest sites on all lands private industrial and Crown The regulations restrict tree and vegetation removal in areas next to watercourses tor forestry operations Many species at risk are associated with watercourses wetlands or lands adjacent to watercourses and wetlands They are found throughout the province but in rare and site specific locations Species at risk are listed and afforded protection so it is critical to ensure work in or near waterco
33. 3 then that will determine whether it mests the notification criteria Hf the watercourse slope is less than or equal to 0 5 and the watershed area is 20 km or less then the structure can be installed under the notification process Figure 5 1 ample of watercourse profile diagram danis a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration ers sois f the existing watercourse slope exceeds 0 5 and the plan is still to install a dosed bottom culvert then it requires a design bya professional engineer itis decided that an open bottom structure isto be installed under s notification these calculation can be completed by a Sizer Go to section 6 of the Manual 6 Startingat the upstream end the new culvert inlet invert isto be located at the streambed thalweg elevation which becomes the upstream control This will also determine where the culvert outlet will be located as the length of the structure would have been determined in step 2 calculation The outlet ofthe culvert isto be setat a depth equal to 20 percent of the diameter height to a maximum of 04 m below the downstream control elevation first natural undisturbed rifle downstream 7 M the sizing of the cuert needs to be adjusted diameter or length then step 4 and 6 will need to be repeated to meet the criteria under the notification process Ifthe right of way extends beyond what was surveyed then step 3 wil also need to be repeated Ja
34. E iso PIPECULVERTS WITH INLET CONTROL pies t8000 156 F 6000 Eise E5000 ENTRANCE b132 4000 TYPE 3000 Groove end F120 projecting Fios mm 102 F to 36 DIAMETER OF CULVERT D IN INCHES HEADWATER DEPTH IN DIAMETERS HW D 10 bo 30 E Ha H27 RS E24 EXAMPLE La L4 D 60 inches 1200mm z x me f6 m 3 125efs 36 mus Lo Hw w E D feet 15 wo 60 Lio Lia Tar are desvedTomrmomgraphs provided by rhe Bureau or Public Ronds tants E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 000 4060 SHEL PIPE ARCH CULVERT p dip po Dann pe o EMT ex 3 passe ES 5 E Rg i E imm i z 3t Hl de ge Fan z LIE zh HERTE E gps pee B E 2 E exampue 3 pee suec meum Ep E pesos soo Petaia Loney EH min ut un L soon are Eon NETT E D Lason aso E ion as Data are derived Irom momographs provi cd by the Bureau of Public Roads Janas s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration zer APPENDIX B CONVERSION TABLES Standard CSP Sizes Indic Milimeters Inches M lincirs 400 500 600 1800 000 200 30 750 96 2400 e 32 800 2700 36 900 3000 40 1000 1327 3300 48 1200 144 3600 CHART Inches vs Milimeters Feet vs Millimeters 12 800mm 3 900mm 18 375mm 4 1200 mm 18 450mm 5 1500mm 24
35. Increases in water temperature and decreases in hiding cover shade and fish food supply due to the loss of vegetation along the banks and adjacent areas and arto the widening of the watercourse Changes in the water chemistry and possibly species composition in response 16 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers to increased levels of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus While the above focuses on fish and fish habitat erosion atfects other aquatic life as wel such as insects and amphibians 2 2 SEDIMENTATION Sedimentation is the deposition of fine particles such as sand sit and clay which have been eroded from exposed soils and transported by water It is a natural but potentially serious consequence of erosion which may be accelerated by a watercourse alteration Sedimentation is divided into two categories determined by the mode of transportation by which it moves through a Suspended sediment are soil particles suspended or mixed in the water column Suspension is dependent on parie size Bedlosd sediment are soil particles that slide roll or bounce slong the bed of the watercourse These sediment particles are either too heavy to be suspended in the water column or the water velocity is toa slow I sediment suspended or bedload is present in a Watercourse it may have the following impacts on Fish Fish Habitat c Suffocation of fish due to the clogging ot the gill
36. LWEG The line joining the lowest point lengthwise of the bed ofthe watercourse defining its deepest channel The lowest channel of flow within a watercourse the current RIFFLE shallow water extending across the bed ofal flowing watercourse with rapid current and with surface flow broken into waves by submerged obstructions such as gravel and cobble The water flow is rapid and usually shallower than sections above and below Natural watercourses often consist of a succession of pools and rifles or steps POOL A deep slow moving quiet portion of al E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 33 WATERCOURSE SLOPE only needed if you want to installa pipe culvert or other closed bottom structure Watercourse slope or stream gradient is the ratio of drop in a stream per unit distance A high gradient indicates a steep stope and rapid flow of water ie more ability to erode whereas a low gradient indicates a more level stream bed and sluggishly moving water which may be able to carry only small amounts of very fine sediments High gradient streams tend to have steep narrow V shaped valleys and are referred to as young streams Low gradient streams have wider and less rugged valleys with a tendency for the stream to meander Watercourse slope or gradient is an important factor im the creation of fish habitat For example mountainous areas with long steep streams often consist of rough shallo
37. Sizers Efforts should include planning of entire road system or project and not just individual crossing sites Select types and sizes of watercourse crossing structures in accordance with instruction provided during the training for Watercourse Alteration Sizes and any updates provided by Nova Scotia Environment from time to time Provide your name phone number and certification number as a Sizer on a Notification Form df acting as a notifier for a watercourse alteration comply with the responsibilities of a notifier as per the Approval and Notification Procedure Regulations A notifer is the person who signs and submits a notification form to Nova Scotia Environment Assist property owners and others complete notification and application forms for watercourse alterations Provide information to Nova Scotia Environment in a timely manner when requested related to projets which you are or were involve E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers oss Provide updated contact information to Nova Scotia Environment in a timely manner so contact lists may be updated Sizers are also expected to communicate with the Certified Installer on the following where applicable Type of structure to be installed including Size of structure diameter in the case of tireular pipe culvert height and width for box culverts bridges and arch culverts and length Type of material to be us
38. adequate support for the new structure and may be susceptible to erosion An open bottom culvert may not be the most appropriate structure to use at this locaton and geotechnical investigations may be required The removal af a closed battom culvert or other structure requires careful planning to ensure that the removal does not impact on the watercourse The use of open bottom culverts as a replacement requires the re establishment of the watercourse channel Ensuring the channel is properly sized and constructed is of the utmost importance The culvert shall be designed such that after it is installed the end ares available is adequate to ensure that the stream flow velocity does nat exceed 18 m s duringa 1 in 100 year discharge event Downstream sedimentation proper design and construction af a new stream channel erosion and fish passage are four environmental concerns that must be addressed for this type of installation Downstream sedimentation can occur if proper controls are rot in place during the removal of the existing structure A dam and pumparound or temporary diversion are two of the techniques that can be utilized to perform work in isolation of the stream flow and t ensure the natural flow of water downstream is uninterrupted and its quality maintained Janas The new channel under the open bottom culvert shall be constructed with a depth and width similar o the existing natural channel in the vicinity of the cross
39. andwards Stability ofthe banks and bed of the watercourse is a concern and must be considered during planning andinstalltion This type cf structure is less likely to be damned by beavers than circular culverts open bottom culverts are similar to bridges These culverts are supported by footings situated outside the baniful limits of the channel The maximum permissible diameter for an open bottom culvert is 3660 mm 12 ft Material Made from steel or concrete Advantages Natural streambed and slope are maintained it designed and installed appropriately as there is no bottom Less susceptible to corrosion than steel pipe culverts Disadvantages Improper installation could result im scouring and erosion if footings are not founded outside the bank ful mits of the channel and not buried to a depth below the thalweg 412 Closed bottom structures box culverts pipe arch culvert pipe culverts Closed bottom culverts when installed properly are an acceptable method for permanent watercourse crossings Culverts are used on public roads forest roads driveways and in areas where difficult terrain limits where other watercourse crossing options such as bridges are not suitable Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois The wide flat bottom may result im reduced water depth potentially limiting fish passage Girculae Pipe Culverts Box culverts in some respects ar
40. any time Audits will be undertaken by inspectors representing Nova Scotia Environment Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada Audits may be completed before during or after installstion construction Inspectors wil be auditing all aspects of a watercourse alteration including ut not limited to installation construction stabilization and maintenance follow up Inspectors will also be auditing the planning and design of crossing structures and other watercourse alterations Itisimpartant for notifies to maintain all paperwork pertaining to the planning and design of crossing structures and other watercourse alterations Keeping documents that show you have followed the Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard is important Ifan auditis conducted a notifier may be required to provide this information to an inspector with Nova Scotia Environment Documents to be kept include but are not limited to the following determination of drainage areas for crossing Stes such as culverts and bridges c calculations used to determine the type and Site of crossing structure v for professional engineers design of culvert crossing showing it conforms with the Guidelines for the design of fish passage for culverts in Nova Scotia Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region as updated from time to time tor culverts in a watercourse with slope greater than 0 5 but less than 8 dan
41. areas designated in provincial regulations htp novascotia ca nse water docs Protecte Water Areas Map pd 34 PROPOSED CROSSING LOCATION Use of topographic mapping geology mapping orthophoto mapping and or aerial photos for planning watercourse crossings i essential These maps and photos often identify natural and manmade features such as wetland areas and sisting roads that will assist im the road layout process 344 Areasto Avoid Prior to deciding on a crossing location it is important to identify and outline all sensitive and unique areas or habitats such as Ecological reserves game management areas protected areas domestic water supply areas historic sites or areas of significant archaeological significance Sensitive areas such as deer wintering areas salmon spawning and rearing areas and waterfowl breeding areas ads Protected Areas n Nova Scotia there are 60 Protected Areas which are divided into 37 wilderness areas 21 nature reserves and two heritage rivers Alterations of watercourses flowing into nature reserves or activities in the watersheds above nature reserves must be completed with extreme care in orderto preserve the ecosystems found within the protected area Nature Reserves Nature reserves protect unique rare outstanding or representative natural ecosystems and the habitats of rare or endangered species Jernes Areas Wilderness areas protect representative exampl
42. boonste tto re Dhaonna i Qaid pr Ereieticntieteier ee Change the default setting of Degrees Min Seconds to Universal Transverse Mercator in the Show LaVLong section of the options box see graphic Then click OK Depending on where you move the cursor the UTM coordinates will be displayed in the lower right hand comer of the google maps screen Google earth also provides you with the zone automatically depending on what part of the province the curser is on See below Google eart eset or Designated Actes NTS Sheet 1 50 000 Topo Civilian UTM Grid Reference System Horizontal lines are designated by their distance from the equator in metres Because Canada s southernmost point is about 4 620 000 metres from the equator all horizontal lines in Canada have a northing value above that figure Vertical lines are measured from a separate point for each zone namely an imaginary line lying 500 000 metres west of the zone s central meridian Actually zones never attain the full iid of 1 000 000 metres which such a measurement suggests in fact im northern Canada zone widths shrink toas little as 80 000 metres 40 000 metres on either side of the central meridian In practice this means that vertical lines are counted from the central meridian or 500 000 metre line those to the left of it having an easting value of less than 500 000 metres and those on the right having a value above that The number
43. calculated then survey the thahteg elevation at 5 metre intervals for a distance downstream of the proposed culvert outlet This data can be used to develop a stream profile which can be used to determine the slope of the watercourse once the diameter and length of 331 Create a watercourse profile diagram Using the survey data create a watercourse profile diagram Figure 32 is a watercourse profile diagram created with the site survey data in Table 3 1 Figure 3 2 Example of watercourse profile diagram the culvert is calculated The watercourse should Be surveyed far enough downstream to capture the elevation of the natural riffle which wil be the control elevation downstream of the proposed energy dissipation pool As a rule of thumb you should capture the elevations of at least two rifles downstream of the proposed crossing site WATERCOURSE PLAN vew Janas Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 332 Calculating Watercourse Slope The watercourse slope is the vertical drop measurement of a watercourse from the upstream control to the downstream control then divided by the length between these two pois Sape is typically displayed as a percentage Table 3 1 Example of site survey data collected inthe feld to design a proper culvert watercourse crossing Remarks Topo te Proposed culvert rt Bottom of pol Top o ne Proposed culvert contar Bottom c pol Top of te Proposed culvert outle
44. d above is 0 5 or less then a closed bottom culvert without fish passage baffles or an open bottom structure may be installed and the sizing may be completed by a certified sizer ora profesional engineer Ifthe slope is greater than 0 5 then a closed bottom culvert with fish passage considerations may be installed the design must be completed by a professional engineer an open bottom structure may be installed and the sizing may be completed by a certified sizer E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 34 TIMING OF AN ALTERATION Al watercourse alterations involving instream work should be carried out during the low flow period between June 1 and September 30 of the same construction season Carrying out instream work at low flows is intended to minimize any potential impacts to aquatic ecosystem and to other users af the watercourse such as for recreational or commercial use Working during the summer season between June 1 and September 30 minimizes potential impacts by Avoiding sensitive periods in the life cycle of fish such as migration or spawning Facilitating dam amp pump systems diversion ditches cofferdams or other im isolation of water flow construction techniques It is easier to isolate low flows in order to work in isolation of water flow Isolating high flows could lead to flooding and increase the risk of introducing sediment into the watercourse
