FIELD TRIP REPORT

by Cabot Martin
on a
visit to Central Labrador by
Dr. Stig Bernander
to assess
the Quick Clay landslide risk
at the North Spur portion of
the Muskrat Falls hydro
reservoir containment
system.
October 26, 27 and 28 , 2014

December 2,2014

INTRODUCTION TO OCTOBER 2014 NORTH SPUR FIELD TRIP REPORT

Nalcor, a corporation owned by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador,
is building a massive hydro dam on the Lower Churchill River in central Labrador
20 miles upriver from the riverside Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the
hamlet of Mud Lake.
The project proposes to use a half mile long landslide prone natural feature called
the North Spur as major part of the reservoir containment system.
On December 1, 2014 , Ed Martin CEO of Nalcor is quoted as saying he was 100%
comfortable with the North Spur.
This does not seem wise.
In late October,2014, I had the privilege of accompanying Dr. Stig Bernander, a
renowned engineer and landslide expert from Sweden, on a 3 day Field Trip to the
North Spur prior to his public lecture on North Spur landslides in St. Johns .
This power point documents that trip. Slides 7 and 8 set out Dr. Bernanders main
conclusions.

Dr. Bernanders message, bolstered by his Field Trip observations, was one
of caution, and of the need to better assess the risk in the case of a North
Spur landslide and reservoir breach particularly with regard to the danger
for Downhill Progressive landslides - his speciality.
Nalcor has stated firmly that there is no evidence of Downhill Progressive
landslides in the Lower Churchill Valley and thus at the North Spur.
As this power point presentation shows, Dr. Bernander found a lot of
evidence of Downhill Progressive landslides in the Lower Churchill Valley.
This must be resolved.
Nalcor has not made public a North Spur dam break analysis or its
Downhill Progressive landslide data and analysis but should do so as soon
as possible as this is a matter of Public Safety.
Cabot Martin December 2,2014

LOCATION MAP: LABRADOR & MUSKRAT FALLS IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA

LABRADOR
MUSKRAT
FALLS

QUEBEC

BOSTON

NEWFOUNDLAND

LOCATION MAP CENTRAL LABRADOR:

HAPPY VALLEY GOOSE BAY & MUD LAKE IN RELATION TO MUSKRAT FALLS
which is 20 miles upriver

Mud Lake
Muskrat Falls

Gull Island

Happy ValleyGoose Bay

Muskrat Falls Quick Clay

Field Trip Report October 26, 27 and 28 2014
Objectives:
(1) To allow landslide expert Dr. Stig Bernander to assess Quick
Clay conditions at the North Spur (Muskrat Falls) and adjacent
upslope areas prior to his public lecture in St .Johns.
Dr. Bernander is a world recognized expert in the field of
Downhill Progressive Landslides a type of landslide
responsible for the largest type of Quick Clay landslides.
(2) To test the validity of Nalcors position that :
There is no evidence of downhill progressive failure landslide
in the Churchill river valley. ( the underlined and bolded no
is Nalcors emphasis )

Field Trip Results (as per Dr. Bernander):

(1) using a combination of truck/foot on Day 1, boat on Day 2
and helicopter on Day 3 , all key pre-determined areas of
interest were successfully inspected.
(2) Dr. Bernander observed many indications of Downhill
Progressive Landslides in the Lower Churchill Valley including
the 2010 Edwards Island landslide.
3) Dr Bernander also concluded that the initial failure for
Downhill Progressive slides may start far upslope ( eg in the
case of the North Spur as far up as the TLH).

Dr Bernander noted that while it is true that in geological

terms the river valley is being widened by riverside slides
often triggered by toe erosion, this does not imply that the
direct cause of large slides in the Lower Churchill Valley is toe
erosion.
This is because the biggest slides result directly from changes
(sometimes relatively small) in the very big downhill acting
forces (load) that result from the total loading of upslope
sediments.
Downhill progressive landslides are particularly troublesome
as they can not be stabilized by reinforcing the Toe of the
slope on the north spur.

The importance of Progressive Failure type landslides

was highlighted in a request for information sent to
Nalcor in November 2013 by MWH Americas, Inc
( the Independent Engineer) which put the
Progressive Failure landslide issue first on their list of
outstanding technical issues.
One type of progressive failure is the Downhill
Progressive type landslide. The initial failure for these
slides may start far upslope ( eg in the case of the North Spur
up at far as the TLH).

