Muskrat Fall's North Spur stabilization work underway

Work to stabilize the Churchill River in an area called the North Spur is continuing as part of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.

The ridge of sand and clay is all that holds back the Churchill River and needs to be reinforced because it's not strong enough to hold back the rise in water when the Muskrat Falls dam is in place.

Millions of tons of gravel, sand and dirt are being moved to stabilize the Spur. Without stabilization the steep sandy banks are prone to landslides.

Some 2.1 million cubic meters of rock, sand and earth are being moved — enough to fill up the Rogers Centre in Toronto one-and-a-third times.

Groups opposed to the Muskrat Falls project say the work is insufficient. The walls being built to keep water out won't be able to go all the way down to the bedrock hundreds of meters below, but Nalcor says that isn't a problem.

Take a tour of the North Spur site by watching the video.