Projects - 2020
Background
Continuation of the work carried forward from 2019. We have continued to work closley with land owners to further enhance stream banks and erosion control to protect fish habitat. Erosion issues are apparent at the culvert outlet on Murray Creek just upstream of the Nechako river confluence as well as other locations along the river.
Additionally, much of the project areas along Murray Creek have been cleared or impacted for agricultural purposes over the last century. The upland forested regions of the entire Nechako experienced a Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic from 1997 through 2006. Since then, decisions were made to salvage log the dead pine leaving many of our watersheds extensively harvested to levels where we would expect adverse cumulative effects in the aquatic ecosystem. Aerial photo records show increasing rates of erosion. Riparian loss appears to be a function of land clearing, cattle grazing and/or development that did not adequately conserve the floodplain ecosystem. Cumulative effects currently observed in our identified rehabilitation areas include: massive erosion of agricultural fields, little embedded course woody debris in the stream channels, absence of woody debris in contact with water during summer months for many reaches, few deep pools, spawning gravels laden with fine sediment, loss of connectivity with the floodplain for several months of the year, little shade and cover. These observations point towards unusually adverse conditions for spawning, incubation and rearing.
Work Completed
The project is intended to reduce erosion and improve juvenile rearing, conditions for Chinook salmon, Rainbow trout, and other fish species. Eroding banks around the culvert outlet will be protected with a combination of strategically place d rip-rap to enhance immediate protections of the bank around and downstream of the culvert. Large-woody debris will also be place to bolster erosion protection efforts and add habitat enhancements for juvenile and adult fish by to providing cover, and habitat diversity/complexity.
PHOTO GALLERY
Murray Creek 2020
