DOCSLIB.ORG

Slocan Valley Elk Study

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Slocan Valley Elk Study Slocan Valley Elk Study Aerial Survey Report 2004 Prepared for: Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Prepared by: Leo DeGroot Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection Nelson, BC March 2005 Slocan Valley Elk Study – Aerial Survey Report March 2005 ABSTRACT An aerial survey was completed in February 2004 to provide a population estimate for the Slocan Valley Elk Study area. This survey covered the complete study area below 1200 meters in elevation. 188 elk were spotted including eight of the 43 collared elk. Two different mark – resight programs estimate the population at 923 and 1010 animals respectively. A sightability model was also used; it determined a population estimate of 362 elk. The large discrepancy in population estimates may result from a combination of the high vegetative cover over much of the study area, the lack of fresh snow, and the lack of complete snow cover. Current harvest levels are based on an elk population of 375, we believe the harvest could be based on a population of 600 – 700 elk. ii Slocan Valley Elk Study – Aerial Survey Report March 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................. iii INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................1 STUDY AREA................................................................................................................................................1 METHODS......................................................................................................................................................2 Elk Capture and Collaring ...........................................................................................................................3 Aerial Survey...............................................................................................................................................3 Mark Resight ...............................................................................................................................................3 Sightability Model.......................................................................................................................................3 RESULTS........................................................................................................................................................4 Mark Resight ...............................................................................................................................................6 Sightability Model.......................................................................................................................................7 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................................................7 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................................7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................................8 LITERATURE CITED....................................................................................................................................8 APPENDIX A ..............................................................................................................................................11 APPENDIX B...............................................................................................................................................13 iii Slocan Valley Elk Study – Aerial Survey Report March 2005 INTRODUCTION Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), are an indigenous ungulate in the Kootenay region of British Columbia. Some populations in the West Kootenays were supplemented in the early 1970’s with transplants of 75 elk into the Syringa Creek area and 49 elk into the Blueberry – Paulsen area (Demarchi, 1973). These elk were taken from Banff and Jasper National Parks. Many residents place a high value on the elk for hunting, viewing, or simple aesthetic reasons. For some other residents, they are considered to be problem wildlife due to the damage that they cause to gardens, orchards, and crops. Wildlife managers are attempting to satisfy the differing sets of values, but lack critical local information, especially in the West Kootenay (Serrouya, 2002). The Slocan Valley Elk Study, initiated in 2002, is designed to supply this missing information, so that management efforts can meet a wider range of values. The project is jointly funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund (HCTF) from the Arrow Wildlife Trust Account, the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (CBFWCP) and the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection (MWLAP). The MWLAP is implementing and administering the project. This aerial survey and determination of a population estimate was a key component of the overall study. The February 2004 survey was primarily funded by the CBFWCP. This report presents the results of the aerial survey. STUDY AREA The study area is approximately 800 km2 and is located in the West Kootenay region of south-east British Columbia. It includes the southern 20 km of the Slocan Valley from Passmore south-east to where the Slocan River joins the Kootenay River, 20 km of the Kootenay River Valley from this point south-west to Castlegar, and the Pass Creek Valley – Krestova area north and east of Castlegar (Figure 1). This area is in Wildlife Management Units 4-08, 4-15, 4-16, and 4-17, the Nelson – Creston Electoral Area, and the Arrow/Boundary Forest District. Valley bottoms are generally narrow, between 450 and 600 meters above sea level in elevation, and are largely private land in a rural residential setting. Approximately 5000 people reside in this area (Statistics Canada, 2001). There is some small scale agriculture which includes beef cattle farming, hay production, and fruit and berry crops. Areas above the valley bottoms are predominately Crown land, and are generally of a steep gradient. Commercial forestry is a major use of the Crown land. The area is in the interior wet belt, and falls within several biogeoclimatic zones. Areas below approximately 1500 meters in elevation fall within the Interior Cedar Hemlock (ICH) zone, areas between approximately 1500 and 2000 meters are in the Engelmann 1 Slocan Valley Elk Study – Aerial Survey Report March 2005 Spruce – Subalpine Fir (ESSF) zone. Areas higher in elevation are in the Alpine Tundra (AT) zone (Braumandl and Curran, 1992). L C T , T Willow Point Lebahdo N I n L a m S h p r o E o u W l Gr e S k Pas sm ore e e (at map centre) r y Cr i C A r e e k Granite C k Taghum Slocan Park e o e r t C x Beasley R e E p Corra V A I Blewett R Bonnington Linn F Falls o r t y South n N i n a t Slocan e n r e c C n s e r Kres tov a r s r C , C Valley Cre e k Shoreacres G oo s e C r Y e e , k Glade A Copper N Mtn E T Tarrys O k O C Pass Creek b o teK B a r r a t Siw ash e a k S g Mtn h ac in Gibson Creek Thrums Re r ! y ! S Raspberry Kraf t Robson Brilliant Robson C O West E L U r M B Gras sy I Castlegar i A Mountain e Kinnaird Ootischenia R C r I e e y V r k C r E e r b R e e k Blueberry 202Kilometers 1:250,000 Figure 1. The area covered by the Slocan Valley Elk Study is outlined by the ellipse. The contour (grey) lines are 200 meters in elevation apart. METHODS We captured and attached collars to fifty elk within the study area during the 2002/03 and 2003/04 winters using corral traps. The collars were attached to monitor elk movements, however the presence of collared elk allowed the use of mark – resight methodology of population estimation (Krebs, 1989, Seber, 1982, White, 1996). A sightability model developed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (Unsworth, et al, 1999) provided an alternate population estimation method from the aerial survey data. 2 Slocan Valley Elk Study – Aerial Survey Report March 2005 Elk Capture and Collaring Sixteen of 49 elk collared received both a VHF collar (Lotek Wireless, Newmarket, Ontario) and a visual collar with a unique letter identifying the individual (Wheelers Custom Upholstery, Nelson, BC). Twenty five elk received only a visual collar. Eight elk received a Global Positioning System (GPS) collar (Advanced Telemetry Systems (ATS), Isanti, Minnestota) (four GPS collars were actually used, they were removed after 10 months, refurbished, and attached to different animals the second winter). The VHF and four GPS collared elk were all within the study area at the time of the survey. We presume that all of the elk fitted with visual collars were also within the study area. One collared elk had been taken by a hunter, and another killed on a highway. As a result, we estimate that 43 marked elk were within the study area. Aerial Survey We divided the study area into 12 sub units using boundaries developed previously by the CBFWCP (Heaven et al, 1998). Areas above 1200 meters in elevation were not included in the sub units as elk were not expected to use these areas during the winter due to the deep snow depth. (Snow depth was very close to the long term average at 1200 meters elevation and at lower elevations (MWLAP, 2004)). The sub units were of
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Shorthead Sculpin (Cottus Confusus) Is a Small, Freshwater Sculpin (Cottidae)
    COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Shorthead Sculpin Cottus confusus in Canada SPECIAL CONCERN 2010 COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows: COSEWIC. 2010. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Shorthead Sculpin Cottus confusus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xii + 28 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Previous report(s): Production note: COSEWIC acknowledges Don McPhail for writing the provisional status report on the Shorthead Sculpin, Cottus confusus, prepared under contract with Environment Canada. The contractor’s involvement with the writing of the status report ended with the acceptance of the provisional report. Any modifications to the status report during the subsequent preparation of the 6-month interim status and 2-month interim status reports were overseen by Eric Taylor, COSEWIC Freshwater Fishes Specialist Subcommittee Co- chair. For additional copies contact: COSEWIC Secretariat c/o Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Tel.: 819-953-3215 Fax: 819-994-3684 E-mail: COSEWIC/[email protected] http://www.cosewic.gc.ca Également disponible en français sous le titre Ếvaluation et Rapport de situation du COSEPAC sur le chabot à tête courte (Cottus confusus) au Canada. Cover illustration/photo: Shorthead Sculpin — illustration by Diana McPhail Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2011. Catalogue No. CW69-14/251-2011E-PDF ISBN 978-1-100-18592-7 Recycled paper COSEWIC Assessment Summary Assessment Summary – November 2010 Common name Shorthead Sculpin Scientific name Cottus confusus Status Special Concern Reason for designation In Canada, this small freshwater fish is endemic to the Columbia River basin where it has a very small geographic distribution.
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Wildfire Risk Analysis – Preliminary Report
    MINISTRY OF FORESTS, LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCE OPERATIONS, POST-WILDFIRE RISK ANALYSIS – PRELIMINARY REPORT NOTE: The results given on this form are intended to be a preliminary warning of potential hazards and risks. If conducted, further work may alter or refine the conclusions. Interpretations are a result of a visual estimation of burn severity with limited field checking. Please contact the author for more information. FIRE: Talbott Fire N51250 FIRE YEAR: 2020 DATE OF REPORT: Oct. 30, 2020 AUTHOR: Tedd Robertson, P.Geo. Eng.L., Sitkum Consulting Ltd. REPORT PREPARED FOR: Selkirk Resource District (Kootenay Lake FD), Southeast Fire Centre, Regional District Central Kootenay (RDCK) FIRE SIZE, LOCATION, AND LAND STATUS: 1302 ha in size, located at the south end of Perry Ridge approximately 30 km north of Castlegar, B.C. Located on crown land situated upslope of private land. VALUES AT RISK: Private property (including residences and inferred human safety), domestic water quality and supply, and public roads have been addressed below. Other downslope values not specifically addressed include fish habitat in the Slocan River and Little Slocan River, as well as existing forest roads. COMMENTS: The attached burn severity map is based on visual estimates from the helicopter overview flight and ground observations. Satellite based burn severity mapping (BARC mapping) is not available for 30% of the fire area, and is believed to underestimate burn severity in many locations based on field work, so this report presents the results based on the visual estimations. Smoke reduced visibility on the northwest side of Perry Ridge during the overview flight, reducing the reliability of observations in this area.