45. d to confine water or amother liquid from entering or leaving an area of land Erodible Susceptible to erosion Erosion The detachment of soil particles and loss of surface material from the earth s surface by the action of gravity ice water wind or as a result of other natural occurrences or man induced events Fish Sereen A sereen set across a water intake outlet or pipe to prevent the entrance or exit of fish Janis he side of a ditch which is part of the Head The height of water above any point or place ofreference eadwall A retaining wal at the inlet and or outlet of culvert serving as protection against scoring and erosion af the foreslape Hydraulic Pertaining to fluid in motion and the mechanics of that motion im isolation of water flow Separated from the wetted portion of the channel Interstitial Smali narrow spaces between substrate Maximum Design Velocity The maximum flow velocity a bridge or open bottom culvert can withstand and not reduce the ife of the structure Navigation Protection Act an Act administered by the Federal Ministry of Transport developed to protect the public right of navigation in a navigable Nomograph A graph with three lines graduated soa straight line intersecting any two of the ines at their known values intersects the third at the value of the related variable Peak Maximum instantaneous stage or discharge of a watercourse in flood Peak Flow The maximum i
46. dges composed of a single sil log on each side of the watercourse must have spacers attached Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois to the underside of the stringers to maintain the span between the sil logs The structure shall not touch the water surface during operation and must be capable of carrying the intended loads The deck height shall be a minimum of 250 mm above the bank height and there shall be at least 4450 mm between the water surface and the bottom of the bridge at the time of installation The structure must be lifted in place ather than dragged and must be removed in the same Approach roads on both sides of the crossing must be stabilized against erosion by using brush mats or clean granular material unless bedrock is suitable to provide protection from rutting Stabilization should extend back at least 30 metres on ether side of the crossing Bridge decks must be fully enclosed and kept ree oferolibe soil Any sail on the deck must be removed in a manner to ensure it will not enter the The width of the structure shall not exceed one lane Machine work is to be conducted from the watercourse banks and machinery is not permitted to enter the watercourse unless otherwise approved in writing by the Minister or Administrator danis Structure backfill material and fi for the roadbed isto be clean coarse granular aggregate material durable non ore b
47. e headwater depth to diameter HW D column Use the discharge Q value where the line intersects the discharge column Q and convert to drainage area For pipe arch nomographs refer to the headwater depth in terms of rise HW R For pipe arch nomographs diameter of culvert is measured as Span x Rise 543 Calculating Culvert Length Culvert length must be determined pror to installation Culverts which are too short in length tan become destabilized as a result of scouring Culverts that are too long can create fish passage problems and scouring In Nova Scotia the maximum culvert length under the Standard is 25 m 82 ft Anything greater than 25 m 82 ft wil require the submission of an application for approval to Nova Scotia Environment tor review The parameters required to calculate length are as follows See figures 5 7 or 5 8 L the length of culvert required W the road width H the total depth from streambed to road surface including height of cover The length of the culvert must also extend 03 m at both ends in addition to the calculated length This measurement is 0 6 m andis required that a length ot 0 3m 1 ft of culvert extend beyond the toe ofthe fil at both the upstream and downstream ends Important note When sloped end sections or flared end sections are used the apron must also be included in the overall length af the culvert 1 Where the road mests the stream at a right a
48. e boulders should be placed inthe pool ina triangle pattern refer to figure 5 11 in order to further dissipate energy and provide fish habitat For culverts equal to or less than 15 m the diameter of the boulders should be approximately 075 m For culverts greater than 15 m the boulder diameter should be approximately 1m Na fiker fabrie to be used in the construction of the pool danis The average depth of the pool must be a minimum of m The width at the bottom of the dissipation pool ista be 2 times the culvert diameter 0 or 2 times the box width W Thelengih at the bottom of the dissipation pool isto be 3 times D or W At the downstream end of the dissipation pool at 3D W the slape up to the existing elevation of the natural stream is to be constructed at no more than 1 2 verticalihorizontal This area of the pool is to have rip rap scour protection to withstand a 1 100 year flood event See figure 5 10and 5 12 Figure 5 10 Energy Dissipation Pool Dimensions a Be XS E seio dr ie Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Ses z015 Figure 5 11 Energy dissipation pool for non affied cuert Notes Anappropriate amountof fine granular material gravel borrow or pit run material 20 fines does not include clays should be mixed with the rack mixture to ensure that the interstitial spaces are filed so that water is not lost When completed properly and to ensure
49. e shallow water areas of watercourses called littoral zones where light penetrates to the bottom of the water body are often highly productive for aquatic ife Through complex food chains virally all aquatic organisms are dependent upon these rocky sity or sandy bottomed areas during at least one stage oftheir ite cycle The penetration of ight allows plant organisms to grow creating part of the essential interconnections between living organisms and their habitat For example these areas are ideal for spawning and nursery areas for many fish species with ideal hiding areas and sources of food danis Disturbance of this area and of the riparian zone can impact waterfow nesting areas and habitat for some amphibians aquatic insects and reptiles 26 OTHER IMPACTS Improperly designed and installed structures such as bridges or culverts which are incapable of passing high water flows can cause flooding and result in property and watercourse damage downstream Improperly constructed or designed structures could fail resulting in flooding property damage or even loss of life Alterations may also cause substantial changes in the availabilty of water suitable for domestic and industrial consumption as well as for a number of other uses including agriculture forestry fishing mineral development tourism outdoor recreation and power production 27 METHOD OF DEFENSE Detrimental effects can occur as a result of short term or co
50. e similar to bridges For example their dimensions allow them to be used in areas where fil is limited as they require little backfill excavation Material made from metal plastic and concrete Material Made from wood or concrete Disadvantages Advantages Reduces the cross sectional area Maintain natural channel width potentially increasing water velocity This Baffles can be easily installed to provide may disrupt fish migration undermine the fish passage inlet or scour the streambed at the oui Disadvantages May be susceptible to ice or debris The wide flat bottom may result in blockage obstructing fish migration and reduced water potentially limiting fish flooding upstream areas passage More susceptible to beaver damming especially iit is a baffled culvert Pipe Arch Culvert Difficult to install properly in order to maintain ish passage Concrete and plastic culverts have a much greater velocity potential due to their smoothness and have more potential to resultin barriers to fish passage Maintenance costs are high debris removal etc Pipe arch cueris are dosed bottom structures PERE embedded into the substrate Choose your watercourse coming srucure tarefuly Any structure unsuited to the ste Material Made from metal or concrete Advantages or improperly installed can havea significant Maintains the same slope and allow for environment impact on aquatic habitat and retention of bo
51. e using L5 ratio for HW D PIPE CULVERTS CONTROT STRUCTURAL PLATE T TTT iii BAAB AAA biitin hiill ie telo STANDARD CORRUGATED steu 1h iE E F aE ape EB Ib en E L H bDoeq F ib RN S Q 135 m e dads E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 1 Calculate the design flow discharge Q 2 On the headvater depth to diameter column 0 locate and mark appropriate HW D Itis recommended touse 1 1 HW D ratio or 1 on the nomograph column A15 ratio could be used to determine the culvert size but there is greater chance of flooding and wash out of the cuert See textbox 3 On the discharge column Q locate and mark the design flow 4 Connect the two marked points and extend to the diameter of culvert column D 5 Where the culvert diameter falls between two sizes always use the larger one Is 1 51 ratio is used to determine culvert size it is recommended that a site specific design flow for 1 100 year storm event be determined as opposed to using the coefficients for permanent structures foundin Appendix C Also aratioof 1 5 should oniy be used when specifie site conditions are appropriate Site specifie conditions include type and depth of road fil material depth of fil over culvert Velocity af water flow during storm event and impact offloading ete The maximum a
52. earing mom watercourse derived and non toxic to aquatic ife Erosion and sedimentation control methods must be used to ensure silt or other harmful materials or substances are not discharged into any watercourse 73 TEMPORARY BRIDGE REMOVAL When the temporary structure is no longer needed the deck of the structure and approach materiale must be removed from around the watercourse such that the riparian area closely resembles its pre construction cross section and all exposed erodible soil stabilized against erosion either by ip apping hydroseeding or seeding by conventional means and blanketing with straw hay mulch Clean off the bridge surface and dispose of materialin an area where it wil not migrate back to the watercourse Completely remove the deck of the crossing structure and all constuction materials from the crossing location except the sil logs or abutment material Sil Logs and any other abutment material shall remain undisturbed during and after removal The removal of abutments and sil will cause more damage than leaving them embedded Stabilize the approaches and the banks immediately upon removal with rock hydro seeding or hay muleh Use sediment and erosion control measures on the approaches a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 8 EROSION PROTECTION CALCULATING RIP RAP SIZE Erosion protection materials must be installed below the thalweg of a wat
53. ed Watercourse profile diagram for pipe culverts amd other closed bottom structures that includes Location af inlet and outlet of structures Elevations of inverts of the inlet and outlet Site location dimensions of the energy dissipation pool EDP Elevation and location ofthe downstream control showing the downstream control as a natural riffle that is not to be disturbed Showing the natural streambed between the EDP and the natural downstream contro riffle being undisturbed and Location of survey benchmark Diagram showing dimensions and location ofan open bottom structure Type and size of erosion protection at inlet and outlet of structure headwall or rip rap wingwalis or rip rap Sire of EDP and size of rip rap for the pool including the material to be used for scour protection to withstand 1 100 year food event in the downstream end of the pool the area from the bottom of the outlet of the pool danas up to the natural streambed Recommended type of water contral offer dam diversion dam and pump and dimensions The type of water control may be determined with the certified watercourse alteration installer 1 73 Failure to Comply Failure to comply with requirements in the Environment Act the Activities Designation Regulations the Approval and Notification Procedure Regulations the Nova Scotia Watercourse Akerations Standard and other regulated requi
54. eel or wood that is rot resistant The area excavated for placement of an abutment shall be backed up to the elevation fof the bottom of the watercourse bed with Uunshrinkable fil which must be installed in compacted lifts of not more than 0 3m at a time The facer and ends of abutments must be protected from erosion and scour Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois Erosion protection materials must not encroach upon a watercourse bed beyond the thickness af he largest material required for erosion protection Infiling of a watercourse must not occur except for the placement of erosion protection materials as noted above Erosion protection material must be placed ona watercourse bank at a maximum 2 horizontal to 1 vertical slope unless headwalls wingwalls are used ip rap must be sized to withstand 1 100 year flowsin the watercourse see Table in Section 8 Erosion protection materials must be installed below the thalweg ofa watercourse sized based fon the calculated velocity of the stream see able in Section 8 0 and installed to minimum thickness of 1 5 times the maximum stone size All instream work shall be carried out in isolation ofthe streamflow in the dry by dam and pump procedure or by temporary diversion The rise height of a bridge must provide Sufficient clearance for ice flows debris and navigation in identified navigable waters in compliance with the Navi
55. ercourse sized based on the calculated velocity of the stream see Table 8 1 and installed to minimum thickness of 15 times the Table 8 1 Riprap Sizing Test 1 100 year flow velocity up to and including 3 m per second ast p 1 100 year flow velocity greater than 3 m per second and up to 4 m per second Cual p 1 100 year flow velocity above and including m per second case At least 70 ofthe rip rap must be between 0 3 m and 0 45 m At least 70 of the rip rap must be between 0 3 m and 0 75m At least 70 of the riprap must be between 05m and 1 2m 34 Determining Water Velocity In order to determine the size and quantity of material required to do bank stabilization with rip Tap or the strength of materials required to build a retaining wall the velocity of the water must be determined The watershed drainage area must be delineated above the point where the stabilization is to take place Design Flow is calculated using the drainage area as follows A Drainage area Q Design Flow or discharge see Example 8 1 dads cross sectional area of a watercourse Cross sectional ares a is calculated from the measurement ofthe width ofthe channel span and the depth of the channel rise See figure 8 2 EXAMPLES Calculating Design Flow What is the design flow Q for a drainage area A equaling 312 ha as determined in figure 5 4 Convert to km 312 ha 100 3 12 k
56. erly embedded inta the streambed to promote the deposition of a layer of natural substrate and re establish the natural habitat Proper embedding of culverts requires that the culvert inlet invert elevation be set at the thalweg elevation of the existing watercourse The culvert outlet invert elevation must be set at a depth equal to 20 of the culvert diameter height up to a maximum of 0 4m below the downstream control thalweg elevation the first natural undisturbed rifle downstream The downstream control is not to be tered A culvert must also have an energy dissipation pool at its outlet Figure 5 9 Culvert installation in watercourse with a slape equal to or less than 0 5 Culvert outlet invert elevation 400mm max below downstream iro riffle elevation 5 52 Culvert installation in watercourses with a slope greater than 0 5 Closed bottom culverts installed in watercourses with a gradient exceeding 0 5 require engineering and must adhere to the Guidelines forthe design of fish passage for culverts in Nova Scotia Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region as updated from time to time The guideline can be found at B g jwwaw dio ca Library 353873 pdf These structures can be installed under a Noticaton but require an engineer to design them Janas vert inlet invert elevation equal upsiroam control risting streambed thalweg The engineering requirement for fish passa
