Lower Fraser Valley Streams Strategic Review Lower Fraser Valley Stream Review, Vol. 1 Fraser River Action Plan Habitat and Enhnacement Branch Fisheries and Oceans Canada 360 - 555 W. Hastings St. Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 5G3 1999 Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Lower Fraser Valley streams strategic review (Lower Fraser Valley stream reveiw : vol. 1) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-662-26167-4 Cat. no. Fs23-323/1-1997E 1. Stream conservation -- British Columbia --Fraser River Watershed. 2. Stream ecology -- British Columbia -- Fraser River Watershed. 3. Pacific salmon fisheries -- British Columbia --Fraser River Watershed. I. Precision Identification Biological Consultants. II. Fraser River Action Plan (Canada) III. Canada. Land Use Planning, Habitat and Enhancement Branch. IV. Series. QH541.5S7L681997 333.91’6216’097113 C97-980399-3 Strategic Review – Preface PREFACE The Lower Fraser Valley Streams Strategic Review provides an overview of the status and management issues on many of the salmon bearing streams in the Lower Fraser Valley. This information has been compiled to assist all concerned with Goals for Sustainable Fisheries managing and protecting this important public resource. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has This includes federal, provincial and local governments, identified seven measurable and achievable goals for sustainable community groups, and individuals. fisheries. These are as follows: While the federal government, specifically Fisheries and 1. Avoid irreversible human induced Oceans Canada, is responsible for managing fish and fish alterations to fish habitat. Alterations to fish habitat that reduce habitat (goals included in sidebar), this important public its capacity to produce fish resource is completely dependent upon land and water to populations which cannot be reversed within a human generation are to be produce and sustain its habitat base. The Province of British avoided. Columbia has the constitutional mandate to manage land and water resources. In settlement areas where the vast 2. Maintain the genetic diversity of fish stocks. majority of the land base is privately owned, responsibility for No fish stock, regardless of its size, land use and development planning has been delegated to will be arbitrarily eliminated and, where local governments. In the Lower Fraser Valley this possible efforts to conserve and rebuild small and remnant stocks will responsibility rests with 24 different municipalities and 2 be made. regional districts which do not currently share a common vision for stream protection. 3. Maintain the physical and biological diversity of fish habitats. Physical and biological diversity of The prognosis for settlement area streams is not habitat provides fish with an encouraging if this legacy of fragmented jurisdiction and opportunity to adopt alternative life history strategies, thereby providing poorly integrated land and water use planning continues. All protection from natural habitat levels of government and the community at large must place variation. a higher priority on watershed protection if viable wild fish stocks are to be sustained into the future. It is hoped that . / continued on next page this document (and its companion publications) will be used by all potential partners to better steward this valuable public resource, and direct development away from environmentally sensitive aquatic areas. i Strategic Review – Preface To assist stewardship efforts, the Fraser River Action Plan (DFO) has produced this document, which is part of a three volume package of information on streams of the Lower Fraser Valley. This package includes maps of stream locations, a stream status report, and watershed management issues and corrective prescriptions that must be applied to these streams if they are to be protected and restored for future generations. The three volumes in the . / Goals for Sustainable Fisheries Lower Fraser Valley Stream Review series, which is produced continued in partnership by DFO and BC Ministry of Environment, 4. Provide a net gain in productive Lands and Parks, include: capacity through proper habitat management. Volume 1: Lower Fraser Valley Streams Strategic Ecological limits control productive Review (1999)* capacity of a stream system. Natural and self-sustaining production systems are A comprehensive 450 page review of salmon bearing preferred over semi-natural, artificial or streams in the Lower Fraser Valley. Contains maps and non self-sustaining systems. appendices (watershed codes, escapement data, stream hydrographs). 5. Maximize the value of commercial, sport and aboriginal fisheries. Volume 2: Lower Fraser River Stream Inventory Atlas All market and value added values are to (September 1996; reissued with Stream Name Maps, March be considered and measured in a way 1998)* that permits comparison of competing Contains 47 orthophoto maps (and accompanying users of the fisheries resources. stream name index maps) with TRIM overlay, showing fish presence/absence. 6. Maximize the non comsumptive values The atlas or individual maps can be purchased from: Archetype of the fisheries resource. Print Ltd., #459-409 Granville Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 1T2, Intangible, cultural and social values ph: 604-602-0282; fax: 604-602-0283. associated with fishery resources are to be given due consideration in decision Volume 3: Wild, Endangered, Threatened and Lost making. Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley – Summary Report, 1997 (1998) 7. Distribute fishery net benefits in a fair A 40 page report on the classification of 657 streams in and equitable manner. the Lower Fraser Valley as lost, endangered, threatened Local communities are to be involved in or wild. Includes classified streams map of the Lower the decision making process pertaining Fraser Valley. to habitat conservation, enhancement, and restoration, and particularly who is to Volumes 1 and 3 are available from the Fisheries and benefit and who pays. Oceans Canada at the address below. For further information please contact: Habitat and Enhancement Branch Fisheries and Oceans Canada 360 - 555 W. Hastings St. Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5G3 fax: 604-666-0417 **Note:Note: For more information on fish distribution, stream mapping, the Streamkeepers database and Urban Salmon Initiative, a Community Directory and Stream Survey Tracking System, see the Fish Habitat Inventory and Information Program on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Pacific Region) Internet site, at <http://habitat.pac.dfo.ca>. ii Strategic Review – Use of this Report USE OF THIS REPORT While the Lower Fraser Valley Streams Strategic Review represents a compilation of research from a variety of written sources and individuals, and while many efforts have been made to verify this information, errors may still exist. In addition, this document has been in production for a number of years, and, while efforts were made to keep the contents current, some material may now be out of date. This document is intended to review the condition of fish habitat, the type of fish stocks, and the impacts on fish and fish habitat of Lower Fraser Valley streams at a strategic level, providing an overview of these issues for those involved in watershed planning and restoration opportunities. The stream summaries contained in this document represent most of the known salmon bearing streams in the Lower Fraser Valley. However, the list contained in this document is not exhaustive; some streams, such as Annieville Creek (Fraser River South Shore tributary) were excluded because of lack of information on location, condition, and fish presence. More detailed information on specific features or issues on specific streams, or streams not included here, is generally available from local governments, local stewardship groups, local DFO and Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks staff, consultants, individuals, etc. Agencies, groups or individuals wishing to address management concerns regarding a given stream system should not use this document as the sole source of information – on-the-ground reconnaissance, interviews with agencies and individuals knowledgeable about the system, review of maps, etc., should be conducted. Resources for current information include local DFO staff (e.g. Community Advisors), local MELP staff, local community stream stewardship groups (e.g. Streamkeepers groups, local conservation groups), DFO and MELP’s Internet mapping resources (described in text), and municipal and regional planning offices. It should be noted that this report was originally prepared for publication in 1997. However, with the ending of the Fraser River Action Plan, the resources needed to publish this document were also reduced. While publication has been made possible in 1999, much of the content of this document reflects information available in 1997. Conditions in local streams can change slowly or quickly, given natural events and human impacts. This document will need revisions over time, and subsequent editions will be produced as resources permit. Should you or your stream stewardship group wish to add information to the database on any stream, please direct your written comments to: Lower Fraser Valley Stream Review c/o Habitat and Enhancement Branch 360-555 W. Hastings St. Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5G3 Fax: 604-666-0417 iii Strategic Review – Acknowledgements ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Lower Fraser Valley Streams Strategic Review was funded and produced by the Fraser River Action Plan (FRAP), Fisheries and Oceans Canada