Fraser River Basin Strategic Water Quality Plan
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Fraser River Basin Strategic Water Quality Plan Chilcotin Region: Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road Habitat Management Areas by J.C. Nener1 and B.G. Wernick1 1 Fraser River Action Plan Habitat and Enhancement Branch Fisheries and Oceans Canada Suite 320-555 West Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5G3 Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Nener, Jennifer C. (Jennifer C.), 1961- Fraser River Basin Strategic Water Quality Plan, Chilcotin Region: Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road habitat management areas (Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Fraser River Action Plan Water Quality Series: 02) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-662-26887-3 Cat. no. Fs22-2/3E 1. Water quality -- British Columbia -- Fraser River Watershed. 2. Water quality bioassay -- British Columbia -- Fraser River Watershed. 3. Salmon -- Effect of water quality on -- British Columbia -- Fraser River Watershed. 4. Environmental monitoring -- British Columbia -- Fraser River Watershed. I. Wernick, B. G. (Barbara G.), 1969- II. Fraser River Action Plan (Canada) III. Title. IV. Series TD387.B7N46 1998 553.7’8’0971137 C98-980244-2 Executive Summary The Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road Habitat working to attain compliance with the Code of Agricul- Management Areas collectively provide habitat for large tural Practices for Waste Management, but in general runs of sockeye and chinook, and smaller runs of coho, there is still room for improvement. Information specific and pink salmon. These HMAs support a relatively small to agricultural practices in the Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, number of salmon-bearing watersheds, however, the and West Road HMAs was limited for many of the water- watersheds are quite large and support significant sheds. anadromous and resident fish populations. Only one salmon-bearing watershed was considered to Water quality data were extremely limited for the three have impacts from forestry that would be likely to limit HMAs addressed in this report. Data were available for fish production. Timber harvesting rates will increase in a total of 14 sites, only four of which were sampled on these areas, however, as other wood sources become more than two occasions. These limited data did not pro- depleted. The Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan identifies vide the opportunity to make meaningful assessments of the Province’s plans for the uses of Crown lands in water quality conditions in the HMAs. much of the West Road and Chilcotin HMAs. Areas identified for high intensity logging should be monitored Compared with other areas of the Fraser Basin the closely by DFO before, during, and after logging, for Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road HMAs have impacts to hydrology and sediment regimes. experienced relatively little development. Urbanization is limited to a small number of communities. There is The recommendations provided in Chapter 7 identify virtually no manufacturing and processing industry in the options for addressing existing problems and preventing HMAs considered here. There are four permitted waste the deterioration of water quality in the Seton-Bridge, discharges to surface waters located in the three HMAs, Chilcotin, and West Road HMAs. These recommen- all of which are sewage effluents. The dams on the dations should lead to increased protection of water Seton and Bridge River systems are probably the most quality and aquatic habitats from future impacts, how- significant legacy of human development in this area. ever, effectiveness will fall short of the benefits that could be achieved by implementing comprehensive The potential for degradation of water quality from non- watershed management, and overcoming jurisdictional point sources of pollution associated with land uses was barriers to good management. Successfully protecting considered for each of the salmon-bearing systems in ecosystem integrity so that healthy fish populations are the three HMAs. Forestry and agriculture (primarily sustained will likely require a shift from resource-based ranching) are the two most significant land uses in the management which typically seeks to maximize short- HMAs, but appear to be of lesser intensity than in many term economic benefits among various sectors, to other Fraser Basin HMAs. Consequently, one would ecosystem-based watershed management approaches. expect to find relatively few impacts to water quality in these HMAs at present. Degradation of water quality results from a complex interaction of land uses and human activities. Development of cottages along lake shores is occurring. Unfortunately, the control of these uses and activities is Although no specific problems were identified in existing broken into many jurisdictions. Agencies make decisions information, there may be problems in the future if daily about matters that can have a direct influence on increasing numbers of recreational properties are water quality and aquatic habitats, without adequate developed. Such activities may result in riparian loss or consideration being given to fisheries values and damage, and if cottages are reliant upon septic systems ecosystem sensitivity. In order to properly manage water for disposal of domestic wastes degraded water quality quality, a long term and integrated approach is required. may also occur. Existing requirements for obtaining a The structures necessary to implement such an permit for installing a septic system need to be altered to approach are inadequate or non-existent. address highly permeable soils, housing density, and other local conditions. Protecting the ecological integrity of streams to sustain healthy fish populations requires multi-agency co- Three of seventeen salmon-bearing watersheds in the operation and political will. It also requires strong public three HMAs were considered to have impacts related to support to pressure governments for change i.e. a shift agriculture that may limit fish production. Spring runoff towards ecosystem management, and improved from feedlots and cattle overwintering areas can intro- practices from all segments of the population in the duce large amounts of nutrients and BOD to streams HMAs. While the negative effects resulting from the each year. This runoff may contain concentrations of actions and choices of individuals may be small, ammonia many times greater than the levels which will collectively the impacts of the population, especially kill fish. Runoff often flows along stream banks after riparian land owners, on water quality and fish habitat entering a stream, hence juvenile fish using shoreline are large in many areas of the Fraser Basin. Significant habitat may be either physiologically affected by the efforts to educate the public about how to minimize effluent or displaced by it. Many Fraser Basin producers individuals’ impacts on water quality and aquatic habitats are adopting improved stewardship practices and are may be important in the long term to protecting, and Fraser River Basin iii Strategic Water Quality Plan where necessary improving water quality in the Seton- Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road HMAs. Fraser River Basin iv Strategic Water Quality Plan Acknowledgements Many people made significant contributions to this Peri Mehling prepared a status report on mining issues document and their efforts served to greatly improve the in the Fraser Basin, which served as the basis for the final report. Advice on the methodology, the provision of section on Mining in Chapter 2. Darlene Boyle prepared up-to-date information, and thoughtful editorial input overview reports on Urbanization and Forestry, which were greatly appreciated. The following people gave provided the foundations for respective sections of generously of their time: Chapter 2 in this report. Bob Grace from MELP, Kamloops office; Linda Berg assisted with editing Chapter 2. Kris Andrews from MELP, Williams Lake office; Raymond Bedard synthesized information from SISS catalogues and hydrology reports which was used in Lisa Walls and Phil Wong from DOE’s Pollution developing the stream summaries. Abatement Branch; The following individuals are thanked for kindly con- Bev Raymond, Pat Shaw, and Taina Tuominen, from tributing unpublished data: DOE’s Environmental Quality Branch; Timber Whitehouse from DFO; Otto Langer, Don Lawrence, Bruce MacDonald, Steve Samis, and Sean Standing, from DFO. Taina Tuominen from DOE’s Environmental Quality branch; In addition, Bruce Galbraith of Environment Canada patiently responded to numerous requests related to the Many other people also contributed to the completion of Fraser River Point Source Inventory database. this report. Their efforts are gratefully acknowledged. Steward Nimmo and Tom Pinkerton provided advice and The preparation and printing of this report was funded guidance which contributed to the successful completion through the Fraser River Action Plan - Fisheries and of GIS work for this project. Oceans Canada. Fraser River Basin v Strategic Water Quality Plan Fraser River Basin vi Strategic Water Quality Plan Table of Contents 2.3.4.2 Sewage Effluents ............................................. 2 - 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................... iii 2.3.4.3 Industrial Discharges to Sewage Systems ..... 2 - 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................... V 2.3.4.4 Combined Sewer Overflows ........................... 2 - 10 2.3.4.5 Septic Tanks .................................................. 2 - 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS .....................................................