57. es of Nova Scotia s natural landscapes biological diversity and wilderness recreation opportunities Canadian Heritage Rivers Canadian Heritage Rivers recognize and promote the of the best examples of Canada s river heritage For more information on protected areas please Visit the protected areas website at http w novascatiaca nse protectedareas 20 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois inking Water Supply Areas Be aware that many Nova Scotian rely on surface water resources for potable water agricultural practices and commercial and industrial use Watercourse alteration projects must take this into consideration and ensure water flow and water quality is maintained so that other users are not affected f you are planning any activity within one of these water supply areas you should contact the municipality that oversees the protection of the watershed In Nova Scotia 25 Protected Water Areas designated in Provincial regulations provide drinking water to communities More requirements may need to be followed as prescribed in the regulations Protected water supply areas designated in provincial regulations are listed below and provide drinking water to communities Please note this listis subject to change as Regulations come into effect orare cancelled See htp novascota ca just regulations naz htmieny for the Regulations in effect The Regulations place restrictions on land and
58. esigned to collect suspended sediment and separate suspended particles from water by gravity setting Si Fence Specially designed synthetic fabrics fastened on supporting posts which are designed to efficiently contro and trap sediment runoff from Span The horizontal distance between the abutments or supports cf a bridge Janas Spring Any place where a concentrated natural discharge of groundwater issues forth as a definite flow onto the surface of the land or into a body of Stream A body of running water moving under the influence of gravity to lawer levels in a narrow clearly defined channel Stream or watercourse morphology Characteristics of a stream or watercourse Temporary Bridge A portable structure used for vehicular watercourse crossings that shall remain in place for a period of tme ie not permanent usualy not exceeding one summer season Thalweg The line joining the lowest points lengthwise of the bed or a watercourse defining its deepest channel Upstream Towards the sources of against the current of a watercourse Waterway Opening The cross sectional area under a bridge available for the passage of water Wetland Any lands commonly referred to as marshes swamps fens bogs and shallow water areas that are saturated with water lang enough ta promote wetland or aquatic processes which are indicated by poorly drained soil vegetation and various kinds of biological activity which are adap
59. ffort to reduce the impact of silt and fines on water quality affecting aquatic life and other users Water control measures are to be temporary to allow the work to proceed while minimizing impacts to the aquatic environment This can be done with the use of cofferdams temporary diversions and dam and pump around techniques 91 SIZING REQUIREMENT Cofferdams must be ofsufficient height and strength to hold back the bank full velocity of a 1 2 year rainfall event The design and construction of temporary diversions and dam and pump methods should also withstand 1 2 year return flow and velocity 9 2 COFFERDAMS When cfferdams are used to isolate the work area from flowing water see figure 9 1 1 Ae much of the channel as possible should remain open at all times to allow unrestricted water flow and fish passage At least one third danis ofthe cross sectional area of the channel must remain open at all times Cofferdams should be constructed of nan erodible material to prevent washout of the structure which may result in downstream deposition and station Cofferdams should be of sufficient height and strength to prevent overtopping or collapse asa result of sudden increases in water levels They must be constructed tightly to prevent or reduce the amount of seepage into the work Cofferdams should consist of sheet piling or a layer of 6 mil plastic sandwiched between an inner wall ofin situ earth fill and an outer wa
60. fish passage Water should flow over the rip rap and not completely disappear To avoid sedimentation of the watercourse downstream the newly constructed enerpy dads SECTION o dissipation pool should be washed thoroughly to dislodge any fine material The wash water should be pumped away from the watercourse to prevent sedimentation of the watercourse Once the wash water is running clean then the permanent watercourse can then be re directed through the culvert Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 57 MULTIPLE CULVERTS A single culvert crossing is preferred aver multiple culvert installations Whena single pipe culvert is not applicable than an open bottom crossing structure should be considered ss am alternative Multiple culverts sre not recommended for fish bearing streams because they are more likely to become blocked than a single large culvert Debris blocking multiple cuert installations can often lead to flooding and may compromise the structure integrity Fish passage is also problematic when multiple culverts become blocked In the rare instance that a multiple culvert installation is approved by Nova Scotia Environment the conditions would have to be shown such that the installation is the only engineering solution for alow cover situation for a wide channel or for a high outlet velocity situation The design would have to be approved by NS Environment and there is
61. formula procedure The maximum acceptable water velocity for open bottom cuerts of L8 m s must be used to ensure the culvert is large enough Design Flow Q a x Water Velocity v Drainage Area km Q 2 25 use the coefficient for geographic area Drainage Area ha Drainage Area km x 100 Locate the abutments at s minimum elevation equal to or below the thalweg of the stream as figure 61 The centre of the abutment should be located 1 m 3 i back rom the bank s Geriliion Manuafor Watercourse rations sos Figure 6 1 Open Bottom Arch Span Open Bottom Arch Span Room for Anti Seouring Stabilization o accordance wth np rap size requirements I po x anil vaain unshrnkabie ti or clay materal EXAMPLE 6 2 Calculating Drainage Area What isthe maximum drainage area that could be accommodated using the maximum accepted velocity and a structure with waterway opening of 418m Design Flow Qm3 s 418m x18mjs sims Drainage Area km 7 52 m s 225 Drainage Area ha 3 34 km x100 334ha The drainage area is 334 ha The culvert must be long enough to allow a stable Erosion protection material must be placed on a fereslope no steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical watercourse bank at a maximum 2 horizontal to 1 to be developed This area must be stabilized against vertical slope unless headwalls wingwalls are used erosion with rip rap or other non erodible material Which extends at
62. fthe watercourse Some of this information will be required on the notification form or the submissions with an application for approval The information will alsa be helpful when determining the best type of structure for this crossing Further information on selecting a structure is included n section 3 and of the manual Geotechnical information may be required at some locations For example for bridge abutments footings for open bottom structures danis or for boring or directional driling under a TIPS ON HOW TO IDENTIFI MERSURE WIDTH the width of the channel at the bank ful height Find the bank full height by observing the points of vegetation change on the banks of the watercourse where algae has been scoured from the boulders where sediment texture changes abruptly or where tree roots have been exposed Collect at least three to six bank ful width measurements along the channel where the proposed crossing structure isto be located Average the measurements to get the bank full width DEPTH The depth is the height of the watercourse channel from the stream bed to the bank full height The depth can be measured as follows The depth is measured from the bank full width height to the bed of the watercourse Measure the depth of the channel three to sik times along the channel The depth measurements should be averaged to et the watercourse channel depth at thel crossing location THA
63. g erosion and waehouts which could damage aquatic habitat and physical property endanger human life and prevent the utilization of upstream habitat Generally the types of crossing structures used in watercourse crossings include closed bottom culverts such as box culverts pipe arch culverts and circular pipe culverts and open bottom structures such as bridges bottomless arch structures and apen bottom box culverts danis Bridges and oper bottom culverts generally have less impact on aquatic habitat than closed bottom culverts and are the preferred method for providing access across a watercourse Open bottom Structures also tend to have fewer issues with blockages reducing maintenance efforts and failures Structures selected to maintain the natural bank and bed of a watercourse have the least impact 41 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTION OF WATERCOURSE CROSSING Te 411 Open Bottom Structures bridges and open bottom pipe arches Bridges are the preferred watercourse crossing type fram an environmental and fisheries standpoint for he folowing reasons Bridges retain the natural streambed Bridges help to maintain the cross sectional area of the channel therefore maintaining the natural flow regime Bridge crossings rarely provide a barrier to fish passage Bridge construction requires less instream activity therefore reduces the potential for environmental impacts Bridges and othe
64. g and scouring of the watercourse channel leading to impacts on ecosystems and on property Protecting our watercourses means Maintaining water quality Maintaining channel capacity and flow Maintaining stable banks and riparian vegetation Maintaining and promoting aquatic habitat danas Any alteration done at near or in a watercourse or tothe flow init can resultin a negative impact to the watercourse and its aquatic habitat Careful planning must be employed The following information describes potential negative impacts and their effect on the aquatic environment 21 EROSION Erosionisthe detachment of soil particles and loss of surface material from the earth s surface by the action of gravity ice water wind or as a result of other natural occurrences or man induced events During a watercourse alteration an increase in soil exposure may accelerate the rate of erosion if protective measures are not propery executed erosion dees occurat an alteration site itmay have the folowing impacts on Fish Fish Habitat Disruption of migration patterns due to large amounts of erodible material blocking upstream downstream reaches Reduction nthe food supply as a result af a loss of vegetation along the banks and adjacent areas Reduction in vegetated areas which give shelter to smali fish Destruction of rearing pools holding areas by sediment deposition Water Quality
65. gation Protection Act See Section 11 for materials used in structure in 64 BRIDGE SIZING A properly sized bridge should not impede fish Passage affect the water velocities or alter the aquatic habitat In situations where bridges are built tao small and the water flow becomes constricted water velocities may be increased resulting in streambed scour In addition increased velocities may result in the undermining of the abutments potentially causing the bridge to fail Use the following steps to determine the minimal accepted bridge size Janas Calculate the design flow Q m s Calculate the waterway opening a m Velocity Design Flow a Waterway Opening a Verify minimum bridge size using the maximum design velocity of 18 m s 64 1 Calculating the Design Flow Bridges must be designed with a hydraulic capacity large enough to pass a peak flow with a 100 year return period To meet this standard calculate the following parameters Drainage area is defined as the area of land draining to the point along the watercourse where the proposed crossing is to take place Design flow is defined as the discharge which a structure is designed to accommodate without exceeding the adopted design constraints Drainage area s determined as follows The fist step is to delineate the watercourse including all tributaries upstream of the proposed alteration site Using a topographic map mark the location of
66. ge in closed bottom culverts installed at slopes exceeding 05 can be avoided by choosing to install an open bottom structure such as pipe arches or a bridge In areas where the stream gradient is in excess of 0 5 installing an open bottom structure such as an arch culvert or a bridge may be the best option for maintaining natural watercourse morphology which is best for aquatic ife and fish passage In the case of an open bottom structure no energy disipation pool is required a Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sers 5 6 ENERGY DISSIPATION POOL Energy dissipation pools must be constructed at the outlet of all closed bottom culverts regardless of diameter The use of an energy dissipation pool at the outlet of a culvert serves two purposes to dissipate the extra energy of the water resulting from the culvert placement and to prevent brook destabilization resulting im a perched culvert outlet and to provide a resting area for migrating fish The energy dissipation pool should be sized to ensure stability of the pool during peak flood flows S61 Design The energy dissipation pool should be stabilized to prevent scour and erosion The size of rip rap stone in the dissipation pool must be sufficiently large to withstand velocities produced by the 1 100 year flood event A fitration layer of gravel Le Gravel Type 2 Should be placed under the rip rap to prevent Thre
67. he fields below SR SEER aeaea Warcsune me here is no watercourse name please provide the Tributary to the watercourse in the field below For help det Pepa leri s PT Tc Tong Van E Please check you have the correct Community to match your PID the correct community isnot provided the notification Wwil be considered incomplete You can find aut your community by checking the deed for your property If you ae unsure about the community or if you think your community has changed please contact the Land Registry Office You must provide the Easting and Northing fr your alteration You can find your Easting and Northing with a GPS Google Earth ar using 150 000 topographic map Please refer to attached document tiled UTM Universa Transverse Mercator Collection for more guidance on how ta find the Easting and Northing SECTION 4 ACTIVITY This section is mandatary Please check only one box ta indicate the type of watercourse alteration ou are doing Please also check to make sure your project scope falls within the limits of what is eligible for a notification Please check V activity that applies Please refer fo Aviles Designation Regulations to make sure the activity can be completed under a notfication otherwise an application for approval may be required Watercourse alterations work between June 1 and September 30 only LU Bank alteration restricted to 5 m or less
68. he watercourse is allowed to be altered to accommodate abutment and riprap installation The length of the span must be 15 m ar less fora bridge or 3600 mm or les for a structural plate arch or other open battom structure Abutments and footings for bridges or other oper botiom structures must be stone rock concrete steel or wood that is rot resistant danis The faces and ends of abutments must be protected from erosion and scour Construction or modification of a bridge that includes the application or removal of protective coatings must be carried out in accordance with the Guidelines for the Application and Removal of Structural Stee Protective Coatings ss published by the Department and updated fram Bridge decking must be enclosed such that it prevents debris soil or other contaminants from entering a watercourse A watercourse must not be permanently diverted to accommodate the construction or modification of a bridge or open bottom No part of a bridge or open bottom structure may permanently disturb the flow of the Bridge abutments must be placed outside the banktull width of the channel to avoid constriction of the matura flow of water and reduction of the channel cross section A bridge or other open bottom structure must be supported by abutments or footings that extend below the thalweg depth Abutments and footings for bridges or other oper bottom structures must be stone rock concrete st