In response to MHW Americas specific written request of

November,2014 , Nalcor told the Independent Engineer
in July 2014 that:
There is no evidence of downhill progressive failure landside
along the Churchill river valley.
The Independent Engineers (MWH Americas) subsequent
statements on the North Spur landslide problem were no doubt
colored by this incorrect information.

Conclusion
There is, according to Dr. Bernander, substantial evidence of Downhill
Progressive Landslide activity in the Lower Churchill Valley.
So it is prudent to treat Downhill Progressive Landslides as a significant risk
to the Muskrat Falls Project and thus to the people living downstream in the case
of a landslide /dam break at the North Spur.
Nalcor was wrong in stating that there is NO evidence of Downhill Progressive
Landslides in the Lower Churchill Valley and has incorrectly informed the
Independent Engineer as to a major project risk as a result.
This is a matter of safety and must be corrected.
Nalcor has also claimed that they have fully examined the danger for
Downhill Progressive landslides at the North Spur and that it does not exist.
In view of the grave safety implications of this issue, Nalcor should make public
all data and analysis in its possession relating to Nalcors Downhill Progressive
Landslide analysis of stability issues on the North Spur at the earliest possible date.

THAT IS THE BASIC MESSAGE OF THIS POWERPOINT.

MOST OF THE SLIDES ARE PHOTOS THAT FOLLOW DOCUMENT DR BERNANDERs
FIELD TRIP WHICH SUPPORT THAT ANALYSIS. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL HAS BEEN
ADDED TO PROVIDE CONTEXT.
THE NORTH SPUR IS, HE SAID, THE MOST LANDSLIDE SCAR INFESTED TERRAIN
HE HAS EVER SEEN.
SOME OF THE PHOTOS ARE OF POOR QUALITY BUT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED
FOR THE BENEFIT OF PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHERS; GIVEN ACCESS ISSUES
MANY ARE THE ONLY ONES PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE.
AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT DR. BERNANDER WILL BE WRITING FURTHER ON
THIS MATTER.
MORE North Spur information can be found at www.muskratinfo.ca .
Dr. Bernander s public lecture at the LSPU Hall on October 30,2014 will be
posted there.

Why Progressive Downhill Quick Clay

Landslides are so dangerous
The next two slides show the famous 1978 Rissa
Norway slide and the 2010 Edwards Island landslide in
the Lower Churchill Valley upriver from Muskrat Falls
The biggest part of both of these two massive slides
were of the Downhill Progressive Landslide type.
To see why it is critical to know if we have a Downhill
Progressive Landslide risk at the North Spur watch the
Rissa video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q-qfNlEP4A

1978 Rissa Norway Slide : 4 -5 million cubic

meters Approximately 1.5 km long;
Last 1 km towards the lower right was of the
Downhill Progressive type
and took only 5 minutes

Another example of a Downhill Progressive landslide:

Edwards Island Quick Clay Landslide (Feb 2010)
25 miles upriver from Muskrat ( 2.2 million cubic meters)
In comparison, the older L3 and R3 slides upriver measured
10 times more at 22 million cubic meters - a volume hard to imagine.
Examined by Dr. Bernander in October 2014 (this 2010 Photo by Amec)
See Slides 80 to 87 for Day 3 helicopter views of this key landslide.

The next two slides show the general layout of the Lower
Churchill Valley with Gull Island at the western end and
Muskrat Falls at the eastern and the wide river valley bottom
that is to be flooded.
The slide after that shows the general size and location of 15
Lower Churchill Valley landslides identified by the Geological
Survey of Canada in 2012. Note the massive L3 and R3 slides
(22 million cubic meters each); Edwards Island is near R6; GSC
L7 (circled) is 4.5 miles from the North Spur and was amongst
those examined by Dr. Bernander.
This GSC list was not exhaustive especially near Muskrat Falls ;
and at least one more major slide has taken place since 2012.

Google Earth

Muskrat Falls

Plateau at Elevation 300 m

Gull Island
Plateau at Elevation 450 m
Narrow steep river gorge
A broad level river valley extends gently 35 miles downstream from Gull Island to
Muskrat Falls dropping by only 7 m from Gull to Muskrat.

Central Lower Churchill Valley looking upriver:

very beautiful, sacred to the Innu and
precious to Labradorians generally

Google Earth

NR Can 2012 Presentation

19

DAY 1 - The North Spur and Lower Brook area

by car and foot
The instability of the North Spur is the biggest risk
and engineering challenge facing the Muskrat Falls
Project.
As seen in the next five slides, the North Spur comprises
about 50% of the overall reservoir containment system and
is comprised of a toxic mix of sand and clay including Quick Clay.
There is a real risk of a Downhill Progressive Landslide much
larger than the whole area of the North Spur ( eg Edwards Island).

