BACKGROUND
In 1998, the Ontario Government passed the Energy Competition Act in order to establish a competitive electricity market in Ontario.
At that time, most waterpower facilities had been operating for decades, with their operating regimes influenced over the years by a number of factors. The absence of a formal public planning framework or environmental assessment process when most of these facilities were initially built, often resulted in inconsistent or unclear trade-offs between environmental, social and economic interests. Concerns raised about the effects from the operation of those facilities were often addressed on a site by site basis.
In 2000, the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act (LRIA) was amended to establish the statutory authority of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to order the preparation of a water management plan for operation of waterpower facilities and associated control structures and ensure compliance with that plan. The intent of the Water Management Plan is to provide certainty and clarity as to how waterpower facilities and control structures are operated with respect to levels and flows so as to balance environmental, social and economic objectives. The Water Management Plan for the Matabitchuan River system is a complex plan that includes the numerous waterpower structures and facilities located along the river system that have influence on levels and flows. This plan is the result of a partnership between Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (OMNRF) who operate facilities along the Matabitchuan River system, as well as members of the public and First Nations who participated on committees to assist with the planning process.
The complete Matabitchuan River Water Management Plan is quite large. You can view or download sections here:
0.0a – Approval Statement
0.0b – Acknowledgements
0.0c – Executive Summary
0.0d – Resume Executif
0.1 – Table of Contents
1.0 – Introduction
2.0 – Physical and Biological Intro
2.1 – Physical and Biological Description
2.2 – Parks and Conservation Reserves
2.3a – Fish spp.xls Matabitchuan River
2.3b – Fisheries Habitat Requirements
2.4 – Temiskaming Species
3.1 – Socio-Economic Profiles – Matabitchuan
3.2 – FN Profiles
4.0 – Matabitchuan Facility Description
4.1 – Matabitchuan River Water Surface Profile
5.0 – Issues Intro
5.1 – 04-13-04 Matabitchuan Issue Paper R6
5.2 – First Nations Issues Document
6.0 – Key Gaps in Baseline Data and Information
7.1 – Options
7.2 – Options Chart with Preliminary Preferred
7.3 – Option Curves
7.3a – Net Creek – All Options Curve
7.3a – Net Creek – Preferred Curve
7.3b – North Milne Lake Dam – All Options Curve
7.3b – North Milne Lake Dam – Preferred Curve
7.3c – Rabbit Lake – All Options Curve
7.3c – Rabbit Lake – Preferred Curve
7.3d – Matabitchuan – All Options Curve
7.3d – Matabitchuan – Preferred Curve
7.4 – Preliminary Preferred Regimes & Rationale
8.1 – Evaluation Methods & Criteria
8.2 – Public Comments on Options – Matabitchuan
8.3 – Public Comments on Draft Plan – Matabitchuan
9.1 – Selected Options
9.2 – Selected Options
9.2.1 – Selected Options – Net Creek Dam
9.2.2 – Selected Options – North Milne Lake Dam
9.2.3 – Selected Options – Rabbit Lake Dam
9.2.4 – Selected Options – Matabitchuan GS
10.1 – Operating Plans
10.2 – Operating Plans Regimes
10.2a – Net Creek – Selected Curve
10.2b – North Milne Lake – Selected Curve
10.2c – Rabbit Lake – Selected Curve
10.2d – Matabitchuan – Selected Curve
11.0 – Effectiveness Monitoring Program – Matabitchuan River
12.0 – Compliance Monitoring Program – Matabitchuan River
12.2 – Compliance Curves
12.2a – Net Creek – Compliance Curve
12.2b – North Milne Lake – Compliance Curve
12.2c – Rabbit Lake – Compliance Curve
12.2d – Matabitchuan – Compliance Curve
13.0 – SAC terms of reference – Matabitchuan River
14.0 – Term of the Plan
15.0 – Summary
16.0 – Glossary of Terms
17.0 – List of Acronyms
18.0 – List of Figures
19.0 – Matabitchuan Bibliography
Appendix A – Terms of Reference – Matabitchuan River
Appendix B – Matabitchuan River Water Management – Public Consultation Program
Appendix C – PAC Terms of Reference
Appendix Da – Public Consultation Record
Appendix Db – Montreal & Matabitchuan Public Notice Ad
Appendix Dc – Montreal & Matabitchuan Scoping Sessions Ad
Appendix Dd – Montreal & Matabichuan Option Ad
Appendix De – Montreal & Matabitchuan Draft Plan Ad
Appendix E – First Nation Consultation Program
Appendix F – First Nation Record of Consultation
Appendix G – Committee Memberships
Appendix H – GANTT 2005-05-10
Appendix I – SAC Schedule
Appendix J – Intro
Appendix Ja – Matabitchuan Resource Use Map
Appendix Jb – Matabitchuan Land Use Map
Appendix Jc – Matabitchuan Resource Features Map
Appendix Ka – Matabitchuan Natural Flow Metrics
Appendix Kb – Matabitchuan Regulated Flow Metrics
Appendix L – Bathymetric Charts
Appendix La – Net Lake Bathymetric Chart – 1970
Appendix Lb – Rabbit Lake Bathymetric Chart – 1973
Appendix Lc – Cassels Lake (White Bear Lake) Bathymetric Chart – 1971
Appendix Ld – Fourbass Lake Bathymetric Chart – 1974
Appendix M – Temagami First Nation Water Management Plan