69. her closed bottom structure a 331 Crentea watercourse profile diagram 33 2 Calculating Watercourse Slope 34 TIMING OF AN ALTERATION 35 SELECTING THE TYPE OF STRUCTURE 3 6 PLANNING WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS EXISTING CONSTRUCTION 37 MAINTENANCE 38 MODIFICATION 381 Replacement of Closed Bottom Structure with another Closed Bottom Structure 282 Replacement ofa Closed Bottom Structure with an Open Bottom Structure 383 Culvert Uning 39 THENExTSTEP 4 TYPES OF WATERCOURSE CROSSING STRUCTURES AND SELECTING STRUCTURES 41 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTION OF WATERCOURSE CROSSING TYPE 411 Open Bottom Structures bridges and open bottom pipe arches A12 Closed bottom structures box culverts pipe arch culvert ipe culverts S SIZING OF WATERCOURSE CROSSING STRUCTURES 51 CUMATE CHANGE 52 CULVERT SELECTION AND SIZING CLOSED BOTTOM 521 Requirements for culvert design and selection 53 STEPSTO LAYING QUT A CULVERT ON A WATERCOURSE S4 CULVERTSIZING 541 Calculating Diameter Parameters 542 Calculating Diameter Closed Bottom Culvert 543 Calculating Culvert Length 55 FISH PASSAGE S51 Culvert Installation in watercourses with a slope equal to or less than OS 552 Culvert Installation in watercourses with a slope greater than 0 5 56 _ ENERGY DISSIPATION POOL 561 Design Janas 2 2 E 26 E 28 28 29 29 30 30 30 2 2 a 2 EI EI 36 36 36 36 3 ao ao a 46 as r as E E Certification Manual for
70. ibilty to ensure omplance with the Acts ted in this table and any other applicable Acts ofthe Legislature of Nova Scotia andthe Parliament of Canada NS Environment Act 1995 Acties Designation Regulations Approvals and Notification Procedures Regulations Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard Environmental Emergency Regulations Environmental assessment Regulations Petroleum Management Regulations Sulphide Bearing Material Disposal Regulations Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act Nova Scots Wildife Habitat and Watercourse Protection Regulations Fsheres Species at Risk aet Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Canadian Environmental Protection Act Navigation Protection Act NS Department of Natural Resources NS Department of Natural Resources Fihways Sec 20 211 Fisheries Protection and Pollution Prevention Sec 35 36 37 38 Regulations Se General Prohibitions amp Protection of Crtical Habla see 32 35 55 Purpose secs Environmental Assessment of Projects Sec General Sec 14 15 16 17 Objectives Guidelines and Codes of Practice Sec Transport Canada danis Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 14 APPROVALS AND NOTIFICATIONS The Activities Designation Regulations prescribe the activities which require a notification those Watercourse alterations that require an approval and exemptions for submission requirements The document titled Changes to the
71. idges or temporary crossings portable bridges may be used In the watercourse alteration program the Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard the Nova Scotia Certification Manuals for Watercourse Alteration Sizers and Installers and the watercourse alteration guide have been developed to promote environmentally acceptable methods of structure design construction installaton stabilization and danis 2 Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 4 TYPES OF WATERCOURSE CROSSING STRUCTURES AND LECTING STRUCTURES Al watercourse crossings impact the environment to some degree Careful planning and design can minimize this impact A watercourse crossings should be selected and designed to to minimize any change of the flow in the watercourse and to preserve aquatic habitat and fish passage A good watercourse crossing which does not cause effects up and downstream is selected and designed retain natural stream morphology which means a consistent banicto bank width similar Substrate material consistent with surroundings maintain meander pattern and pool riffle sequence Any alteration to these features can cause unintended effects up and downstream retain water depth and water velocity comparable to conditions upstream and downstream Poorly selected and designed watercourse crossings can result im inadequate capacity leading to increased velocity or blockage followed by floodin
72. ing The channel size width and depth can be determined by averaging fve measurements upstream of the proposed site These measurements should be made in a reach of channel that was not altered as a result of the installation of the existing structure See section 323 for tips on how to identity measure channel width and depth Fish passage facilities are not required if the open bottom culvert meets the following design criteria together with the Construction guidelines below a maximum length of 25 metres thespan ofan open bottom culvert is no greater than 3600mm the new open bottom culvert is installed along the same alignment as the culvert it replaced a low flow thalweg channel is created to provide fish passage The new defined channel shall be ined and the banks stabilized with clean rock to provide stability during a 1 100 year storm The channel must be lined in a manner so water does not disappear into the interstitial spaces between the rods An appropriate amount of fine granular material gravel borrow or pit run material 20 fines does not include clays should be mixed with the rack mixture to ensure that the interstitial spaces are filed so that water is not lost When completed properly and to ensure fish passage the water should flow aver the rip rap and not completely disappear and To avoid sedimentation of the watercourse downstream the newly constructed channel should be
73. ints of Elevation Surrounding planimeter or dot grid must be calibrated for the Watercourse map scale eg 150 000 that you are using Design Flow i calculated using the drainage area as follows A Drainage Area Q Design Flow or discharge see Example 5 1 For the Province of Nova Scotia the coefficient used to determine design flow Q is based on the locaton of the crossing within the Province due to the variance in topography and precipitation intensity across the Province The coefficient to be used in the determination of the design flow can be found in Appendix C Figure 5 2 Topographic Map of Watercourse Crossing Site Identified Figure 5 4 Topographic Map Identifying Delineation of the Drainage Area Ex 312 ha Above Crossing Site The design flow coefficient for Halifax Hants and Guysborough Counties wil be used in the examples in this manual Ensure the proper coefficient is used for each structure danis Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers Watercourse specific coefficients may be substituted for those in Appendix C provided the data used is for the 1 in 100 year rainfall event not instantaneous gauged streamflow data This data as well as the source of the data must be provided with the application EXAMPLE S Calcuating Design Flow What is the design flow Q for a drainage area A equaling 312 ha as determined in figure 5 4 Converttokm
74. ion modification or maintenance of any part of a structure The use of wood treated with creosote is not permitted for use in any part of the structure Janas nor repair of any existing structures This includes decking and stringers The following wood materials can be used below the ordinary high water mark of a watercourse Untreated rot resistant timber such as hemlock tamarack juniper or cedar Pressure treated Alkaline Copper Quaternary ACO or Chromated Copper Arsenate CCA treated wood if treated in accordance with CAN CSA OBO SERIES Os R2012 and as described in the Wood Preservation Specification Guide Ottawa ON Wood Preservation Canada 2014 as updated from time ta http www woodpreservation ca indexphofen sp ciere guide Note itis recommended to avoid the use of wood pressure treated with chromated copper arsenate CCA Le wolmanized below the ordinary high water mark of watercourses Remember a rainfall event can happen at any time washing over construction materials and carrying toxic substances to nearby 11 3 ROCK MATERIAL Rock material used in a watercourse or next to a watercourse must be cean coarse granular aggregate material durable non ore bearing nan watercourse derived and non toxic to aquatic life Material must not be sulphide bearing aggregate In some cases there may be a requirement for a mixture of rock with a percentage affines 20 with no clay
75. ion of a watercourse or from the requirement to obtain an approval or provide notification as stipulated in the Activities Designation Regulations Following this manual places no liability for the design planning or construction of any watercourse alteration on the Minister and or Nova Scotia Environment Following this guide does not exempt a person from adhering to any legislation regulations bylaws and other requirements including regulations and requirements mentioned in the uide Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 13 REGULATIONS The following information describes the current regulations standards and the approval and notification process for Nova Scotia 134 Government Departments amp Agencies involved in watercourse alterations Nova Scotia Environment NSE Nova Scotia Environment NSE has been designated as the lead provincial agency to take such measures as are reasonable to promote sustainable management of water resources and to promote the health and integrity of aquatic ecosystems to protect habitats for animals and plants Environment Act clauses 104 a and d The Act further authorizes the making of regulations and standards to implement and enforce this mandate Nova Scotia Environment is responsible for the processing and issuing of all watercourse alteration approvals and notifications as stated in the Activities Designation Regulations under the Environment Act
76. is Failure to comply with regulated requirements may result in an investigation and possible prosecution a directive or order to complete mitigation or may result in suspension or cancellation of a certificate of qualification Regulated requirements include Environment Act Activities Designation Regulations Notification Approval and Procedure Regulations c Nava Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard E 13 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Abutment A wall or mass supporting the end of a bridge arch or span and sustaining the pressure of the abutting width Backfil Fl used to replace material removed during construction of a structure such as a bridge or culvert Buffer Zone A natural boundary of standing timber and or vegetation left between watercourses and road right of ways or harvest block boundaries Cofferdam A temporary water barrier constructed around an excavation to exclude water so that workin or adjacent to a watercourse can be carried putin the dry Design Flow The discharge which a structure is designed to accommodate without exceeding the adopted design constraints Discharge The low rate ofa fluid at a given point in time expressed as volume per unit of time such as cubic meters per second gallons per minute ete Drainage Area The area of and draining to the point along the watercourse where the proposed crossing isto take place Dyke An impervious bank of earth constructe
77. is necessary to determine the Rise R which is measured from the streambed to the underside ofthe vertical dimension of the arch culvert Span 5 which is measured as the horizontal distance between the footings or Waterway Opening a is the cross sectional area under an open bottom culvert or bridge available for passage of water Itis also known as the end area Te determine water velocity calculate Waterway Opening a Rx5 Flowvelocty v Design Flow a Waterway Openia The maximum acceptable flow velocity for open bottom culverts is 1 8 m sec 6 ft sec 1f the flow Janas velocity exceeds the acceptable limit the end area of the open bottom culvert must be increased TRAMPLE GA Calculating Arch Sting What isthe waterway opening required if the design flow is 698 m s and the maximum velocity is 18 m s Waterway opening a 6 98 m s 3 88 m my The manufacturer s available sizes will dictate the dimensions of the smallest arch that can be used based on the calculated waterway opening If an arch matching the calculated end area cannot be supplied the next larger size available must be used The specifications provide a listing of avaiable culvert sizes and corresponding waterway openings Standard open bottom culvert sizes available may be different for each manufacturing company Match culver sizes with the corresponding end area To calculate drainage area reverse the
78. isheries Protection Program Maritimes Region Attention Referrals Secretariat PO Box 1006 Dartmouth Nova Scotia BOY AA Phone 902 426 3909 ax 902 426 7174 E mail BeferlsMariimestAdlo mpo sca Janas a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 2o15 17 APPENDICES APPENDIX NOMOGRAPHS Corrugated Steel Circular Pipe showing the determination of a culvert size using 1 1 ratio for HW D Concrete Plastic Circular Pipe showing the determination of a culvert size using 1 1 ratio for HW D Corrugated Steel Pipe Arch showing the determination of a culvert size using 1 1 ratio for HW D APPENDIX conversion TABLES Standard CSP Pipes Page 11 5 Chart Page 11 5 APPENDIX C Desin Flow Formula Map for Nova Scoti for 1 100 Year Storm Event Permanent Structures Page 11 7 Design Flow Formula Map for Nova Sentia for 1 2 Year Storm Event Temporary Structures Page 11 6 APPENDIX D Notification Farm Guidance danis 2 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration zer APPENDIX A NOMOGRAPHS TEADWATER DEPTH FOR ROU PIPE CULVERTS W Crs D CSP amp SPCSP CONTROL i L vweanwaree dera in oiamerens cw Jo i Are NE Data are derived from nomographs provided by the Bureau of Public Roads Janas E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers HEADWATER DEPTH FOR CIRCULAR CONCRET
79. least 1 span width beyond both Rip rap must be sized to withstand 1 100 year flows sides of the arch and up to the shoulder af the readin the watercourse see table in Section 8 orat least one half the height of the arch above the structure whichever is less ants st Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 63 PERMANENT BRIDGE STRUCTURES REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTION AND DESIGN Apermanent bridge is defined as a structure erected to span a watercourse which supports a roadway or footpath for vehicle traffic or pedestrians Under Notification process any proposed bridge construction extends oniy to single span bridges Certification and or Notifications do not include the construction of multiple span bridges or bridges requiring instream supports Applications for these types of structures shall be submitted individually and subject to review by the appropriate government agences The following requirements apply to the design and construction of single span Bridges and ther open bottom structures must be designed with a hydraulic capacity large enough to ensure a maximum velocity of 18 m s during a 1 100 Year return period storm event Footings and abutments must be designed and installed such that the bed of the watercourse is not disturbed or altered Bridge decking must be enclosed such that it prevents debris soll or other contaminants from entering a watercourse The bank of t
80. letion of instream work ll materials must be removed from the watercourse Figure 9 3 Water Control Using Dam and Pump Janas Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers z015 Figure 9 4 Temporary Intake Screen danis E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 10 EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL A Nova Scotia Watercourse Alteration Sizer may be involved in the planning and selection of the most appropriate erosion and sedimentation control measures for the entire worksite not only as part of the watercourse alteration Soil is subject to natural weathering and erosion Natural or geologic erosion by water wind and ice has been occurring at a relatively slow rate since the Earth was formed Some shore and stream channel erosion is natural Natural erosion occurs slowly shaping the landscape century by century maintaining an environmental balance Any soil disturbance big or small and especially near water can cause major issues Therefore design principles should be used Construction activities and large earth moving projects accelerate erosion dramatically mainly by exposing large areas of oto rain and running water if this runoff is not properly treated the result is often serious siltation of nearby watercourses The consequences are degradation or destruction of fish and wildlife habitat and
