Blurton Creek - Coho Habitat Restoration Project

Year 2010
Proponent Lower Shuswap Stewardship Society
Project type Habitat
FSWP funding source Living Rivers
Grant amount $21,315.00
Total project value $32,333.00
ID number FSWP10-LR63-H

Location: Thompson, Blurton Creek

Project Summary

SUMMARY

This project will continue with the systematic approach of resolving the most significant land use impacts to coho fish habitat on a priority basis (i.e. low flow and fish passage problems previously addressed)  This project will focus on; 1. riparian restoration by completing livestock exclusion fencing and riparian replanting, 2. instream habitat restoration and 3. development of new stewardship partnerships and capacity.

OVERVIEW


Blurton Creek supports spawning and rearing coho salmon, chinook salmon taking thermal refuge from the high water temperatures in the Lower Shuswap River, rainbow trout, bull trout and other resident species.  The endangered status of coho salmon from the Interior Fraser River watershed which includes Blurton Creek was established by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) in 2002.  The COSEWIC species status report identified that habitat perturbations have contributed to declines in numbers of Interior Fraser Coho. Historical impacts to Blurton Creek included fish passage obstructions, instream impacts from dredging, fording, uncontrolled livestock access and fish kills / dewatering from agricultural extractions.  A concerted effort since 2006 by farm producers and government agencies in partnership with NGO’s has resolved many of the above noted impacts.  The goals of this project are to complete the remaining coho habitat restoration priorities, raise the profile of salmon in the watershed / benefits of cooperative watershed management and provide a opportunity for capacity building for the newly formed Lower Shuswap Stewardship Society and local First Nations.


2006 -2008
Multiple culvert failing cross channel causeway which had infilled fish habitat,  impeding fish passage, causing negative channel changes and depositing sediment into coho spawning habitat was removed and replaced with a clear span bridge. The installation of the bridge also removed the need of the farm producer to ford the stream with equipment and his livestock.

Large concrete irrigation weir which was impeding fish habitat and causing negative channel changes was modified and a tail water control structure installed to improve fish passage.

Cooperative irrigation agreement developed between the main three water users which resulted in two of the users relocating their intakes from Blurton Creek to the Lower Shuswap River and the other user restricting his usage during low flow years.

Livestock exclusion fencing has been installed on both sides of Blurton Creek from Hwy 97 down to the confluence with the Lower Shuswap River except in the soft ground section of the Schaap farm.

The largest eroding stream bank has partial bio-engineering and one sediment wedge has been partially planted.

Linkage of past works to current proposal is now that fish access and low flows in the stream have been restored the next priorities can be addressed 1. completion of the livestock exclusion fencing to prevent impacts to the stream and riparian area; 2. completion of instream habitat restoration works and 3. completion of riparian replanting in priority areas. 


OBJECTIVES

Objective #1 Complete livestock exclusion fencing on the difficult soft ground by use of innovative combination of electric and buck & rail fencing from the bridge to the Schaap farm access road maintaining an average minimum 15m setback from Blurton Creek.
Objective #2 Complete bio engineering method stream bank protection to prevent channel avulsion into the farm land, loss of mature riparian area (source of natural seeding), provides habitat complexity and prevent deposit of sediments into spawning areas
Objective #3 Develop stewardship partnerships and partner capacity.


METHODS

Instream
While some woody material was used to increase bank stability through the Environmental Farm Plan, much of Blurton Creek remains aggraded and lacking pools and instream cover.  Deposition on one outside corner causes the flooding of the access road during high flows.  This project would use rock and wood to create the hydraulic conditions that will cause scour to form and maintain pools and thalweg depth, eventually deepening and narrowing the creek.  Wood and rock structures will be used to both armour the corner were the flooding occurs to prevent the threat of avulsion.  A bendaway structure will direct the thalweg away from this weak corner.  Woody debris and plantings will be used to encourage deposition in the flood plain in this area.  Structures to encourage pool development and maintenance will also be place in the areas were there is groundwater seepage to create cold water refuge areas.

A combination of electric and buck and rail fencing will be used to complete the riparian exclusion fencing in the areas that not machine accessible.


BENEFITS

This project will be an excellent example of a systematic process of addressing the key impacts historical agricultural impacts on coho fish habitat while actually improving farm production & resolving land / water use conflicts. As such it will assist with encouraging other farm producers to become partners in the Fraser watershed with restoration of fish habitat in a cooperative approach. Works to date have assisted with the return of adult coho to the stream in 2008 and survival of juvenile salmonids seeking refuge from high water temperatures in the Lower Shuswap River during the drought of 2009. In this regard this project will assist Blurton Creek in being better able to contribute to the genetic diversity of salmonids in the Fraser Basin on a long term basis.


Engage First Nations, government agencies and community groups/NGOs

This project is an excellent opportunity for the LSSS to begin a working relationship with Splat’sin 1st Nation. The project will employ both a machine contractor and a student from Splat’sin. This will also strengthen our working relationship with FOC and FRISP. 


Complement or implement local and / or regional plans (e.g., recovery plans, watershed plans)

Blurton Creek is part of the South Thompson-Shuswap Habitat Management Area.  This project will complete the restoration work on this creek which was identified as significant coho habitat in a strategic review in 1997.


Value-added aspects

The value added aspects of this project will include developing an on-going relationship with Splat’sin 1st Nation, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ministry of Environment and ....... with the hopes of many more river and stream restoration projects on the Lower Shuswap River and its watershed.



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At 3:34 pm on 1/03/12, Virginia Guhin said:

Would love to hear how this project has worked and get any monitoring data you have as to the effectiveness of exclusionary fencing to the over all success of the project.

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