Ladner Creek Habitat Restoration Project

Year 2009
Proponent BC Conservation Foundation (08 D 107)
Project type Habitat
FSWP funding source DFO Fraser Basin Initiative
Grant amount $20,000
Total project value $53,000
ID number 09-D23-H

Location: Fraser Valley

Project Summary

Overview

This project will restore important stable side-channel habit on Ladner Creek a tributary of the Coquihalla River.  Phase I (2008), funded in-part by Fraser Salmon Watershed Program, consisted of intake construction and testing, and channel preparation.  Phase II (2009) will consist of creating complex fish habitat, and a protection berm, in the 740 m long side-channel.  Fish habitat to be added to the side-channel consists of large woody debris structures, boulder clusters, cut banks and boulder riffles totaling approximately 3,000 m2 of improved habitat.  The project will compensate for a lack of stable side-channel habitat in the Coquihalla River and improved summer rearing conditions and increase over winter survival of juvenile fishes, well as adult spawning areas, with the ultimate goal of increasing smolt output, adult returns and ultimately a reduced conservation concerns and increase in angling opportunity.

The Coquihalla River flows south-westerly from its origin in the Cascade Mountains to the Fraser River near Hope, approximately 150 km east of Vancouver.  The Coquihalla River contains one of only 2 native summer run steelhead populations in the lower Fraser River, and is classified as a Conservation Concern in the Greater Georgia Basin Steelhead Recovery Action Plan (Lill, 2002).  The Coquihalla watershed has been heavily affected by human activities (logging, railway/highway construction, and gas pipe line development) since before the turn of the century.

Objectives
1. To increase the available habitat within the 740m side channel by the addition of habitat attributes beneficial for adult spawning, juvenile rearing, and winter refuge.
2. To increase the number of steelhead smolts leaving the Coquihalla watershed and in doing so, to increase the number of adult steelhead returning.  Stable side-channel / off channel habitat provides clear productivity gains in habitat by increasing available rearing area.
3. To improve and preserve a popular and significant recreational summer-run steelhead fishery.

Methods
Phase two of this project will see the complexing and protection of the 740 m channel.  The complexing of the channel will involve the placement of stable wood debris structures, boulders clusters, boulder riffles, and spawning gravel to aid in the development of both juvenile and adult salmonid habitats.  Work will be done following methodologies from the BC Watershed Restoration Program Technical Circular 9 (Slaney and Martin, 1997). The Ladner Creek mainstem is flashy; therefore, a small river bar will be stabilized using both rock and wood to protect the only exposed portion of the side channel from high mainstem flood flows.  Ladner Creek is a high gradient system, with virtually no off channel or low velocity spawning areas, therefore, the addition of gravel pads over the 740 m length of the side channel will offer stable areas for adult steelhead spawning. 

All instream restoration activities will take place with in the designated fisheries work window.  A conventional excavator will be used to complete the placement of all habitat units.  With environmental sensitivity in mind the use of helicopter to shuttle the LWD to the pre-determined location may be used.  The woody material used in the complexing will be collected from the Fraser River debris trap.  Boulders will be sourced on site and spawning gravel will be trucked in from the upper Coquihalla watershed (supplied by Kinder Morgan).  BCCF fisheries technicians will be onsite with the machinery to direct and insure proper placement and cabling of the habitat.  Professional biologist will periodically be onsite as well to offer support and expertise.


Final Results

The final report for the study is posted in the orange resource box to the right.


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Comments

At 3:57 pm on 6/07/09, Bob Norman said:

I have fished the Coquihalla R for summer run SH for over 45 years. The river has been degraded as a steelhead rearing river by Mining, Logging, Pipeline and Hwy Construction. It was indeed a beautiful river before “progress” took it’s toll. Please keep me informed about the work you are doing.
Will the river be open to catch and release SH fly fishing in 2009?

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