McElhanney and the Ledcor-Haisla Limited Partnership (LHLP) have won the 2020 Natural Resource and Habitat Award of Excellence from the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia (ACEC-BC), for their work on the LNG Canada offsite habitat offset at Anderson Creek fishway.
The project was created by a local team that used design elements to minimize the environmental impact of the LNG Canada construction and also satisfy the Fisheries Act Authorization(FAA) permit requirements.
The project is also one of the many environmental conditions required for federal approval to restore access for migrating pink and coho salmon to spawning grounds in Anderson Creek.
The design by McElhanney creates stable water flows through a series of box culvert steps, allowing the fish to navigate upstream which can accommodate up to 600 mating pairs annually.
“We’re very pleased that McElhanney Ltd. has been recognized by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia for its outstanding design work, with Ledcor-Haisla Limited Partnership, on the Anderson Creek Fishway,” says Denita McKnight, LNG Canada’s director of corporate affairs. “The fishway represents one of LNG Canada’s important commitments to protect the environment and habitat surrounding our project site in Kitimat. It has accommodated a transition for fish to new spawning habitat on Anderson Creek. We continue to assess its performance, making adjustments as we learn how seasonal changes impact the fishway.”
The passage had not been available to the fish for more than 65 years because of the construction of a concrete bridge apron that has since deteriorated into an impassable three-metre weir. Since the completion of the offsite habitat offset in June 2019, hundreds of salmon have been spotted upstream of the fishway.
The award for engineering excellence celebrates technical excellence and recognizes innovation in consulting engineering projects. Projects nominated are located in the Central Interior; Lower Mainland; Northern BC; Vancouver Island; Yukon; Alberta; Saskatchewan; and throughout the United States of America.
Additional team members that were part of the offset at Anderson Creek fishway are the independent check subconsultant, Northwest Hydraulics, and geotechnical subconsultant, Thurber.
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