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Location: Thompson, Nahatlatch Watershed Project Summary
SUMMARY The goal of this project is to expand upon the success of the first year’s project by building another beaver box structure and by continuing on with the beaver dam removal program. This will improve overall access into high value habitat including extensive rearing and spawning habitat located along the Nahatlatch River. Another goal of this project is to complete a culvert assessment along the Nahatlatch FSR and other large tributary mainlines to ensure culverts are passable to both the upstream and downstream migration of fish into high quality spawning and rearing habitat. DESCRIPTION The overall goal of this project is to improve access for various salmonids into rearing/spawning channels located at two selected spots within the Nahatlatch river watershed. The two locations have been chosen as previous works were undertaken during Forest Renewal BC (FRBC) to improve the overall rearing/spawning opportunities for Coho and Chinook salmon, which were completed within the last 10 years. The purpose therefore will be to improve access both into and out of these rearing/spawning channels by removing recent obstructions to the upstream/downstream movement of fish and to build beaver controls designed by DFO whom are in support of the project (site specific design guidelines and site survey are presented in the Attachments section of this proposal). The obstructions are a result of the prolipheration of beaver dams, which have severely limited access to juvenile coho and chinook as well as spawning adults moving into the rearing/spawning areas as well as the out-migration of coho and chinook smolts. The goal of removing the obstructions will be accomplished by having local fishery crews from the Boothroyd Indian Band remove the beaver dams that are impeding fish passages as well as to construct several anti-beaver structures at key locations to facilitate access into the preferred spawning grounds and rearing areas as well as the out-migration of smolts. A secondary goal of this project will be to continue the spring enumeration counts at the 17 km side channel which had in the past been used as a downstream fish count station by DFO and monitored yearly by the Boothroyd Indian Band during the spring when coho/chinook smolts are moving of the rearing habitat and into the Nahatlatch River. The fish fence plays a vital role in allowing the band to determine the health of the fish population and therefore, the overall health of the watershed. Another key issue of this project is determining how many culverts are presently impeding access into and out of high value habitats. This has become an ever increasing problem as past forestry companies no longer maintain the roads in proper functioning condition. Culverts within high value fisheries rearing and pawning areas along the major forest service roads will be assessed for culverts that potentially pose problem to fish access OBJECTIVES
METHODS The project will be completed by utilizing the following methods: Crews will remove existing high impact beaver dams which are limiting access to high value rearing/spawning habitat. This will be done by native fisheries crews using hand tools so as to minimize the impacts to instream water quality. Further to the above, anti-beaver structures will be constructed at key locations under the supervision of DFO, similar to the one built in year 1 of this study. The band now has the experience and tools to continue with more beaver boxes in Year 2 of the project. The crews will also be outfitted with cameras and GPS units to help monitor and map problem locations and to determine future access requirements. The last objective of this project will be to complete a culvert assessment of problematic areas along the Nahatlatch FSR and other larger tributaries FSR. The culvert assessment will be completed with a GPS unit, camera and other tools required to measure the water velocity through the culverts, the vertical drop and vertical jump capabilities of the fish species of concern for a given area. BENEFITS This project contributes to the long term sustainability of Fraser Basin salmonids and/or healthy watersheds by ensuring high value spawning and rearing habitat are maintained in proper functioning condition so that adult spawners have access to spawning locations. This will be sustained by ensuring proper beaver dam control structures are in place. The project will also act as a baseline for enumeration data that will allow professionals to compare results of the smolt out-migration and therefore, the ability to monitor the health of the watershed.
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