Alberta's regulatory process for coal mine reclamation
utilizes a cooperative approach. The value of this approach will
increase through the 1990s as demand for public participation
increases. The Alberta Government Development and Reclamation
Review Committee, the County of Parkland, and TransAlta Utilities
Corporation cooperated to ensure that a useful lake and surrounding
landscape would be constructed to replace two lakes that had to be
drained in advance of mining at the Whitewood Mine. The goal of
the reclamation process is to achieve sustainable development.
This ensures that present day use of resources does not compromise
future land use. The replacement lake occupies 18.5 hectares
within a reclaimed area of 126 hectares. The lake and adjacent
land will be exchanged with the Alberta Government for the land
under the two drained lakes, as well as an additional quarter
section of land required by TransAlta for future mining. The
overall exchange will be for equivalent land areas. Through
numerous meetings of the three principals, the lake site was
designated to have the potential for development as a put-and-take
fishery, wildlife habitat area, day-use recreation area, and
parkland area. Special features incorporated in the lake design
were a picnic area, campsite, boat launch and beach. The design
process was started in 1982, construction was carried out in
1987/88, and the area surrounding the lake was revegetated in
1988/89. Monitoring of lake development and revegetation is ongoing.Non UBCUnreviewedOthe