Google Earth Image of Muskrat Falls Site looking North

Trans Labrador Highway

Lower Churchill River

NORTH SPUR

Upper Muskrat Falls

Manitutshu
Spirit Mountain

Lower Muskrat Falls

Intervening pool 0.5 Km long

Overhead view of North Spur showing key role in

Muskrat Falls reservoir containment system

Manitutshu Spirit Mountain

Section of North Spur

To act as a natural dam

North Spur

Proposed
Powerhouse (red)
& Spillway (black)

Area of
Potential
Instability

Trans Labrador
Highway (TLH)
22

Cliffs of Clay on the North Spur

Spirit Mountain

Spillway
construction

Partially completed
Powerhouse Dome

The Muskrat Falls Project

on October 28,2014

North Spur looking South: the Muskrat Falls Reservoir in the filled
condition will rise to within 5 to 10 m of the top of the North Spur

Spirit mountain

Approx level of
reservoir
after flooding

1978 slide

24

This detailed 1979 contour map shows why Dr Bernander says the North Spur
is the most landslide scar-infested terrain he has ever seen

1978 Landslide
E2

70 m deep hole
scoured by ice ?
And/or the river ?
Spirit Mountain
Sea Level
Upper Falls

Lower Falls

The next two slides show that while a generalized cross-section

of the North Spur shows an Upper Clay and a Lower Clay
overlain and separated by discrete sand layers ,
the reality of quickly thinning and thickening inter-bedded sand
and clay is a far trickier matter to analyse.

Ground elevation at Top of Spur

50 m above sea level
10-15 m of sand

39 m to 44 m operating reservoir
level after river dammed
~ 21 to 26 m higher than at present

60 m of Glacio- marine clay

and sand

Present upstream river level

Elev 18 m above sea level
Present downstream river Level
~ 0 m above sea level

50 m of Glacio - marine clay

150m of Sand & Gravel

Aquifer

Dangerous
Glacio-marine clays

BEDROCK

At 270 m below top of Spur

( - 220 m below sea level)27

Split Spoon sinks 18 inches

under own weight

Sand
Silty
Clay

Split Spoon Tests at 15 m

Blows: 0/0/2/2/
Thicker
Sand
P2B Total Depth at 58 m

Silty
Clay

Thin Sands

Silty
Clay
80 m

Significant variation in sand/clay package in the area of the P3 A & B Well over short lateral distance
Hatch 2009 at slide 46 at
http://www.pub.nf.ca/applications/muskratfalls2011/files/exhibits/Exhibit41.pdf

Spirit Mountain
STOP 1
Dr Bernander with
Jim Learning
of the Grand River Keepers on
the north rim of the 1978 slide
on the North Spur
with south rim in background

Dr Bernander on the south rim of the 1978 North Spur slide

( north rim in left background) ; note the clay cliffs and numerous
slide scars stretching downstream in right background

Dr. Bernander starts his way back up on foot from

the bottom of the 50 m high North Spur
view downriver

SPIRIT MOUNTAIN

Base of SPIRIT MOUNTAIN is at sea level

70m deep riverbed
scour hole here

Muskrat Falls power house construction

site is to the right around the point

Recent slump feature near the bottom of the North Spur

Note north rim of 1978 slide in middle top background

Approaching a zone of
slumping clay on the
North Spur

Dr Bernander and Jim Learning examine a recent slump feature

part way up the North Spur new since July 2014
Note north rim of 1978 slide in upper center background

After examining the North Spur in some detail from top to bottom on foot ,
Dr Bernander next visited the Lower Brook area . In addition to the landslide risk
on the North Spur itself, the instability of the whole area 2 and 3 km upslope to the
Trans Labrador Highway (TLH) is also of concern.
There is evidence of large Downhill Progressive Landslides in this area . For instance,
the L7 slide which is clearly visible at the base of a cliff at a roadside lookout on the
Trans-Labrador Highway (Stop 2).
TLH
Stop 5
Stop 4
Stop 3
LOWER
BROOK
Stop 2 :Roadside
Lookout

