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Fish Passage Assessment of Highway 16 and CN Rail in the Bulkley Watershed

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Fish Passage Assessment of Highway 16 and CN Rail in the Bulkley Watershed Fish Passage Assessment of Highway 16 and CN Rail in the Bulkley Watershed Tim Wilson & Ken Rabnett Skeena Fisheries Commission March 2007 FISH PASSAGE ASSESSMENT OF HIGHWAY #16 AND CN RAIL IN THE BULKLEY WATERSHED © Skeena Fisheries Commission 2007 2 Skeena Fisheries Commission March 2007 FISH PASSAGE ASSESSMENT OF HIGHWAY #16 AND CN RAIL IN THE BULKLEY WATERSHED SUMMARY This Bulkley fish passage assessment is part of a larger regional effort to improve fish passage limited by highways and secondary roads throughout the Skeena Basin. The purpose of this report is to present background information and survey results for fish passage assessments conducted at stream crossings of Highway #16 and CN Rail in the Bulkley Watershed. In 2006, Skeena Fisheries Commission was retained by the Pacific Salmon Commission to conduct a Fish Passage and Culvert Inspection (FPCI) on all non-bridged Highway #16 and CN Rail stream crossings distinguished with fish presence throughout the Bulkley Watershed. The primary objective of this project was to focus on increasing the abundance of fish stocks by opening freshwater habitat to salmon spawning and rearing. This project utilized the fish passage culvert inspection procedure that has been developed to evaluate one of the most easily addressed fish habitat constraints: access to existing habitat. The fish passage culvert inspection methodology is based on the BC Government fish passage protocol outlined in: Fish Passage – Culvert Inspection Procedures, Parker, 2000 (FPCI). This project recorded 98 stream crossings traversed by Highway #16 and CN Rail over approximately 189 km. Of these 98 fish bearing stream crossings, 61 were passed with culverts. Rehabilitation priority ratings are based on the various types and degrees of barriers along with variable amounts of fish abundance and differing qualitative values of upstream fish habitat. Of the 13 streams crossings with full and partial barriers, 9 are rated high priority restoration sites and include: Toboggan Creek ― Site 14, Station Creek ― Site 78, Bulkley Oxbow 1 ― Site 50, Moan Creek ― Site 30, Johnny David Creek ― Site 64, Glass Creek ― Site 80, McDowell Creek ― Site 37, Tyhee Creek ― Site 36, and Coffin Creek ― Site 77. Cesford Creek ― Site 67 and Strawberry Creek ― Site 5 are rated as moderate priority restoration sites. The assessment also found twelve stream crossings that require maintenance. The greatest part of the maintenance work is routine and cost effective. When the FPCI were conducted in September and October 2006, the Bulkley Watershed was experiencing very low streamflow conditions. Many creeks were dry and had to be revisited in the spring, 2007. The majority of the full and partial barriers consist primarily of outfall drops and for the most part are linked to improperly designed and or installed culverts or erosion and down-cutting of the channel downstream of the culverts. We suspect that the erosion and down-cutting is due to extreme culvert velocities associated with spring freshet flows. The task of restoring fish passage and upstream habitat at stream crossings involves establishing priorities based on measurable benefits. With limited resources, a focused approach providing the greatest short and long-term benefits to our fish and fish habitat resources is required. Station and Toboggan creeks are the highest priority culverts to rehabilitate in order to enable fish passage. Habitat and fish surveys are a high priority for abandoned channels on the upper Bulkley River floodplain. The amount of potential habitat gained and probable coho and steelhead production are significant. 3 Skeena Fisheries Commission March 2007 FISH PASSAGE ASSESSMENT OF HIGHWAY #16 AND CN RAIL IN THE BULKLEY WATERSHED Table of Contents Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................... 6 1.0 Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Objectives .............................................................................................................................................................8 1.2 Fish Passage ........................................................................................................................................................8 1.2.1 Obstructions to Fish Passage......................................................................................................10 1.2.2 Recent Fish Passage Projects.....................................................................................................11 2.0 Methods.................................................................................................................................. 11 3.0 Lower Bulkley River .............................................................................................................. 15 3.1 Environmental Setting .......................................................................................................................................15 3.1.1 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................................15 3.1.2 Stream Channels.........................................................................................................................17 3.1.3 Water Quality...............................................................................................................................21 3.1.4 Geography...................................................................................................................................22 3.1.5 Forests ........................................................................................................................................23 3.1.6 Geology .......................................................................................................................................24 3.2 Fish Values .........................................................................................................................................................25 3.2.1 Chinook Salmon ..........................................................................................................................25 3.2.2 Pink Salmon ................................................................................................................................25 3.2.3 Coho Salmon...............................................................................................................................26 3.2.4 Steelhead ....................................................................................................................................29 3.2.5 Indigenous Freshwater Fish ........................................................................................................30 3.3 Fisheries..............................................................................................................................................................31 3.3.1 Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en Fisheries............................................................................................31 3.3.2 Recreational Fisheries.................................................................................................................33 3.3.3 Enhancement Activities ...............................................................................................................34 3.4 Land Use Development Activities.....................................................................................................................35 3.4.1 Forest Resource Development....................................................................................................35 3.4.2 Mineral Development...................................................................................................................36 3.4.3 Oil and Gas Development ...........................................................................................................36 3.4.4 Population and Settlement ..........................................................................................................37 3.4.5 Transportation and Utilities..........................................................................................................37 4.0 Upper Bulkley River .............................................................................................................. 39 Environmental Setting .............................................................................................................................................39 4.1.1 Location.......................................................................................................................................39 4.1.2 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................................39 4.1.3 Stream Channels.........................................................................................................................41 4.1.4 Water Quality...............................................................................................................................45 4.1.5 Geography...................................................................................................................................50 4.1.6
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