AFA 2010 - 2020 Forest Management Plan - Thompson Lake Road
(Login BarryBB) Executive Committee Posted Mar 31, 2009 4:35 PM
The Thompson Lake Road is existing, but not drivable. Options for accessing FAM area 5 are being investigated. Three alternative road corridors are proposed. Following are some of the details the AFA supplies in their Appendix 3 Alternative Primary Roads Corridors" .. Appendix 3
Alternative corridor number 1: Original Route
This is the original route used in the previous harvest cycle. This would require the rebuilding of approximately 4.1 km of old road outside Algonquin park, from the Daventry Road to the park boundary near Thompson Lake, and another 1 km inside the park, with the remainder of the road inside the park shared with alternative 2.
This alternative would require a new bridge with a span of approximately 10 metres (30') over Pautois Creek just off of Daventry Road at km 8, and a new bridge with span of approximately 14 metres (40') between Thompson and Little Thompson Lakes.
Advantages and disadvantages: Alternative 1 results in the shortest haul distance, which reduces trucking related environmental impacts, but requires more road construction work (and related environmental disturbance) than alternative 2. Alternative 1 requires the construction of two significant permanent bridges, which is the most significant environmental impact of the three alternatives considered.
The following map is taken from Appendix 3 .. with canoe routes, portages and campsite locations overlaid.
Alternative corridor number 2: Thompson Lake Bypass-North
Alternative 2 would require a new section of road connecting the original route inside the park with the Daventry Road directly to the east. This alternative would avoid the need for the two significant permanent bridges required for Alternative 1. In order to harvest the area to the north of Little Thompson Lake, a portable bridge would be required between Thompson Lake and Little Thompson Lake, or skid trails could be used to cross the park boundary from the north, if work on the adjacent Nipissing Forest permitted access to that area.
Advantages and disadvantages: Compared to Alternative 1, this alternative would have less environmental impact as there are no major permanent bridges required, but would add approximately 4km to the distance to be travelled by log trucks
Alternative corridor number 3: Thompson Lake Bypass-South
Alternative 3 involves the construction of approximately 10 km of new and existing road, linking the Daventry road south of Brain Lake with the operating units to the northwest by following a route entirely within Algonquin Park. In order to harvest the area to the north of Little Thompson Lake, a portable bridge would be required between Thompson Lake and Little Thompson Lake, or skid trails could be used to cross the park boundary from the north, if work on the adjacent Nipissing Forest permitted access to that area.
Advantages and disadvantages: This alternative would require a new bridge with a span of approximately 10 metres (30') over Cauchon Creek, as well as several culverts over smaller creeks. Compared to Alternative 2, the indirect route created by this alternative would require3 km of additional road construction and would add 12 km to the log haul route. The combination of water crossings, road construction and additional trucking required by this alternative contribute to a significantly higher environmental impact than the other two alternatives.
Please post any thoughts you may have in considering one alternative over the others ...
Barry Bridgeford
Executive Committee
Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists
http://www.ABRweb.ca
![[linked image]](http://www.abrweb.ca/images/ThompsonLakeRoad.jpg)