Guidelines for creating alluvial channels as part of mine closure

Mine operators in the oil sands region need to reconstruct stream and river channels to reestablish drainage networks as part of their closure activities. Research has focused primarily on creating sustainable vegetated watercourses since they form the majority of drainage works. However, larger watersheds cannot be protected by vegetation due to higher water velocities. The conventional approach for large watercourses is to design armoured channels but these require ongoing maintenance. Another approach is to use a geomorphic design, which is based on natural analogues specific to the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR). Using the geomorphic approach to design alluvial channels results in channels that are sustainable and have the ability to adjust their form in response to flow changes without resulting in catastrophic erosion or releases. This study aimed to characterize alluvial channels in the AOSR and to develop region-specific regime relationships and design guidelines for sustainable reconstructed alluvial channels requiring little to no maintenance.

The overarching goal of the project was to develop an Alluvial Channels Design Guideline, which can be used for mine closure design. This project produced the following two guideline documents: