Significant sediment deposits in the Gosnell Creek in May were not the result of Coastal GasLink activities, according to a new inspection record.
Public concerns had blamed project activities for flooding observed at the crossing, and subsequent sediment discharge into the Morice River.
But officers from the DFO and Environmental Assessment Office found no evidence of mass sediment movement offsite during their inspection.
They also found no difference in water quality upstream compared with that immediately downstream of the project.
According to the EAO, the sediment plume observed in the Creek is due to natural erosion at a pair of sites outside the project scope.
Those include an eroding bank roughly 5 kilometres upstream from the Morice River, and previously known natural discharge from the Thautil River.
A stop work order had been in place in the area for unrelated reasons, but was lifted in early June after a follow-up inspection.
You can view all EAO documents relating to the project at this link.
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