81. ll of either rocks sandbags or a steel H beam attached to the bottom of a sheet of plywood Sheet metal or wood panel cofferdams are preferred to construction with till or pit run material as they can provide a tighter structure and do not create problems of siltation and erosion Sandbags filed with peastone are also preferred as they can be removed easi No excavation may be carried out inside the cofferdam or sediment fitering curtain until the cofferdam curtain is completely closed Water pumped from inside the cofferdam should be pumped into a settling pond behind a sit filtering medium or onto an adjacent vegetated ares sufficient im size to fiter any water returning to the watercourse such that the concentration of suspended solids in the watercourse does not increase mare than 25 me ltre above background levels The coferdsm material must be completely removed immediately upon completion of all work in the wetted portion of the watercourse and the watercourse substrate shall be restored to closely resemble pre installation grades and profiles Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sss 9 Ifpier s are constructed inthe wetted portion of the watercourse where itis not possible to build a cofferdam a floating sediment barrier anchored to the bottom with a medium that Figure 9 1 Water Control using Cofferdam readily conforms to the substrate profile should be placed around the work area
82. llowable drainage area for standard culvert sizes can also be calculated using a momograph Janas Headwater Depth Itis recommended the headwater depth to culvert diameter ratio should be 1 1 for pipe arches and circular pipe culverts to lower the risk of flooding and the wash out of culverts This is recommended for several reasons impacts of climate change include increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events resulting in increased peak flows Using a 1 1 ratio decreases the risk of wash out and flooding under peak flows o Washouts and scour result in the deposition af sediment in the watercourse impacting the aquatic ecosystem as well as possibly diminishing the hydraulic capacity of the watercourse channel Diminished hydraulic capacity of the channel can resultin scour and flooding Flooding upstream of the crossings will be less during peak flows because the culvert is sized to accommodate greater flows at a lesser depth Depending on the location flooding tan cause damage to property and infrastructure By avoiding flooding and washouts the tost af maintenance repair and structure replacement are greatly reduced NOTE The maximum allowable drainage area for culverts installed under Notification is 20 m as Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers Drawastraight line from the diameter of culvert column D to the 10 standard increment on th
83. m Design Flow Qm s 1 25 x 3 12 km 39m s The Design Flow is 3 9 m s a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois Water velocity Water velocity is calculated using the design low and the waterway opening See Example 8 2 Figure 8 1 Cross sectional area of watercourse Span EXAMPLE I CALCULATING WATER VELOCITY Whats the water velocity for a site with a calculated design flow of 3 9 m s The span measures 4 1 m and theriseis 1 5 m Waterway Opening m rise x span End Area a 1Smx m 6 15 m Water velocity v m s O a 39m s 615m 05 m s A water velocity of 0 63 m s requires 70 ofthe rip ap to be between 200 and 450 mm in size for rip rap erosion protection danis a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 9 WATER CONTROL MEASURES WHEN WORKING IN A WATERCOURSE A Nova Scotia Watercourse Alteration Sizer may be involved in the planning and selection of the most appropriate water control measures for the site conditions and type of crossing structure All workin a watercourse must be completed in isolation of water flow to avoid sedimentation of the watercourse Keeping the work area isolated from water flow also creates a work area where excavation and construction can be completed properly Construction activities within and immediately adjacent to the channel or a watercourse must be isolated from water flow in an e
84. m m sec 18 75 m sec The design flow for a 1500 ha area is 18 75 m sec Maximum Design Velocity is the maximum flow velocity a bridge or open bottom culvert can withstand and not reduce the life of the structure Maximum Design Velocity is the maximum flow velocity a bridge or open bottom culvert can withstand and not reduce the life of the structure The formula for calculating water velocity i Water velocity Design Flow a Waterway Opening a In Example 6 4 the calculations indicate that the Proposed bridge size is large enough to meet the hydraulic capacity required to pass a peak flow with 2 100 year return period This may not however be the minimum bridge size that should be used danis Rise R is measured from the bed of the watercourse to the underside of the stringers ofa bridge Span 5 is measured as the horizontal distance between the abutments Waterway Opening a is defined as the cross sectional area under an open bottom culvert ar bridge available for the passage of water The formula for calculating waterway opening is Waterway Opening a Rx 643 Verifying Bridge Size Does it meet the requirements The maximum acceptable design velocity passing under a bridge is 18 m sec 6 ft sec If the maximum velocity exceeds the acceptable limit the end area of the bridge must be increased EXAMPLE 6 4 CALCULATING WATER VELOCITY Whats the water velocity for a site
85. nas 3 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 54 CULVERT SIZING Proper culvert sting promotes fish passage and minimizes changes to the aquatic habitat and water flow An undersized culvert may result in complete washout of the culvert or increased water velocity Within the pipe creating a barrier to fish passage and causing scouring at the outlet An oversized culvert may result in a decreased water depth which may also act asa barrier to fish passage When sizing culverts it is necessary to first calculate bath the required diameter and length saa The two parameters required to calculate culvert Calculating Diameter Parameters diameter are Drainage area watershed is defined as the area of land draining to the point along the watercourse where the proposed crossing is to take place Design flow is defined as the discharge wien a designed to accommodate exceeding the without adopted design constraints Drainage area watershed is determined as follows The first step is to delineate the watercourse including all tributaries upstream of the proposed alteration ste Using topographic map mark the location of the proposed crossing site on the map with a circle see figure 5 2 Highlight the watercourse including all tributaries upstream of the location The contour lines will form a V where they cross the watercourse The V will point upstream danis Note Mappi
86. ned way to inform NSE you are carrying out a watercourse alteration activity Revised amended Notifications are used when 2 previous notification has been submitted and the notifier wishes to change the details of the activity beyond what was indicated on the original notification form Al revisions to a notification must stil be eligible for notification as is stated in the Activities Designation Regulations e Renewed Notifications are used when a previous notification has been submitted and the notifier wishes to continue the work beyond the time period specified on the notification receipt For watercourse alteration notifications the renewal will be granted for the next year s summer window between June 1 and September 30 No work outside of the summer window may take place under a notification Nova Scotia Environment must receive s complete notification a minimum of calendar days in advance ofthe proposed commencement f an activity NSE does not review your submission is complete and eligible according to the requirements in the Activities Designation Regulations a notification receipt will be issued to the notifier Ifthe notification is incomplete then an incomplete letter will be sent to the notifier You must receive a receipt from NSE indicating the department has received your completed notification before you can start work f the notification The person who completes the notification form is referred
87. ng software such as ArcGIS Map Info or other software can also be utilized to delineate drainage area The Mtas of Canada Toporama Find interactive topographie map at httn atias html The dynamic map viewer makes it easy to find your ste and its watershed area calstefengishftaporamalindex Other resources Wet Area Mapping http novascotia ca nat forestry gis wamdow nlosd ase Nova Scotia Topographic Database WMS httos www novascota ca gennova services n sido wmsasp Mark smali dots on the high points along both sides ofthe watercourse see figure 5 3 The high points are inside every closed circular shaped contour iine Beginning at the proposed crossing site connect the dots around the watercourse moving in a clockwise fashion The line will not be straight the line should cross contours at right angles as much as possibile Delineation is complete when the area is enclosed see figure 5 4 Double check To make sure you have delineated the watershed properly especially small watersheds delineate the drainage areas of the watercourses next to the watercourse you are working with The boundaries of the watersheds should align with each other Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers Using a Planimeter or Dat Grid measure the outlined area on the map to determine the Figure 5 3 Topographic Map Identifying drainage area upstream of the crossing The High Po
88. ngle proper culvert length can be calculated using the following formula Mm weansosm Uh s Weaneztt Figure 5 7 Culvert Length Parameters acting Gaver Leng dud Recommended iengivcitaessn ___Fan Rec Has H E m AA A A A AE T9 Het waa m tants as Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sere In the evant that the roadway meets the add 10 to the culvert length for each 10 skew watercourse crossing at an angle it is necessary to from the perpendicular Example 52 Calculating Culvert Length What is the recommended length af a 1200 mm 48 in culvert if the roadway is 6 0 m 18 0 fe The depth of fl over the culvert is one half the culvert diameter Total Depth H 12m 0 6 m m s1am at Length um 60mea 8 05 samaan Where the road meets the culvert at a right angle the recommended length is 13 8 m 81 4 ft 5434 Culvert length when using headwall See figure 5 8 for the formula to use to calculate the culvert length when headwalls are to be used Figures ENS tants E Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 55 FISH PASSAGE To promote fish passage the following conditions should be met 55 1 Culvert Installation in watercourses with a slope equal to or less than 0 5 The invert of a closed bottom culvert must be prop
89. ngth must be equal to or exceed the width ofthe watercourse at the crosing site The span must not exceed 15 m in length As a minimum the abutments must be placed at the shoulder of the watercourse The bridge must not requie piers or other instream intermediate structural supports danis 65 FISH PASSAGE At all times during the construction period at least one third of the channel cross section must remain open to maintain fish passage 66 NEXT STEPS After the type of structure has been selected and the size of structure the following actions could be completed Return to the fied to layout and mark the site for installation at a minimum mark the location of the structure inlet and the outlet and the centre line of the abutment or footing Provide information to installer with instruction on how to follow the marked layout 6 7 TIMING OF INSTALLATION All instream activity including permanent bridge construction will be cared out from June 1st to September 30th of each year preferably under low low conditions The construction area should be kept to a minimum im an efont to prevent any unnecessary environmental problems Note Bridge abutment work and associated work below the ordinary high water mark OHWM must be completed by September 30 however work at the site may extend beyond September30so long asthe watercourse is able to flow freely and any work below the OHWM Pas been completed
90. nnecessary environmental problems s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Saers 6 ARCH CULVERT AND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION Open bottom culverts and bridges are the preferred structures for fish passage and aquatic life simply because the natural bottom of the stream is able to be maintained 61 REQUIREMENTS FOR OPEN BOTTOM CULVERT DESIGN AND SELECTION Bridges and other opens bottom structures must be designed with a hydraulic capacity large enough to ensure a maximum velocity of 1 8 m s during a 1 100 Year return period storm event A pipe arch or other open bottomed structure may be installed under a notification if the banks are altered and the bed is not disturbed The Sizer must account for this when selecting a width of the structure so the Installer is able to complete the required excavation to place the footings erosion protection and other materials without disturbing the bed of the watercourse A watercourse must not be permanently diverted to accommodate the construction or modification of a bridge or oper hottom The length of any structural plate arch installed must be 25 m or less Bolted corrugated steel sheet or structural plate arches used in the construction of bridges or other open bottom structures must meet the requirements of CSA 6401 14 Corrugated Steel Pipe Products Prefabricated structures shall be installed using machinery that can lift the components into place P
91. nstantaneous value of discharge over a specified period of time Pier On bridges of more than one span the intermediate supports between abutments a structure extending out into a body of water from shore used asa landing place for boats Piling A columbar timber steel or reinforced concrete post that has been driven or jacked into the round or bed of a watercourse to support a load or resist lateral pressure n Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers Pool A deep slow moving quiet portion of a Rie Shallow water extending across the bed of a flowing watercourse with rapid current and with surface flow broken into waves by submerged obstructions such as gravel and cobble Asection of watercourse in which the water flow is rapid and usually shallower than sections upstream or downstream Natural watercourses often consist of succession of pool and rifles or steps Rise The distance from the bed of the watercourse to the underside of the stringers af a bridge or the vertical dimension of an arched pipe Salmonid Of or relating to the salmonid family of fishes including salmon trout and char Sedimentation The deposition of fine particles such as sand silt and clay wh ch have been eroded from exposed soils and transported by water Seeps A place where ground water flows slowly to the surface and often forming a saturated soil area a small spring Settling Pond Artificial ponds d
92. ntinuous long term exposure to varying levels of erosion or sedimentation and other harmful substances The best method of defence is to ensure that all protective measures are planned before beginning work and propery utilized and adjusted if needed during the alteration The fist step of planning is to choose an appropriate work site 19 Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 3 PLANNING WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS Comprehensive planning is essential during the preconstruction phase of proposed roads and Watercourse crossings and for the maintenance and modification of existing watercourse crossings Environmental impacts such as erosion and sedimentation can be minimized through careful planning and design Careful planning and design wil prove to be cost effective to the construction and to the long term maintenance ofthe road system lease ensure all other approvals that are required are obtained For example for forestry operations all roads to be constructed on Crown Land require a pre approved road plan through the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Nova Scotia Protected Areas including Nature Reserves and Wilderness Areas Additional precaution may be needed for crossing sites in watersheds shared with protected areas See htp novascotia ca nse protectedareas All wetland areas including but not limited to those designated as Provincially Significant Protected water supply
