Big Bar landslide response information bulletin

May 22 2020

On this page

• Ongoing onsite operations
• Long-term planning
• Current images of work being done at the landslide site

Ongoing onsite operations

This week, preparations onsite continued for the arrival of the pneumatic fish pump system, known as the Whooshh Passage Portal™.

With anchors now installed and tested, crews started mounting the Whooshh™ transport pipe hangers. To secure the hangers along the undulating canyon wall, prime contractor Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit), has constructed a walkway with safety lines to allow access. The generators that will power the Whooshh™ system have also been successfully installed and tested.

In addition, crews have finalized work on the concrete fish ladder with the installation of a guardrail around the ladder’s perimeter. Kiewit has also installed a set of submersible water pumps that will supply the fish ladder and Whooshh™ system.

As part of ongoing safety work, Kiewit has installed additional rock fall mitigation mesh at multiple locations as well as a stabilization curtain along the west beach slope.

Finally, on May 13, Kiewit added an additional shift to advance work on the infrastructure required for summer operations.

Long-term planning

In January 2020, two technical working groups were established to support the development of mitigation and remediation plans for alternate fish passage and conservation-based enhancement at Big Bar. The groups include experts from three levels of government, stakeholders, non-profit organizations and academia.

This week, these groups met to consider strategies and options at a long-term planning session. The group will establish the criteria for a decision matrix that will guide future work during the 2021 winter construction season. The definitive goal is to ensure full, natural fish passage at the slide site.

Additional sessions are scheduled for the coming weeks to finalize options and develop a statement of work.

Current images of work being done at the landslide site