Gates Creek Spawning Habitat Improvement

Year 2009
Proponent Lillooet Tribal Council
Project type Habitat
FSWP funding source Living Rivers
Grant amount $76,650
Total project value $151,650
ID number 09-LR39-H

Location: Greater Vancouver

Project Summary

Overview

Gates Creek supports important summer sockeye and interior coho salmon stocks, both of which are declining due to poor marine conditions and impaired freshwater productivity. This stream is also spawning and rearing habitat for Bull and rainbow trout residing in Anderson Lake. The watershed partners have identified three key factors in declining salmon productivity: deterioration of the quality of the spawning gravel within the Gates Creek spawning channel,  poor access for returning spawners to upper Gates Creek spawning grounds due to an in stream weir associated with the channel, and an inability to manage spawners at the counting fence in the stream such that adequate spawners can access both channel and river spawning grounds upstream. In the past, natural habitats upstream received less than optimum numbers of spawners due to the difficulty of both counting and dividing the return to the two spawning grounds. These three factors need to be resolved if these stocks are to fully recover. The partners within this watershed look to the FSWP to assist in this effort. FSWP funds would be matched with funds and contributions from BCRP (2008 completed; 2009 pending) and the other partners in the project.

Objectives
1.Restore habitat for salmon. Directly contribute to a high FN, commercial and recreational fishery value early summer sockeye salmon and an endangered interior coho salmon population.
2. Improve access for fish. Address access for salmon past a weir and fence that are impeding migration.
3. Stewardship and leadership in the community. The long term operation of these enumeration and habitat facilities will be carried out by the local N’quatqua community.
4. Improved approaches for stock assessment. Provides new tools for the proper management and assessment of sockeye salmon in the Gates Creek watershed through construction of improved adult and fry enumeration facilities.

Methods

During April-August, the remaining section of the Gates Creek channel will be rehabilitated using natural spawning gravel and rock weirs will be constructed downstream from the concrete weirs. The spawning gravel replacement component was initiated in 2008 with BCRP support and treated 730 m of the 1584 m channel. The gravel for the remainder of the spawning channel will be excavated from an abandoned and now isolated Birkenhead River channel and transported to the channel where it will be spread at a gradient of 0.2%. The rock weirs will provide a series of steps below the existing concrete weir so salmon and trout can pass over this barrier with relative ease. Counting facilities will be constructed for passing migrating adult and juvenile salmon upstream and downstream on their migrations.  DFO will arrange for heavy equipment to undertake the works and will provide the necessary drawings for fabrication and installation of the counting facilities. Lillooet Tribal Council,  Northern StŐatŐimc Fisheries will provide project management expertise and arrange for materials and equipment rental with local contractors. The long term operation of these enumeration and habitat facilities will be carried out by the local N’quatqua community.



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