93. ober 2016 Phones Cerficatont SE Alla ho folowing information musi be provided fora bridge or ether open bottomed structure oris nolicalon wil not be accepted The Watercourse Alteration Sizer course teaches how ta determine the information requested below Please refer to the certification training manual for guidance AI of the following information must be provided for this sectio Information about the watercourse Upstream Drainage Area i cannot exceed 20 km Watercourse Velocity ay Watercourse Channal Wid im Watercourse Channel Depth im Information about the construction check one New constuction Q Removal a Replacement d Expansion O or Reduction Check one and complete the information under the section checked CI Bridgerconcree spa Provide width of span __ m cannot exceed 15 m or T Pipe archopen bottom structure Provide width of structure Jer cannot exceed 3600 mm Prova enn o sies OESTE hee cede nen yu mit rt an appt or ser You must provide the name and phone number of the certified sizer or Profesional Engineer Also provide the certification qualification numberof the certified sizer or professional engineer Name of cried watercourse seat sizer ar profesional engineer Phone crteaton a Information for the certified installer will be required as of October 2016 Name of cred watercourse stration instaler required aher October 2016 Phone Ca
94. of metres north of the equator represented by the bottom horizontal grid line on a map is always shown in the lower left hand comer of the map Similarly the number of metres east of the zero vertical line represented by the left vertical grid line is also shown in the Tower left hand corner ra given point on a map is positioned exactly at the intersection of a vertical and horizontal line its location may be read off simply from the map margins Is full designation or its coordinates on the northern hemisphere can be unmistakably identified There is a similar reference in the southern hemisphere but confusion never results from this The civilian system of designating UTM Grid coordinates is straightforward and since it uses only numbers it can be handled by digital mapping sofware and Geographic Information Systems GIS an important consideration with would include the zone number followed by the cating and TE northing values On a 000 metre srid these Coordinates might tead Zone 14 387 000 5 476 000 The values of the ist vertical and horizontal lines appearing im we southwest comer of de map are given in full The EL ler grid lines are numbered in an abbreviated fashion Few points however are conveniently located at grid intersections Usually the point to be described such as the church in Figure 4 right is somewhere between lines In this case it
95. onstantly pumped around the ste unt the installation is completed I used in construction of a cofferdam shall consist of only clean sediment free materias 4 Cofferdams should be of sufficient height and strength to prevent overtopping or collapse as a result of sudden increases in water levels 5 _Establsha water pumping system to transfer the natural water flow directly downstream of the work site danis Upstream of the installation site locate the Intake pipe where stream elevation is lowest Movement of substrate material in the streambed to accommodate the placement of the intake pipe shall be done by hand 7 The use of the pump should be done so that it avoids the kiling of fish The pump must be screened to prevent the entrainment of fish fish is drawn into a water intake and the screen must be carefully monitored for impinged fish fish is held in contact with the intake screen The pump might need to be temporarily tarned off long enough to allow fish to free themselves fromimpingement on the screen See igure 9 4 for temporary screening 3 The discharge hose should be located in areas with stable streambed conditions Use material such as plywood sandbags or rack to stabilize the area where stable streambed conditions are not available Stabilization of the discharge area will prevent unnecessary scouring and erosion problems as a result of increased water volume and velocity Certification anual for
96. ourse Alteration Sizers 15 NOVA SCOTIA WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS STANDARD The NS Watercourse Alteration Standard contains the minimum requirements that apply to Watercourse alteration activities for which notification is required to be provided under the Activities Designation Regulations made under the Environment Act 1995 The Standard can be found on the Nova Scotia Environment website at http novascotia ca nse watercourse alteration docs Watercourse Alterations Standard pd Some or all of the requirements in this document may become conditions of an approval for a watercourse alteration 16 CERTIFICATION AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS The watercourse alteration program includes a number of requirements for the involvement in certified and or qualified professionals in the planning design and installation of watercourse alterations A centified Watercourse Alterations Sizer or a Professional Engineer is required to size structures under the folowing notification categories in the Activities Designation Regulations the construction or modification of a single culvert or other single closed bottom structure for the purpose of a road railbed trail or footpath crossing if the following conditions the length ofthe culvert is 25 m or less o the watercourse slope is less than or equal to 05 danas the watershed of the watercourse crossing does not exceed 20 km and the work begins on or af
97. ourse alteration activities for approval or notification is in the Activities Designation Regulations The approval and notification processes are regulated in the Approval and Notification Procedure Regulations pursuant to the Nova Scotia Environment Act 1995 In addition Watercourse alterations must comply with the Fisheries Protection and Pollution Prevention provisions of the Federal Fisheries Act and the General Prohibitions of the Species at Risk Act Fish Habitat is defined in the Fisheries Act as spawning rounds and any other areas including nursery rearing food supply and migration areas on which fsh depend directly or indirectly in order to carry out their ie processes Section 35 1 afthe Fisheries Act prohibits any person from carrying on any work undertaking or activity that results in serious harm to fsh that are part of a commercial recreational or Aboriginal fishery or to fish that support such a fishery Section 35 2 of the Fisheries Act provides exceptions to Section 35 1 where work may be carried out without contravening subsection 1 Section 36 of the Fisheries Act prohibits anyane from depositing a deleterious substance of any type in water frequented by ish Thissectionisadminstered by Environment Canada for most substances Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sers onl and Federal RAS and aoCaTed TOQiBURS or SECTORS BEGG Ta Te Watercourse Please note It is the applicants respons
98. owing organizations for their contribution to the Nova Scotia s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizes Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region for their collaboration knowledge and assistance in editing this manual New Brunswick Environment and Local Government for allowing the use of New Brunswick s Watercourse and Wetland Alteration Technical Guideline in the evelopment of educational materials for Nova Scotia The material contained within this manual is the property of Nova Scotia Environment The material contained within this manual is for the exclusive use of certified Nova Scotia Watercourse Alteration Installers wha have successfully completed the training course and is not far distribution As such copying of this materialis strictly prohibited without the expressed written consent of Nova Scotia Environment danis 5 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers oss 1 INTRODUCTION 1i OBlECUVE The objective c the watercourse alteration program isto promote environmental protection measures for activities potentially impacting watercourses in an effort to preserve watercourses and protect their aquatic habitats The purpose of the Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sites is to provide practical information that focuses on environmental protection These stages include but are not limited to planning sizing replacement
99. piry date of the existing approval Application for Approval Process Applications for approval are reviewed by NS Environment Complete applications wil be processed within 60 days Work cannot begin until an approval has been received All terms and conditions in the approval must be followed 3 Information accompanying the application hal include al items listed on the Submision Checklist for Watercourse Alterations Please refer tothe checklist b Information as to the location of any work in progress or work completed must be made readily available upon request to any Inspector of NS Environment and should be provided to any Inspector ofthe Department of Natural Resources or any Fisheries Officer of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans for auditing or inspection purposes The approval application will be reviewed by NS Environment Copies of the application and site locations will be forwarded to DFO forcomment d Approval for alterations within a designated watershed will require prior writen approval from the Municipality responsible forthe designated watershed a A single approval may be issued to the applicant containing the conditions required to ensure proper execution of the activity Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 142 Notifications Notifications are notices that work on a watercourse alteration activity is about to commence The process is a streamli
100. r open bottom structures are less susceptible to beaver damming Bridge crossing Location Considerations Generally bridges shouid be chosen over culverts in areas where any of the following situations are Encountered The channel is toa wide or water too deep to properly install a culvert a Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sos The watercourse slope is too steep to accommodate an acceptable culvert dope The stream banks are steep requiring a great deal af infiling to property installa culvert The streambed is soft and unable to support a cover The crossing site contains valuable fish habitat pools spawning rifles critical habitat The watercourse is subject to rapid runoff ice blockages or debris dams which may cause structural failure to a culvert and impede fish passage Beaver activity is of significant concern Beaver dams often block watercourse crossing structures potentially impeding fish passage and damaging roadways through flooding and Open bottom Bottomless Arch Culvert D Erosion sedimentation and fish passage are two of the environmental issues that must be addressed wihths ge of installation An open battom culvert avoids the requirement for fish passage facilities as long as it is installed such that the placement of the structure including the foundation and any ants associated excavation takes place from the banks of the watercourse l
101. refabricated structures should not be dragged across a watercourse into position danis There should be no voids between the footings ofa prefabricated open bottom culvert and the bedding material they are founded on Oper bottom arches must be assembled and backfilled in accordance with the manufacturer specifications unless site specific installation specifications are provided by a professional engineer licensed to practice under the Engineering Profession Act The footings should be embedded below the thalweg Geotechnical engineering assistance may be required to determine the bearing capacity of the soil No part of a bridge or open bottom structure may permanently disturb the flow of the Official Version of Regulations Refer to the most current and official version of the Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard posted on the Nova Scotia Environment website Also refer to the official versions of any legislation or regulation on the Nova Scotia Justice website such as Environment Act _ Activites Designation Regulations 2 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sere 62 OPEN BOTTOM CULVERTS SIZING Maximum Design Velocity which i the maximum flow velocity s bridge or open bottom culvert can Withstand and not reduce the life of the structure Todetermine water velocity the diameter of the structure is needed To calculate the diameter of an open bottom culvert it
102. rements may result in prosecution Failure to comply with regulated requirements may result in suspension or cancellation of the Certificate of Qualification Certification Manualfor Watercourse Alteration Saers ois 2 POSSIBLE IMPACTS OF WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS Nova Scotia has over 6 700 lakes 1000s of named rivers and many more that are unnamed and mumersus smaller watercourses Healthy communities and healthy aquatic ecosystems rely on the sustainable use of water resources and watercourse protection Sustainable use of water resources supports economic development recreational activities and the health and quality of life of Nova Scotians Any alteration at near or in a watercourse or is flow has the potential to damage the aquatic ecosystem The aquatic ecosystem is the interactive community of ving things plants animals microbes and their physical setting Damage can result from such things as erosion and scour sedimentation stream blockages degraded water quality and habitat loss Nova Scotia Environment requires Nova Scotians to take great care when working in and near watercourses The goal of having requirements and restrictions for watercourse alterations is to protect surface water resources and ensure sustainable use for all beneficial uses including drinking water supplies habitat for aquatic life and recreational agricultural and industrial uses Requirements are also in place to mitigate floodin
103. required to continue the werk Temporary bridges portable bridges may be installed year round and when construction is completed using techniques prescribed by Nove Scotia Enviranment then there is no submission required to install or remove a temporary crossing The bed and banks of a watercourse must not be disturbed and the crossing must be constructed in a manner that will prevent disturbing the watercourse andthe flow af the water during installation or use f the crossing The Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration installer provides further deta 3 5 SELECTING THE TYPE OF STRUCTURE Al crossings impact the environment to some degree careful planning and design can minimize his impact Bridges and open bottom structures are preferred over cosed bottom structures such as a Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers pipe culverts Bridges and open bottom culverts have less impact on aquatic habitat than culverts and are the preferred method for providing access across 3 watercourse Structures which maintain the natural bank and bed have the least impact AlI watercourse crossings should be designed to minimize any alteration of the flow im the watercourse to retain natural stream morphology and to preserve fish habitat and fish passage Poorly designed crossings can resultin inadequate capacity leading to increased velocity or blockage followed by flooding erosion and washouts which could damage aq
104. ring or erosion around ri rap or abutments Scouring of banks dssipation pool at culvert outlet and structure s ability to pass high water flows is there obvious signs of upstream flooding 1t some or all of these issues are observed then maintenance may not be appropriate and a replacement may be required 38 MODIFICATION Modification is defined as a change to a watercourse alteration including but not limited to the replacement removal expansion or reduction of the alteration The same careful planning is required when modifying a structure crossing or other alteration If the modification i such that is alters the capacity of the structure new sizing calculations are required to ensure that the new structure dimensions will be able to meet the 1 100 year storm flow ants I a replacement is occuring because the previous structure was deemed to be inadequate or fling to function properly then extra consideration must be given to how a new structure can remediate the watercourse An approval may be required in Situations where additional work is required to repair the watercourse up and downstream of the crossing location 3 1 Replacement of Closed Bottom Structure with another Closed Bottom Structure For a replacement culver sizing and application requirements will be the same as for a new culvert instalation The replacement culvert can be sized by 2 Certified Sizer and dane under notification if the
