Walleye Case Study Case Study: Bois Franc

● Located in Quebec ● Enhancement site is located in a small river run between Baie Booth (upstream) and Baie Ininatik (downstream) ● This stretch has been identified as a historical walleye spawning site by elders within the KFN community. Finding restoration site Remember...

● Walleye that spawn up rivers tend to migrate upstream until they reach some type of impassable barrier (i.e. natural waterfalls or dams) ● The ideal substrate for egg deposition is a coarse rock (cobble)/gravel substrate. ● Presence of an adequate current that will keep incubating substrates clean and well oxygenated, as well as remove toxic metabolites. Bois Franc site

● Baie Booth empties into a small river run approximately 875 m upstream of the proposed site. The river flows straight and wide, altered slightly by a beaver dam approximately 75 m upstream of the culverts

● The rivers flows through the culverts, which are slightly perched, into Baie Ininatik approximately 230 m downstream

Existing Conditions

● The existing substrate consists primarily of sand with embedded cobble ● The area is slightly out of the main current, allowing for well oxygenated conditions and maintenance of a clean substrate Remember...

Determine your restoration objective:

● What are you trying to restore?

● What do the fish need and how can you supply it?

● What if NOTHING is done? What will be done and how?

Discuss in your groups:

● List what you plant to do, when and how

● How will you imagine your own impacts to fish habitat?

● How will you monitor success? Site

The proposed rehabilitation site:

● Is located immediately downstream of the quadruple culverts along the west bank. ● Is approximately 16 m long x 7 m wide (112 m^2). Recommended Approach to Walleye Habitat Enhancement

Technique 1: Substrate enhancement by addition of rock cobble veneer

● Attempt to establish interstitial spaces for successful walleye egg deposition and incubation ● Using clean, angular cobble (64-250 mm), hand-place a 1-2 layer veneer over the existing embedded cobble substrate. ● Over time, increased use of spawning area by adult walleye. Recommended Approach to Walleye Habitat Enhancement

Technique 2: Construction of a boulder-cobble spawning site directly at the edge of the main current

● Attempt to build a successful walleye spawning site at the edge of the existing current using boulders and rock cobble ● Building a boulder semi-circle as a submerged current barrier, with cobble substrate placed behind Post-Rehabilitation Monitoring Post-Rehabilitation Monitoring

● Take comparative underwater photos of post- enhancement cobble substrate ● Confirm use by walleye: presence of adults during spawn, eggs on substrate using spotlights during peak spawning times and egg mats on substrate respectively ● Monitor water depth and current during spawning period

Brook Trout Case Study The Problem  Local fish and game club report that brook trout catch in Depot Creek has dramatically decreased.  The club suspects recent flooded conditions and erosion is destroying the habitat.  They are willing to raise money and restore habitat to one of their favourite fishing spots Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:

 Water temperature above 20 C in places (mid-summer)  Dissolved oxygen measured at 6 ppm (mid-summer)  Electrofishing a known stretch of high quality habitat yield 2 brook trout in 3 passes (low catch) Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:

 Several

morphology Erosion & Sedimentation concerns identified from drone photos

Obstructions Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:

 Several morphology

concerns Obstruction identified from drone photos

Shallow Pools Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:

 Several morphology concerns identified from drone photos Sand Deposition & Braided Channel

Braided Channel & Sand Deposition Steep Banks – Erosion Obstruction and sand flat Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Some fast-moving sections with morphology and structure suitable for brook trout Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Steep, eroding sandy banks in several places – significant continuous input of fine sand into the system Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Slow-moving, warm flat areas – sandy bottom  Underlying gravel-cobble bottom Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Obstructions from eroding banks, sand deposition in slow-moving areas Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Braided channels and delta formation  Seasonal fish passage concern Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Alder shrubs overgrown and partially obstructing channel Existing Conditions from site visit and drone:  Small, deep pools with minimal cover Restoration Plan for Depot Creek

 What are the key habitat issues?  What techniques can be used in a habitat restoration plan? Restoration Objective

 What are you trying to restore?

 What do the fish need and how can you supply it?

 What if NOTHING is done? What will be done and how?

 List what you plan to do, when and how

 How will you mitigate your own impacts to fish habitat?

 How will you monitor success? Solution Restoration Objective

 What are you trying to restore? Impaired stream system that has a remnant population of brook trout. Many small habitat issues have had a cumulative effect on brook trout habitat over a long period of time. We are trying to restore habitat conditions that are favourable to brook trout (colder water temperature, deeper and more diverse habitats). Habitat issues need to be individually identified and remediated over time to have a cumulative effect towards restoring the creek system to be once again favourable for brook trout.  What do the fish need and how can you supply it? Incremental fish habitat improvements – restoration techniques that will promote increased flow through system, erosion protection to minimize deposition of fine materials (sand) into system, stream deflectors to deflect current/water energy into centre and away from stream banks, fish passage improvements by removing obstructions, structures that can capture bedload migration (sand).  What if NOTHING is done? System will continue to degrade in terms of brook trout and coldwater habitat quality. Creek may no longer be able to sustain any cold water fish species, including brook trout. What will be done and how?  List what you plan to do, when and how cut back areas where alders have overgrown and are impeding current, remove fallen tree obstructions that are not providing fish habitat, re-purpose alder cuttings by bundling them with wire and using them in combination with re-purposed fallen trees to stabilize eroding banks, re-establish fish passage by replacing undersized road culvert with an appropriately sized culvert that is installed with 10% embedded into stream bed, create a sediment trap with a backhoe to capture migrating sand bedload, create an undercut bank structure in existing small pools for shading and cover, install low-flow deflectors into channel to divert water energy away from banks and in some cases to concentrate flow and scour stream bottom.  How will you mitigate your own impacts to fish habitat? Work in water during low flow and when sensitive life stages of cold water (fall-spawning fish) are not present (no in-water work from September 30 to June 15), use hand tools wherever possible, replace culvert by isolating work area and working in-the-dry, install sediment and erosion control measures as applicable.  How will you monitor success? Survey anglers, conduct standardized, controlled electrofishing surveys, inspect bank stability, visual inspection and photos of stream morphology. Obstruction Removal – Alder Brush-out Remove obstruction (re-purpose logs for erosion control/stream deflectors). Do not remove in- water logs that may be providing shade/cover Bank Stabilization – Brush Bundles Pool Enhancement – Rootwad installation Channel Deflectors

