Identification of Salmon Restoration Opportunities in Northern Statimc Territory

Year 2010
Proponent Lillooet Tribal Council
Project type Habitat
FSWP funding source DFO Fraser Basin Initiative
Grant amount $55,000.00
Total project value $73,000.00
ID number FSWP10-D4-H

Location: Thompson, Bridge-Seton Watersheds

Project Summary

SUMMARY

This project will identify salmon restoration opportunities within Northern St’at’imc Territory. Fish habitats and populations in Bridge/Seton Watersheds have been damaged by hydroelectric power development, necessitating fisheries restoration in future. The project will guide future habitat restoration by systematically identifying, evaluating and prioritizing restoration opportunities and developing implementation strategies.

OVERVIEW

Hydroelectric developments in Northern St’at’imc Territory (Bridge/Seton Generating Stations) have greatly damaged salmon habitats and have reduced fish production. Adverse impacts are associated with water diversion and regulation, salmon passage issues, and the footprint of the hydro facilities themselves (see Attachments 1 and 2). Affected salmon populations include Gates Creek and Portage Creek sockeye, Bridge River and Portage River Chinook, Bridge River and Gates Creek coho, and numerous populations of pink salmon. To date, Northern St’at’imc Fisheries jointly with DFO has undertaken 2 fisheries projects with FSWP financial support: 1) Apple Springs Salmon Habitat Restoration Project for the Lower Bridge River (2008/2009) and 2) Gates Creek Spawning Habitat Improvement Project (2009). The present proposal is to identify additional fisheries mitigation opportunities that can be implemented in the short term (2011 and beyond).

A key St’at’imc fisheries objective is to restore St’at’imc watersheds to former levels of productivity. The watersheds will be stratified according to location upstream and downstream of the 3 dams in the system: Terzhagi, Seton and La Joie. The focus will be on the identification of in-stream structures that can be decommissioned and removed e.g. defunct mining dams, development of off-channel salmon habitat, alleviating migratory difficulties and improving salmon passage. Reconnaissance will take place via helicopter and road surveys and will be carried out during different discharge periods.
Results from the project will greatly assist NSF, BC Hydro, BC MOE and DFO to jointly develop well-conceived projects that can contribute to effective fisheries restoration.

OBJECTIVES

Objective #1 Identify a set or practical fisheries restoration activities within Northern St’at’imc Territory
Objective #2 Prioritize fisheries restoration activities within Northern St’at’imc Territory
Objective #3 Preliminary implementation plans and costing for high priority salmon habitat development projects


METHODS


The project will follow a linked series of steps:

1. Review of literature
There is a large number of published reports and a large volume of “grey” literature (totaling hundreds of reports) that contain relevant information for this project. This includes reports prepared by BC Hydro, BC MOE, IPSFC and DFO. These reports are available in a library that has been established by St’at’imc Nation Hydro which will provide access to >90% of the relevant fisheries studies and previous fisheries habitat reports.

2. Workshop and preparation of a long list of habitat development projects
This workshop will be conducted in Lillooet and will entail a meeting between St’at’imc fisheries technicians and representatives, DFO, BC Hydro, BC MOE , BCRP and other interested parties to assist in the identification of potential fisheries habitat development sites. The results of the literature review will be provided to participants as a draft background report which will be revised following the workshop. All of the information presented at the workshop and obtained from literature analysis will be utilized to compile a long list of habitat development projects. This will include the integration of previously identified NSF and BCRP projects.

3. Preparation of a short list of habitat development projects
Project personnel will evaluate the long list of projects against a set of criteria (to be developed) that will include salmon production benefits, costs, logistics, environmental impacts etc. This evaluation will screen the long list and will be used to generate a short list.

4. Field evaluations of short-listed candidate restoration opportunities
Field reconnaissance via road and helicopter overflights will be undertaken to inspect the short-listed candidate sites. Observations will take place primarily during late summer low flow periods. Trip reports and photos will be used to document site conditions and to evaluate the practicality of implementing the projects in future.

5. Develop implementation and funding strategies for highly rated fisheries restoration opportunities
The final stage of the FSWP project will involve matching the highly ranked candidate fisheries restoration plans with available funding sources. We anticipate that implementation will begin in 2011.


BENEFITS

The project is highly relevant as it will serve as a catalyst towards rectifying salmon habitat impacts that have been present for 50+ years since hydropower development was initiated by BC Electric (predecessor of BC Hydro). The project will identify the best self-sustaining fisheries habitat development projects in the Bridge/Seton Watersheds.

Engage First Nations, government agencies and community groups/NGOs

The project is led by Lillooet Tribal Council and will engage St’at’imc fisheries technicians during the workshop and during field reconnaissance.

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

The project complements the Northern St’at’imc Fisheries Mitigation Plan and a BC Hydro planning document



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