Guidelines for Lake Development at Coal Mine Operations in Mountain Foothills of the Northern East Slopes

Coal mining is a temporary use of the land. Alberta provincial legislation requires that reclaimed
coal mine sites support uses similar, but not necessarily identical, to pre-development conditions.
End pit lakes are critical to the economic sustainability of coal mining operations in the northern
east slopes of Alberta.
These guidelines present factors that should be considered during the design and development of
end pit lakes. They also outline the provincial regulatory process required to obtain a reclamation
certificate, and summarize applicable government legislation, guidelines and policies. A series of
tables outlining physical, hydrological, chemical, and biological criteria are included.
The adaptive management process is suggested as a tool to provide a framework for end pit lake
evaluation as our knowledge evolves. These guidelines are expected to change as knowledge and
construction techniques develop.