Lake Trout Case Study The Problem  Lake trout have apparently stopped spawning on a traditional well-used shoal  This shoal is the only known spawning site on the lake Existing Conditions  Forest access road built five years ago in remote area adjacent to small lake trout lake (500 ha).  The lake trout spawning shoal is almost directly offshore from where the road is located Existing Conditions

 Little to no vegetated buffer between lake and road  Active erosion and sedimentation observed during rain event Existing Conditions  Shoal appears to consist of embedded rocks, fine silt-sand and debris. Long time residents recall a rock cobble shoal where one could ‘walk on the lake trout’s backs’ during the fall. Existing Conditions  Drainage ditches were built on the other side of the built-up road bed and equalizing culverts were installed to prevent washouts  Culverts are typically dry, but are overwhelmed during the spring freshet and flow directly into the lake Restoration Objective

 What are you trying to restore?

 What do the fish need and how can you supply it?

 What if NOTHING is done? What will be done and how?

 List what you plan to do, when and how

 How will you mitigate your own impacts to fish habitat?

 How will you monitor success? Solution Restoration Objective

 What are you trying to restore? Important lake trout spawning shoal impacted by chronic sedimentation from erosion of newly installed road.  What do the fish need and how can you supply it? Clean rock cobble substrate with interstitial spaces for egg deposition. This can be supplied by cleaning the existing shoal and stopping erosion/sedimentation at its source (i.e. the road, the drainage, and the unstable banks  What if NOTHING is done? Lake trout population could potentially be lost due to lack of successful spawning; at the very least, a population decline is imminent without intervention. What will be done and how?

 List what you plan to do, when and how Stop the erosion at the road shoulders (first); restore the interstitial spaces of the rock cobble shoal using high-pressure water hose; install new rock cobble on top if necessary  How will you mitigate your own impacts to fish habitat? Timing – no in-water work between September 1st and May 31st – avoids working when sensitive life stages of fall spawning fish (lake trout) would be present and vulnerable. Install temporary erosion and sediment control measures as necessary  How will you monitor success? Check runoff water for murkiness during high water/flood events; visual inspection of lake trout spawning shoal for presence of lake trout in fall, follow-up in spring to check for presence of lake trout fry Roadside ditch

Vegetation (shrub) plantings

Larger culvert opening

Rock protection Cleaning of spawning shoal, placement of new material

Smallmouth Bass Case Study The Problem  A new highway with several water crossings is being built through northern Ontario.  Fish habitat destruction has been authorized by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, on the condition that a detailed habitat offsetting plan would be implemented which would increase the productivity of the impacted and existing watercourses. Existing Conditions  Unspecialized warm water fish habitat at several sites along large river and lake system Existing Conditions  Unspecialized warm water fish habitat at several sites along large river and lake system Existing Conditions  Unspecialized warm water fish habitat at several sites along large river and lake system Restoration Objective

 What are you trying to restore?

 What do the fish need and how can you supply it?

 What if NOTHING is done? What will be done and how?

 List what you plan to do, when and how

 How will you mitigate your own impacts to fish habitat?

 How will you monitor success? Solution Restoration Objective

 What are you trying to restore? In this case, we are trying to create highly productive smallmouth bass habitat as a required offsetting measure for the authorized Harmful Alteration, Disruption/Destruction (HADD) of fish habitat during the realignment of the watercourses during highway construction.  What do the fish need and how can you supply it? Productive smallmouth bass habitat for feeding, cover and spawning. This can be supplied by adding structures to the banks, as well as substrate that is ideal for spawning. This can be added during construction work using equipment that is already on-site.  What if NOTHING is done? In this case, it is a legal obligation to create this habitat as a condition of the HADD Authorization. If nothing is done, charges can be laid under the Federal Fisheries Act What will be done and how?

 List what you plan to do, when and how Create feeding/cover habitat using boulders, fallen trees on-site in appropriate locations as determined by expert. Coordinate water level control (lower water level) and install spawning substrate (pea gravel with anchor boulder) in shallow, still areas).  How will you mitigate your own impacts to fish habitat? Timing – no in-water work between April 1 – July 15, when sensitive life stages of spring-spawning fish are vulnerable. Work in-the dry when possible; isolate the work area from main waterbody, sediment and erosion control measures  How will you monitor success? Visual assessment at or around installed structures – presence of spawning bass, fry; presence of forage fish. Where applicable, electrofishing around structures; underwater cameras, georeferenced photo- documentation Spawning substrate (pea gravel with anchor boulders) installed in the dry (summer season) Close-up of pea gravel substrate Left: aerial photo of submerged spawning substrate Right: smallmouth bass fry dispersing on-site Installation of rooted tree trunks, re-purposed from road clearing Tree trunk structures installed into bank; smallmouth bass capture at the site in early October during post-construction monitoring Rock protection and boulder placement in smaller stream – promotes cyprinid (minnow) production Upper right: smallmouth bass fry Lower right: smallmouth bass guarding nest