This site has been covered by a DOGAMI Operating Permit since 1974. Several operators worked this site prior to Windsor Rock obtaining this operation in August 1996.

Windsor Island has a long history of flooding during high water events. The floods have had little impact on the sand and gravel operation other than temporarily shutting down the site. Five months after purchasing this site and setting up operations, the 96/97 flood event occurred. During the recent flooding events there was some erosive activity between the slough and the gravel pond at the southeast end of the site. To address this problem Windsor Rock began by backfilling the pond in this area which has sealed the headcuts and a connection from the slough to the pond has been sloped and reinforced to improve stability.

The previous operator had stockpiled a considerable amount of old unusable equipment and scrap on-site. Fortunately most of this junk was removed prior to the flood, but a lot of scrap remained. Windsor Rock completed this clean-up as part of the overall rebuilding after the flood. By May 1997, Windsor Rock had the site back on-line and in compliance with the DOGAMI permit.

To minimize the potential for erosion and head cutting during flood events Windsor Rock ceases all pit dewatering between November 1, and March 1, of each year to allow the ponds to fill. The 300-foot setback in the riparian zone between the river and the mine and the 100-foot setback from the slough has been enhanced. A 100-foot setback on either side of the natural gas pipeline at the north end of the property has been maintained and a 10H:1V slope on the downstream side of the setback will be maintained.

Reclamation activities that have been performed concurrently with mining include 3:1 sloping of all pond banks to 6-feet below the ordinary low water mark. Above water embankments are being sloped at 3:1 and hydroseeded with a mixture of ryegrass and creeping red fescue.

Because the site floods periodically there is a potential for entrapment of anadromous fish in the pond(s). Currently there is a connection between the slough and the east pond at the southeast end of the property, this is also where water first enters the site during early stages of rising river levels. Although the east pond is connected to the slough the other mine ponds will need to be connected to the east pond to allow fish egress and the pond on the north side of the pipeline will also require connection to the slough.

Windsor Rock has committed to developing a comprehensive plan that will connect the mine ponds to the river system that will stabilize the site during flood events as well as allowing fish access and egress from the ponds.

Windsor Rock undertook an aggressive approach to stabilize this site after the devastating floods of 1996/1997 and has continued to work to turn it into a model operation. For these efforts Windsor Rock is awarded Outstanding Operator for 2006..

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