Project Timing

Timing your project appropriately can sometimes decrease impacts on aquatic and riparian habitats and the species that live there. Ideally, work should be timed to occur during dry or frozen conditions or when water levels and flows are at their lowest. In Saskatchewan, this usually coincides with the fall and winter. When work is done under dry, frozen or low water conditions, it is easier to manage water in and around your worksite. Generally, fewer measures are required to isolate your worksite resulting in lower project costs.

It is also important to consider the impacts of your activities on species near your worksite.  Some activities can be disruptive to fish, migratory birds or species at risk especially during sensitive periods in their lifecycles (e.g., spawning and breeding, overwintering). Permit conditions usually prohibit work during sensitive periods, but exceptions may be granted with approval from a provincial or federal biologist if adequate measures are taken to protect these species. There are activity restriction guidelines available for some species to help plan your project:

Fish – Saskatchewan Restricted Activity Timing Windows for the Protection of Fish and Fish Habitat

Species at Risk –  Saskatchewan Activity Restriction Guidelines for Sensitive Species