Slide L7

North Spur

Stop 1

The Lower Churchill Valley at the Lower Brook

Lookout 4.5 miles above Muskrat Falls
looking south

L7 scar
Stop 2 - TLH Lookout

Field Stops 2, 3 and 4 revealed significant sensitive clay occurences

and landslide activity in the Lower Brook area

Stop 4

New Bridge
on TLH

Lower Brook
Stop 3

Old Bridge

STOP 3 - Slumping Clay in the valley of Lower Brook

Eldred Davis and Dr Bernander on their way

back up from Stop 3 old TLH on the right

View from Stop 4 looking east on TLH towards

New Lower Brook bridge

Lower Brook bridge

Stop 4

Cracks in TLH pavement

Ground creeping downhill; developed since lines painted
Slump examined just below pole at left

Stop 4 : Close up of Varved marine clay

Field Lunch in comfort on a rainy day

STOP 5 was on the south side of the North

Spur access road where linear sand
features terminated sharply , dropping 15 feet
to a line of bogs that stretch across the North
Spur upslope area

Stop 1
Stop 5

Stop 5 is on the downslope boundary of a pod of so far un-disturbed ground marked

by the curved ( white lichen covered) features ; note brook at right of pod of lichen covered
area ; possibly a zone of weakness.

Route of Trans Labrador Highway outlines approx limit

of Quick Clay prone ground upslope from North Spur

3 Km

Stop 5

1978 North Spur slide

2013 slide
7 km
GSC L7
Slide Site

Dr Bernander and his host Jim Purdy talk into the night

Marge Goudies tribute to her family & Labrador

Trappers saw (Joe Goudie Sr); traditional Innu hat ;

Inuit ulu (Elizabeth Goudie); Metis Caribou skin pouch (Mina Groves)

DAY 2 - Visit to 2014 Landslide two particular landslides by boat

(in miserable weather)
A major landslide occurred halfway between Goose Bay and Muskrat Falls in
the summer of 2014; Dr Bernander visited this slide by both boat and helicopter.
This is a link to a video of the 2014 slide shot by the Grand River
Keepers shortly after the slide took place
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIcL_pN4NlQ
By the time Dr. Bernander reached the slide by water in late October, some of
the debris had already been swept away by the river but enough remained to
mark it as a Downhill Progressive landslide.
A second recent slide located just upriver from the 2014 slide was examined
by boat and helicopter and was found to be a typical Bottle neck Slide another
indication of the potential for Downhill Progressive landslides.

This Google Earth image shows the route by boat from

the TLH causeway to the general area of the two slides
visited (general area circled).
Goose Bay
Airport

TLH Causeway

Getting Ready to go upstream

at the TLH causeway south
side of river in background

One of numerous smaller slides

seen on the way upriver

Coming up on the 2014 slide

Note line of trees sticking out into the river

Part 1: End of remaining trees swept out into river

Part 2: middle part of trees swept out into the river

Part 3: Slide and shoreward part

of trees swept out into the river

CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE FOREST IN THE RIVER

2014 Slide -1

2014 Slide -2

2014 Slide - 3

Dr. Bernander on the banks of the Lower Churchill

just upstream from the 2014 slide (see line of trees
swept out into river in the background)

Bottleneck slide from the river ; better view from air on Day 3
See slides 70 to 72

Mission accomplished:
Eldridge Davis & Jim Learning
(GRK) with 2014 slide in background

AN OLD SLIDE observed on the way back to Goose Bay:

Disturbed sediments in the center of photo indicate that
this bank of clay slid down from the escarpment in the background

River level deposit of clay also seen on the way back

DR. BERNANDER LEADS an

INFORMAL DISCUSSION
(after a potluck at Roberta and Jims )
on
DAY 1 and 2 OBSERVATIONS
& the NORTH SPUR GENERALLY

DAY 3 Helicopter tour of the North Spur, various slides

and both sides of the entire Lower Churchill Valley
up to Gull Island

Leaving the Goose Bay airport area:

Note TLH Causeway to south bank of Lower Churchill
where boat trip started on Day 2

Bottle Neck slide here

2014 slide north bank of Lower Churchill River

between Muskrat Falls and Goose Bay (also
visited by boat) looking upriver; Muskrat Falls
approx 3 miles upriver

WHERE THE SLIDE

HIT THE RIVER

Another view of the 2014 slide: Cliff is approx 150 feet high

CLOSE UP of top part of the approx 150 foot high 2014 SLIDE ESCARPMENT

Moving upriver a Km or so : Bottleneck Slide from the air.

