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Adaptive management approach
The Elk Valley Water Quality Plan contains immediate actions to begin improving conditions, based on available science carefully reviewed by qualified professionals.
The Plan acknowledges the complexity of the watershed and an emerging understanding of the science. It proposes studies and monitoring on the mines and in the environment to understand these complexities and to support the testing of new approaches to limit impacts from mining.
Based on the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan, Permit 107517 includes detailed requirements for:
- Monitoring and assessment programs
- A defined process to act on results
- Research and development to find new and better ways to achieve the Plan’s goals
- Incorporation of knowledge from academics, stakeholders, government and the Ktunaxa
These components all support the approach described in Teck’s Adaptive Management Plan.
Teck’s current plan
The B.C. government is overseeing implementation of Teck’s Adaptive Management Plan
The Plan supports improvement of key aspects of the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan. Topics for improvement are defined in the Plan as key questions.
- Will the limits be met for selenium, nitrate, sulphate and cadmium?
- Will the aquatic ecosystem be protected by meeting the long-term limits?
- Are the current combinations of methods for controlling substances the most effective for meeting water quality limits?
- Is calcite being managed effectively to meet requirements and to protect the aquatic ecosystem?
- Does monitoring indicate that mine-related changes in aquatic ecosystem condition are consistent with expectations?
- Is human health being protected?
The Plan also describes a process to respond to unexpected findings, called the response framework.
Work conducted by Teck under the Adaptive Management Plan is reviewed by the Environmental Monitoring Committee.
