Sullivan's Pond - Daylighting Shubenacadie Lakes Ecosystem Project

Date: May 16th, 2019 - 5PM Meet & Greet, 6PM Dinner

Location: Future Inn, 30 Fairfax Dr., Halifax, NS ( off Lacweood Drive)

Cost: Member $48  Non Member $58   

Number of PDU's : 1 Technical Category

About the Event:

The Sullivan’s Pond stormwater drainage system was constructed in the early 1970s and provides drainage for approximately 1,500 hectares of the Shubenacadie River and lake system watershed.  The drainage system is 580 metres in length from Sullivan’s Pond to Halifax Harbour at Dartmouth Cove.  The original construction consisted of a 2,700 mm diameter plate bolted corrugated steel pipe connected to a concrete weir structure at Sullivan’s Pond.  Condition inspections and investigations determined the piped system was nearing the end of its service life.

In 2016, Halifax Water was successful in obtaining funding from Provincial/Federal Clean Water and Wastewater Fund to undertake the replacement of the upper half of the Sullivan’s Pond storm sewer system.  The detailed design was undertaken in 2016/2017 based on a 1 in 100-year design storm event including an allowance for climate change.  The design included both cast-in-place concrete and precast concrete to form the open channel, closed channel, and bridge span sections.  Construction commenced in August of 2017 and was substantially complete by March 31, 2018.

Through careful planning, investigations and the application of sound and innovative engineering and construction principles, a cost effective and sustainable solution was designed and constructed for a complex project.

This is a landmark project that is helping restore the natural functioning of the Shubenacadie lakes ecosystem. Daylighting of buried watercourses in urban areas is taking place around the world in small numbers, making this project noteworthy from a national and international perspective. The project resulted in a pleasant looking and sounding piece of infrastructure that is critically important in providing flood protection for the community, while providing a pathway for fish to travel between the ocean and the lakes; something that has been lost for nearly fifty years.

The project challenges and achievements included: provision of fish passage as stipulated by DFO; daylighting portions of the system; integration of system within public parks including compatibility with ongoing historical interpretative infrastructure construction (Shubenacadie Canal Marine Railway); integration of system within easement on private property; flow management during construction including adjustment of water levels in Lake Bannok (an active canoeing/kayaking lake); access to adjacent residential and commercial properties during construction; pedestrian and vehicle detours; and stakeholder engagement including several advocacy groups, local residents and five canoe and kayak clubs.

Presenter: Jamie Hannam

Jamie Hannam, MBA, P.Eng. is the Director of Engineering & Information Services for Halifax Water, a position he obtained in 2007. Prior to this he was the Chief Engineer with the Halifax Regional Water Commission from 1994 to 2007. A graduate of Acadia University (B.Sc. 1983), Technical University of Nova Scotia (B.Eng. 1985) and Dalhousie (MBA 1990), he spent the earlier years of his career in Municipal Government in both Halifax and Dartmouth working on a variety of engineering tasks. In his role as Director of Engineering & IS he is responsible for water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure master planning, asset management, capital project delivery, and information services.