Cliffs are approx 150 feet high; see slide 77 on how Bottleneck
slides turn into circular Kettle Lakes

Another view of the Bottleneck: it is not hard to see why this sort of landslide
can turn into a Kettle Lake which is often the case. The soil conditions needed to create
a bottleneck slide are the same as needed for a Downhill Progressive Landslide

Another view of the Bottleneck slide:

Note the narrow neck like channel through
which the liquefied clay must escape

4
3

Leaving the area of the

recent bottleneck slide
we flew 4 miles to the
river bank just south of
the North Spur.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Cliffs of clay (slide 74)

Associated landslides
Brook valley (slide 75)
Kettle lakes (slide 78)

CLIFFS of CLAY ~ 1 km downstream

from the North Spur

CLIFFS of CLAY extending on to the North Spur Note also the incised brook channel which may be associated with
the three Kettle Lakes/bottle neck slides upstream;
A potential zone of weakness;
See Slides 77 & 78

Slumping clay
shown in slides 32 & 33

The North Spur looking up river: light leafless deciduous trees

mark the general extent of the 1978 slide on the downriver side of the Spur.
Note the new clearing for a transmission line near top of slide.

Three Kettle Lakes in various stages of in-filling on the North Spur

caused by Bottleneck type landslides. Downhill Progressive
landslides are associated with same type of sensitive clay conditions.

Bottleneck
landslide scars
Brook in Slide 75

End/Start of
1978 slide

South side of Lower Churchill River

CLEAR CUTTING
of NEW TRANSMISSION LINE
on the NORTH SPUR

Kettle Ponds in circular depressions on the North Spur

may contribute to the formation of
Downhill Progressive landslides

Clear cutting in the beautiful Lower Brook valley;

this area will be flooded by the Muskrat project
TLH

Nalcors own studies say reservoir flooding will

increase the number of landslides for decades

NEXT STOP - 2010 EDWARDS ISLAND SLIDE

This slide took place in February 2010. It was approximately 1,900 feet wide and was
measured at 2.2 million cubic meters by Amec Consulting in 2010.
The presence of Quick Clay was confirmed by Peach in 2013
It was termed a classic example of a Downhill Progressive type landslide by Bernander 2014

Edwards Island

2010 EDWARDS ISLAND SLIDE general overview image date 2013

The bulk of the slide material went out into the river and
has been swept away; the part that is left is still impressive
Edwards Island

Renewed river
channel
Main Slide Escarpment

Smeller slide
as in slide 87
Kettle Lakes

2010 Edwards Island Quick Clay slide looking south

said by Dr. Bernander to be a classic example of a
Downhill Progressive Landslide

Edwards Island slide west

Scarp is approx 100 feet high

Edwards Island

Edwards Island slide center

Edwards Island slide east

CLOSEUP of top part of EDWARDS ISLAND SLIDE ESCARPMENT

A SMALLER SLIDE SOUTH BANK JUST DOWNSTREAM

FROM MAIN EDWARDS ISLAND SLIDE- see slide 81 for location

Journeys End
Dr Bernander
George Russell
Pilot Dean Burry
Roberta
Frampton-Benifeld
(GRK)

BIG thanks to
President Todd Russell &
George Russell
( Manager -DNR&E)
of NunatuKavut
for chopper
time

Conclusion
There is, according to Dr. Bernander, substantial evidence of Downhill
Progressive Landslide activity in the Lower Churchill Valley.
So it is prudent to treat Downhill Progressive Landslides as a significant risk
to the Muskrat Falls Project and thus to the people living downstream in the case
of a landslide /dam break at the North Spur.
Nalcor was wrong in stating that there is NO evidence of Downhill Progressive
Landslides in the Lower Churchill Valley and has incorrectly informed the
Independent Engineer as to a major project risk as a result.
This is a matter of safety and must be corrected.
Nalcor has also claimed that they have fully examined the danger for
Downhill Progressive landslides at the North Spur and that it does not exist.
In view of the grave safety implications of this issue, Nalcor should make public
all data and analysis in its possession relating to Nalcors Downhill Progressive
Landslide analysis of stability issues on the North Spur at the earliest possible date.

THANKS TO
The many private Newfoundland
sponsers who made Dr. Bernanders
visit to St Johns and Central Labrador
possible
President Todd Russell and
Environmental and Natural Resources
Manager George Russell of
NunatuKavuk for chopper time
The Grand River Keepers
Roberta Frampton-Benifeld and James
Learning for hosting the pot luck and the
many who brought the goodies
Marge Goudie and Jim Purdy for
Hospitality and Good Conversation

Stig and Roberta at the Trappers Monument

North West River

Eldred Davis for getting us up river

(and Stop 5).
Site Visit photos : Cabot Martin