105. rttcatan n SECTION 6 DECLARATION This section is mandatory Please check one option that applies to your situation in the folowing statement You must check ane of the following boxes a own th ste T 1 have a lease or other writen agreement or option with the landowner or occupier hat enables me to carry ha activity on the siie or T have the legal right or ability to carry out the activity without the consent af the landowner or occupier gree that the information have provided in this Notification including personal information may be disclosed ta the partment ol Fisheries and Oceans I understand that must provide all information about the activity such as sketches plans and calculations requested by Nova Scotia Environment fora compliance audit I have read and understand the regulations and standard that applies to the activity o which the notification relates including the Nova Scotia Activites Designation Regulations and tha Nova Scotia Approval and Notification Procedures Regulations verity that wal carry out the activity in compliance with the Environment Act and the appicable regulations and standard Tagree wih al or the declaration statements You must sign and date the Tarm Scanned signatures Wil be accepted Notiier s signature Date yyyimm ds Nora Sea sinunt Mosteaton Deere ctor UTM Universal Transverse Mercator Collection UTM Acronym for
106. s when constructing an energy dissipation pool for culvert installations or a new watercourse channel This rock mature is to be washed thoroughly prior to releasing the watercourse into n Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers the energy dissipation pool or channel See Section 38 new channel and 5 6 energy dissipation pool Bock must not be sulphide bearing aggregate Some rock commonly refered to as slate or shale can be sulphide bearing and can be acid generating if disturbed and exposed to air and water Slate and shale rock can be tested to determine its acid producing potentia Tn subsection 36 3 of the federal Fisheries Act itis an offence to deposit or permit the deposit of a deleterious substance of any type in water frequented by fish or in any place under any conditions where the deleterious substance of any other deleterious substance that results from the depasit of the deleterious substance may enter any such water WHY RISK Follow the requirements tor the drying and curing time of pressure treated wood and concrete to reduce the potential for serious water quality problems Remember a rainfall event can happen at any time washing over construction materials and carrying toxic substances te nearby watercourses Janas n Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 12 AUDITING All watercourse alterations are subject to audit at
107. se flow When considering watercourse crossings it is important to design the alteration with climate change in mind Future imate conditions can have a significant impact on the function maintenance and longevity of the crossing structure and can cause serious impacts elsewhere along the watercourse and floodplain if mot designed properly The coefficients used im Janas Appendix C to determine design flow in this manual should be considered conservative in that they may not completely represent the flows currentiy being experienced under our changed climate 52 CULVERT SELECTION AND SIZING CLOSED BOTTOM The instalation of any watercourse crossing should have minimal impact on the flow ofthe watercourse maintain natural stream morphology preserve fish habitat and provide fish passage 524 Requirements for culvert design and selection It is important to understand a number of terms related to the characteristics of a watercourse and related to the components of a crossing structure These terms may be defined im the Activities Designation Regulations the Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard and im the slossaryof this manual Certified Sizes are not eligible to complete sizing for closed bottom culverts installed im watercourses with slope exceeding 0 5 The process for closed bottom culverts installed in watercourses with gradients exceeding 0 5 up to 8 0 gradients requires that a Professional
108. sedimentation Provides natural filtration vegetation and root systems act to filter out pollutants such as pesticides bacteria fertilizers heavy metals sediment and hydrocarbons danas Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 25 ALTERATION OF BANK AND BED OF WATERCOURSE The alteration of the bank or bed of a watercourse con directly impact habitat for aquatic life Altering stream channels or altering water flow will also ect flow dynamics and change the streams morphology and can create unstable channel conditions leading to erosion meandering and increased potential for flooding and bed material transport Flow velocity can be decreased in some areas of the channel and increased in others These changes can result in severe scouring of banks and changes to Pools and shallow areas in the watercourse In some cases the impact is deposition of material This deposit of sediment can impact important aquatic habitat downstream and can also impact property owners f flooding occurs These changes can impact both large and small watercourses which al contribute to productive aquatic ecosystems Those changes will affect aquatic habitat in the immediate ares but can also have an impact upstream and downstream of the alteration ste Changes to the flow dynamic and the features of the watercourse may also result in property damage adjacent to the watercourse 254 Littoral Zone of Watercourse Th
109. ssings University of New Brunswick Workshop Proceedings Maintaining Water Quality in Woodlands Operations August 1999 Atlantic Branch of the Canadian Woodlands Forum Fisheries and Oceans Canada 1985 Technical Advice for Temporary Fish Screens Fisheries and Oceans Canada 1994 Technical Advice for Fish Screens Fisheries and Oceans Canada 1999 Fact Sheets Prepared by Habitat http www nwafe nf ca seatane References factsheet index htm Government of Canada Fisheries Act RS C 1985 CF 14 Government of Canada Species at Risk Act S C 2002 28 Government of British Columbia October 1996 Forest Practices Cade Community Watershed Janas 7 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers Guidebook http www for gov be ca TASB LEGSREGS FPC FPCGUIDE WATRSHED watertoc htm Government of British Columbia August 1995 Forest Practices Code Forest Road Engineering Guidebook http www for gov be ca tasb legs regs fpe fpeguide road FRE TOC htm Government of British Columbia A Working Draft for 1997 1998 Forest Practices Code Stream Crossing Guidebook for Fish Streams httpi www for gov be ca tasb legsregs fpc fpeguide stream st342Dtoc htm Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment May 1986 Chapter 3 Environmental Guidelines for Watercourse Crossings Water Resources Division Water Investigations Branch Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environmen
110. t Bottom of pol Top of to Example 3 is a calculation of slope for a proposed culvert installation Before determining the slope of the watercourse the watershed size diameter and length of the structure should be calculated see section 5 The diameter ofthe culvert wil be used to determine the size ofthe energy dissipation pool The downstream control will be the elevation of the thahveg of the first natural undisturbed riffle located downstream of the energy dissipation pool This downstream control should nat be altered If he first downstream control ifle step falls within the location of the proposed energy dissipation pool then the design must use the next downstream rifl step in the design and calculations danis EXAMPLE S 1 Calculating Watercourse Slope The watercourse slope is calculated as follows A 8 L 100 Where A 100 35m the elevation of the thalweg at the proposed culvert inlet location B 100 2m the elevation of the thalweg of the natural undisturbed rfe downstream of the culvert and the energy dissipation pool L ssm Therefore 100 35m 100 2ml sSm 100 027 In this example the watercourse slope is calculated to equal a 0 27 gradient Slope is an important watercourse feature Slope is fone of the primary controls on water velocity in a watercourse Slope needs to be measured properly to ensure that the appropriate crossing structure is used 1 the slope as determine
111. t and Lands January 1989 Chapter 4 Environmental Guidelines for Bridges Water Resources Division Water Investigations Branch Harland LA and D H Waller 1996 Planning for Erosion and Sediment Control Centre for Water Resources Studies CWRS Internal Report No 96 2 1D Irving Limited Personal Communication Mike Boyd Maine Department of Environmental Protection March 1991 Maine Erasion and Sediment Control Handbook for Construction Best Management Practices Mead New England Forest Resources Group Best Management Practices for Erosion Control amp Water Quality Protection in Northern New England Forestry Operations Mead Paper Division Maine New Brunswick Department of the Environment and Local Government January 2012 Watercourse and Wetland Alteration Technical Guidelines New Brunswick Department of Justice and Consumer Affairs Acts and Regulations http www gnb ca 0062 acts index e asp New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Department of Environment and Local Government December 2001 Proposed Provincial Wetlands Conservation Policy New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy May 1994 Forest Management Monuol for Crown Lands New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy July 2000 Nuisance Wildlife Policy Appendix B danis n Certification anual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Forest E
112. ted to a wet environment and includes fresh and saltwater marshes Wingwall A lateral wall built onto an abutment serving to retain earth in the embankment 7 Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 14 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Adamson B and A Harris 1992 Sediment Control Plans Reducing Sediment Concerns at Water Crossings Northwestern Ontario Forest Technology Development Unit Tech Note TN 20 Amand A and A L Stone 1981 Method for the Comparative Evaluation of Nontidal Wetlands in New Hampshire Appendix E Interpretation of Topographic Maps and Watershed Delineation Procedures New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Concord NH Atlantic Industries Limited Sales Pamphlets Corrugated Steel Pipe Bolt A Bin Bal A Plate Atlantic Industries Limited Personal Communication Roger Leger CET Maritime Sales Manager Blinn CR et al 1998 Temporary Stream and Wetland Crossing Options for Forest Management United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service North Central Research Station General Technical Report NC 202 Braithwaite GC P Eng 1992 Woodlot Roads Stream Crossings Cooperation for Forestry Development Nova Scotia Caracrst H and C Smith Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2015 Guidelines for the design of fish passage for culverts in Nova Scotia Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region Douglas Robert A Planning When Constructing Forest Roads and Stream Cro
113. tember 30 The headwater depth to culvert diameter rise ratio should be 10 10 for pipe arches and cireular pipe culverts to avoid flooding and wash ut of culverts A 15 ratio could be used to determine the culvert size but there s greater danis chance of flooding and wash out of the cuert see section 5 4 2 for further information an hescvrater depth Proper stabilization requires the placement of rip rap or headwalls and wingwalls at both ends ofa culvert to an elevation of at least one half of the culvert diameter height above the top af the pipe and a minimum of one cuert diameter height on each side of the culvert See section 2 0 for size of rip rap f p rap is used the foresiopes shall not be any steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical NOTE Closed bottom culverts may be designed to bE installed at greater than 0 5 slope The notification criteria require that the watercourse slope not exceed 0 5 but to accommodate a proper culvert instalation the culvert may require a steeper slope Official Version of Regulations Refer to the most current and official version of the Nova Scotia Watercourse Alterations Standard posted on the Nova Scotia Environment website eww novascotia ca nse watercou alteration Also refer to the official versions cf any legislation or regulation on the Nova Scotia Justice website such as Environment Act _ Activites Designation Regulations
114. ter June 1 and ends on or before September 30 Note a Professional Engineer may design culverts on watercourse slopes up to 8 under a notification provided they follow the Guidelines for the design of fish passage for culverts in Nova Scotia Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Protection Program Maritimes Region as updated from time to time and meet the other notification conditions above The Guideline for fish passage can be found at http www fo mpo gcca brary 353873 pdf the construction or modification of abridge or other oper bottom structure for the purpose of a road railbed trail or footpath crossing if the following conditions are met the bed of the watercourse is not altered the bank ofthe watercourse is altered the span is a maximum of 15 m for a bridge or 3600 mm for a structural plate arch or other open bottom structure anystructural piate archinstalledis 25 m long or less and work that alters the shore of the watercourse begins on or after June 1 and ends on or before September 30 Although not always required certified sizers may sometimes be involved in applications for approval Since sizers have some knowledge of watercourse hydraulics and importance of aquatic ecosystems A sizer may assist in the development of some of the accompanying documentation for an application for approval Asof October 2016 certified Watercourse Alteration Installers will be required to carry out
115. the notification is to amend the information provided for an activity that had previously been Submitted for notification I this is the case please indicate the previous notification number in the box that has If this is a renewed or amended notification please provide notification Note your previous notification wil be on the Notification Receipt you received SECTION 1 NOTIFIER This section is mandatory The notifier is the person who wil receive the notification receipt wih primary responsibly Please check ane of the boxes to ndeste wha you are Notifier Are you the owner of tna property where the activity wil take place 4 the person wih primary responsibilty for the designated activity such as a cera watercourse alteration sizer or installer 1 an agent or owner or the person Busts Naber BR piste a Please provide an email f you would lke your receipt sent by emal CTION 2 NOTIFICATION CONTACT Optional This is an optional section and only needs to be completed if ou wish someone other than he notifier to receive the official correspondence from NSE Taser Naber BN picti Fas Ea Please provide an email fan email has been provided forthe Note SECTION 3 SITE LOCATION OF ACTIVITY This section i mandatory Please provide all of the information about the location of the activity in t
116. ther types af development such as a stream that has been dredged or straightened itis stil a watercourse ifa channel has been diverted and the original channel is gone or dried up the existing channel isa watercourse nonetheless A watercourse does nat include non natural bodies of water A ditch for a highway forestry road and agricultural drainage ditch or ponds created by humans are not watercourses Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration ers sois 323 Information to gather during the field inspection Information about the selected watercourse crossing sites should be recorded and maintained this is applicable to new crossing sites or for existing sites where a crossing needs to be modified Location of crossing UTM coordinates northing and eating Photos of the crossing ste and photos of the watercourse upstream and downstream of the crossing ste An account of why the site was selected for new crossings or why a modification to an existing crossing is needed Features of watercourse at crossing site including bed material bank material and width amd depth of channel Diagrams of the watercourse in plan and profile view should be completed for new crossings gt W you anticipate installing a closed bottom culvert survey data of elevations in watercourse as per instruction in section 3 3 This information willbe used to develop a watercourse profile and to determine the slope o
117. tivity which are adapted to a wet environment and includes fresh and saltwater marshes The following definitions are included in the Activities Designation Regulations making them legally binding bank means that portion of a watercourse between the ordinary high water mark and the boundary of the watercourse in its fullest natural state but does not include any area of overflow onto a flood plain bed means that portion of a watercourse that is commonly submerged in water ordinary high water mark means the limit or edee of the bed af a body of water where the land has been covered by water so lang as to wrest it from vegetation or as to mark a distinct character on the vegetation where it extends into the water or on the sol tet A watercourse alteration is any temporary or permanent change madetoa watercourse orto water flow ina watercourse Amy change made to existing structures in a Watercourse including repairs modifications oF danis removal whether water flow nthe watercourse is tered or not Amy deposit or removal of sand gravel rock topsoil or other material Other constraints placed on projects through legislation are those relating to the design or construction or the carrying out of a watercourse alteration by specific causes in various Acts and Regulations of the Legislature of Nova Scotia and the Parlament of Canada see Table 1 1 133 Governing Acts and Regulatio The designating of waterc
118. truction materials on site For example the lime in concrete can create very alkaline conditions in a watercourse that is toxic to aquatic life Petroleum products for vehicles and equipment and preservatives in wood products are other examples of substances that can impact water uai 24 RIPARIAN ZONE To protect important natural ecosystems we need to protect more than just the watercourse itself Riparian zones are those areas of land immediately adjacent to watercourses including the banks of the Watercourse Riparian zones are ecologically diverse provide a buffer that protects the watercourse from impacts of agriculture forestry and development and reduces severity of flooding Some benefits of riparian zones include Figure 2 1 Importance of Riparian Zone to Aquatic Habitat Travel corridors for wildlife along the watercourse and provides access to watercourses for wildlife requiring bath terrestrial and aquatic habitat eg mammals such ss moose and mink Provide shade reducing water temperature Contribute insects and detritus such as leaf Iter into the watercourse which act as food sources far the fish Provides shelter Riparian vegetation in the form of tall grasses shrubs and trees protects tish from predators Provides natural erosion control The root system of vegetation contributes to bank stability and intercepts runoff which limits erosion and sedimentation protecting fish habitat from harmful effects c
119. ttom substrates the fisheries resource and can result in Useful in areas where road fil is mite Inereased maintenance and replatement Disadvantages Janas as Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers 5 SIZING OF WATERCOURSE CROSSING STRUCTURES A properly sized culvert shall have the capacity to accommodate the peak flow for a 100 year return period This means that there is a probabili of a peak flow event occurring once in every 100 years The following sections provide a method to determine the size of a crossing structure 54 CLIMATE CHANGE We are already feeling the impacts of climate change Everyone plays a role in helping our generation and future generations mitigate the impacts tothe climate system by not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions but alo by adapting to the changes in climate Some ofthe impacts we can expect to see in Nova Scotia include wetter summers coupled with warmer hotter drier summers increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events changes in precipitation patterns more flood more drought coastal and inland flooding sea level rise storm surges accelerated coastal erosion loss of sea ice ice caver and water availability constraints In particular for Nova Scotia climate change is leading to increased risk of flooding as extreme precipitation events become more frequent this risk is increased by erosion and sedimentation that affects the watercour
120. uatic habitat and physical property endanger human life and prevent the utilization of upstream habitat See further information in section 4 0 26 PLANNING WATERCOURSE ALTERATIONS EXISTING CONSTRUCTION Where there is already an existing structure an alteration to that structure may be considered to be ther modification ar maintenance The distinction is made by the type of work being proposed Depending on whether the work is maintenance or modification there are different regulatory requirements which must be met When approaching an existing structure for repair or replacement consideration should be made to the current condition of the watercourse amd the functionality of the crossing structure if the structure is not functioning properly Le causing a barrier to fish passage causing flooding dewatering the watercourse overfunderszed etr then replacing the structure with the same type of structure may not be appropriate or acceptable to Nova Scotia Environment The type of work proposed to an existing structure must ensure that anas the structure functions property so as to not impede water flow in the watercourse and must be able to pass fh 32 MAINTENANCE When approaching an existing structure for maintenance consideration must be given to the functionality ofthe structure Maintenance to a structure can be done at any time of the year without the need of obtaining an approval or notification receipt if
121. ulated by Nova Scotia Environment and are subject to a separate review process involving other government agencies 17A Eligible submissions fora Sizer As a certified sizer you are able to Size culverts and closed bottom structures that are eligible for notification Size bridges and open bottom structures that are eligible for notification gt Apply for approvals for projects that exceed the notification conditions provided you have the necessary expertise 172 Responsibilities of Certified Sizers It is a Certified Siers responsibility to be im compliance with all relevant acts and regulations standards approval or notification conditions and all requirements of the application process Nova Scotia Environment encourages Certified Watercourse Alteration Siers to promote their danas authorization to plan and size some watercourse trossings under a streamlined notification process and azo to promote their ability to plan crossing that follow best environmental practices The responsibilities of certified sizers include but are not limited to the following Know understand comply with all relevant acts regulations and standards and any guidelines and policies of NS Environment Ensure consideration of best practices for environmental protection for all watercourse alteration sites Plan watercourse crossing sites in accordance with training provided for qualifying Watercourse Alteration
122. ulch vegetation or ripiap and constructing check dams or similar devices in constructed swales and ditches 3 Al exposed soils must be covered with grass seed and mulch and all stockpiled soil should be covered with polyethylene or contain stockpiles with a sediment control fence or mulch the stockpile as a temporary solution 3 Exposed soils must be managed until all erodible soli are permanently re vegetated or stabilized with gectertie ar rock Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois 10 Sitladen water must not be pumped directly into a watercourse It must be pumped into a setting pond behind a silt filtering medium or onto an adjacent vegetated area sufficient in size to iter any water returning tothe watercourse such that the concentration af suspended solids in the watercourse does not increase more than 25 me lre above background levels Erosion and sediment control plans need to be veloped especially for large projets The plan should be guided by the folowing basic approach site evaluation erosin control planning danis incorporated into the work schedule sediment control and site management Te is essential to plan and place sediment control devices before the construction phase of a watercourse alteration begins in order to intercept and trap sediment before it reaches the watercourse These devices must remain in place until permanent vegetation has been established or the site
123. urses and wetlands does not disrupt these rare plants and animals and their habitat Refer to guidance at www speciestriskes to assist you with the identification of species and their habitats and heck with Regional Biologists at Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Also see novascotia ca natr wildlife biodiversity species istae Municipalities Some Municipalities have by laws plans or policy that restrict or guide activity within areas next to watercourses For example the Halifax Regional Municipality requires a buffer of vegetation be maintained next to watercourses the buffer zone is at least 20 metres wide 132 Defi The folowing definitions are included in Environment Act 1995 making them legally binding Awatercourse is the bed and shore of every river stream lake creek pond spring lagoon or other natural body of water and the water therein Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois within the jurisdiction of the province whether it contains water or not This also includes all groundwater Water Resource is all fresh and marine waters comprising all surface water groundwater and coastal water Wetland means any lands commonly referred to as marshes swamps fens bogs and shallow water areas that are saturated with water long enough to promote wetland or aquatic processes which are indicated by poorly drained soil vegetation and various kinds of biological ac
124. w inthe watercourse Janas Locate watercourse crossings within a straight section ofthe watercourse Road approaches should be stable with the minimum slope possible for a distance of 30 m 100 feet on either side of the watercourse crossing Whenever possible avoid crossing watercourses at locations where valuable fish habitat pools spawning rifles or habitat for endangered spaciesis present If these features are present move the crossing location upstream or downstream Location of the crossing should be a straight and relatively narrow section of the watercourse with no braiding or obstructions Crossing should be located ina section of the stream with zero or near zero gradient and a constant water velocity Avoid sections cf watercourse that have tidal influence Stream bottom should be stable with a rocky or hard non erodible bottom Stream banks should have stable slopes with stable sil rock conditions and abundant vegetation Stream flow must not be altered to facilitate s watercourse alteration Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration ers sois Janas TIPS ON IDENTIFYING WATERCOURSES See definitions of watercourse bank and bed in Section 1 2 2 Further guidance on identifying Wa watercourse is drawn on a National Topographic Series NTS map it is considered a watercourse by NS Environment fsiephotos less than 40 years old show evidence of a watercourse then it may bea
125. w riffle type waters gwing salmon and trout fewer opportunities to rest and gather energy in calm pools The velocity and discharge of water in a stream are also dependent on its gradient The steeper the terrain generally the faster water will flow A high water velocity combined with a steep stream may Figure 3 1 Ilustration of general culvert installation terms Janas prove to be very challenging or even impassable to a migrating fish Watercourse slope is defined as The vertical drop from the upstream control to the downstream contral divided by the length between these two points and is usually expressed in percentages or degrees See Fgure 3 1 Slope A B L 100 Where As is the upstream control thalweg elevation of the sting watercourse at the proposed culvert inlet located at the B is the downstream control located at the thalweg elevation at the first natural undisturbed riffle located at a distance of 3 times the culvert diameter width plus a minimum of 35 m downstream of the proposed cuvert outlet The downstream control is not to be altered Le isthe distance between A and B Note If the culvert has an apron the culvert outlet would be the downstream end of the apron Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers oss If there are no identifiable rifles downstream of the proposed culvert location orf the diameter and the length of the culvert has not been
126. water being less useful for fresh water supplies navigation and recrestion For more information refer to Nova Scotia Environment Erosion and Sedimentation Control Handbook for Construction Sites at http www novascotia ca nse surface water docs erosionsedimenteontralhandoook construction df TTSATACT The major cause of soil erosion and sedimentation in any project is caused by road construction not necessarily land clearing danis 10 1 DESIGN PRINCIPLES If basic principles for prevention of surface erosion and sedimentation are considered at the design Stages of the project potential problems will be minimized These principles are as follows 1 Limit the size of the disturbed area 2 Limit the time the disturbed area is exposed 3 Plan construction to coincide with the low flow period from June 1 to September 30 of any year 4 Retain existing vegetation wherever feasible Erosion is minimal on a surface covered with natural vegetation S Encourage permanent re vegetation of exposed areas and replant riparian areas above the bank full width of the watercourse to restore fish habitat whenever possible 6 Keep clean water clean by diverting upland surface runoff away from exposed areas Dykes and constructed swales may be used to divert runott 7 Keep the velocity of surface runoff low This can be accomplished by limiting the slope and gradient of disturbed areas covering erodible soils with m
127. water uses within the water supply areas If you are planning any activity within one of these areas ou should contact the municipality that oversees the protection of the water supply A map of the protected water areas may be found on the Nova Scotia Environment website at the link provided below http www novascotia ca nse water docs Protected Water Areas Map pdf Habitat for species at risk Species at risk are listed and afforded protection so itis criticalto ensure work im or near watercourses and wetlands does not disrupt these rare plants amd animals and their habitats Refer to guidance at www speciesatrisk cato assist you With the identification of species and their habitats and check with Regional Biologists at Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Aiso see https novascotia ca natr wildife biodiversit wspeciesst asp Any critical habitat identified for a wildlife species that is classified as endangered threatened or of special concern as part of a Recovery Strategy Action Plan or Janas Management Plan under the federal Species at Risk Act SARA See the Species at Risk Act Publi Registry at www sararegistry gcca Fora non exhaustive list of Aquatic Species at Risk found in Canadian waters see Brtpz fuunw fos mpo gc cafspecies sspeceslsting eng htm For more information contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada Species at Risk Coordination Office at http www dfo mpo gc ca species sspeces
128. xtensions Branch Environmental Guidelines Manual for Watercourse Alterations on Private Woodlots New Brunswick Department af Natural Resources and Energy Forest Extensions Branch Module 13 Private Woodlots and the Clean Water Act New Brunswick Department of Transportation August 1998 Environmental Feld Guide Now Brunswick Department of Transportation May 1998 Environmental Protection Plan for New Brunswick Department ef Transportation New Brunswick Department of Transportation Personal Communication Phil Hans Janas n Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Siers zo 16 CONTACTS Nova Scotia Environment Compliance Division Western Region Kings amp Annapois Counties Briagenater ofc Lunenburg amp Queens Counties Digby Yarmouth amp Shelburne Counties Central Region danis 50 Logan Road Sitges s Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration Sizers sois Northern Ragion Cumberland County Antigonish office Antigonish amp Guysborough Counties Colchester County Pictou County Eastern Region Port Hawkesbury oc Richmond co Town of Mulgrave Community af Ais Cove etre o tants ae 36 nas Pace 20 Pumphouse Road New Glasgow Nova Scotia Port Hawkesbury NS 1039 Upper Pince street sune 2 Eo Certification Manual for Watercourse Alteration zer Fisheries and Oceans Canada ur Nora Seria Tahere an Oceans Canada F

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