    [Show full text]
  • Slocan Lake Foreshore Fish & Wildlife
    SLOCAN LAKE FORESHORE FISH & WILDLIFE HABITAT ASSESSMENT INCLUDING FORESHORE INVENTORY AND MAPPING (FIM) AQUATIC HABITAT INDEX (AHI) Prepared for: SLOCAN LAKE STEWARDSHIP SOCIETY PO Box 322, New Denver, BC V0G 2S0 Prepared by: GALENA ENVIRONMENTAL Ltd 8075 Upper Galena Farm Rd, Silverton, BC V0G 2B0 May 2011/File No. 09-31 Slocan Lake Foreshore Fish and Wildlife Habitat Assessment, FIM & AHI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Responding to concerns about water quality in Slocan Lake and the potential increase in the use of the lake, local residents formed the Slocan Lake Stewardship Society (SLSS) in June 2006. Expanding development pressures in the Slocan Lake area and increasing use of the foreshore areas provided the impetus to develop a strategy that will serve to direct lake and foreshore use in a manner which would respect community values and protect the existing ecosystem. One of the goals of the Society is to lead the development of a set of community-driven guidelines, in accordance with Regional, Provincial and Federal policies and regulations. These guidelines would serve to direct land and water use in and around the lake and to achieve a uniform standard for the activities of developers, local governments, the tourism industry and local residents. To serve as a basis for the development of future land-use guidelines, the SLSS undertook to complete a study of the present state of Slocan Lake. The present report documents the results of three components of that study: a Fish and Wildlife Habitat Assessment, a Foreshore Inventory and Mapping (FIM), and an Aquatic Habitat Index (AHI). In 2007, staff from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nelson, carried out an Overview Foreshore Inventory and Mapping of the Slocan Lake shoreline (Arnett 2009).
    [Show full text]
  • Columbia Sculpin (Cottus Hubbsi) Is a Small, Freshwater Sculpin (Cottidae)
    COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Columbia Sculpin Cottus hubbsi in Canada SPECIAL CONCERN 2010 COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows: COSEWIC. 2010. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Columbia Sculpin Cottus hubbsi in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xii + 32 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Production note: COSEWIC acknowledges Don McPhail for writing the provisional status report on the Columbia Sculpin, Cottus hubbsi, prepared under contract with Environment Canada. The contractor’s involvement with the writing of the status report ended with the acceptance of the provisional report. Any modifications to the status report during the subsequent preparation of the 6-month interim status report and 2-month interim status reports were overseen by Dr. Eric Taylor, COSEWIC Freshwater Fishes Specialist Subcommittee Co-chair. For additional copies contact: COSEWIC Secretariat c/o Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Tel.: 819-953-3215 Fax: 819-994-3684 E-mail: COSEWIC/[email protected] http://www.cosewic.gc.ca Également disponible en français sous le titre Ếvaluation et Rapport de situation du COSEPAC sur le chabot du Columbia (Cottus hubbsi) au Canada. Cover illustration/photo: Columbia Sculpin — illustration by Diana McPhail. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2011. Catalogue No. CW69-14/268-2011E-PDF ISBN 978-1-100-18590-3 Recycled paper COSEWIC Assessment Summary Assessment Summary – November 2010 Common name Columbia Sculpin Scientific name Cottus hubbsi Status Special Concern Reason for designation In Canada, this small freshwater fish is endemic to the Columbia River basin where it has a small geographic distribution.
    [Show full text]
  • THE BACK-TO-THE-LAND MOVEMENT in the SLOCAN VALLEY by JOHN GORDON GOWER BA Ca
    THE IMPACT OF ALTERNATIVE IDEOLOGY ON LANDSCAPE: THE BACK-TO-THE-LAND MOVEMENT IN THE SLOCAN VALLEY By JOHN GORDON GOWER B.A. Carleton University, 1986 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA September 1990 ® John Gordon Gower In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of GEOGRAPHY The University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Date September 25th, 1990 DE-6 (2/88) ABSTRACT Like many North American resource-based rural communities, the Slocan Valley in southeastern British Columbia experienced a decline in its population and economy during the first half of this century. However, in the late 1960s, mainly young, well-educated and often idealistic members of the back-to-the-land movement began to re-settle the area. The influx reached its peak in the mid 1970s, and at a diminished level, continues. Currently this group of recent settlers comprises approximately one-quarter of the valley's population of 5000.
    [Show full text]
  • Slocan Valley Watershed Gap Analysis
    2020 Slocan Valley Watershed Gap Analysis Written by Dominique Monnier in collaboration with Jennifer Yeow & Joel Russ Prepared for Slocan River Streamkeepers Updated Feb.2nd, 2020 Contents Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................. 2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Literature Summary & Findings ........................................................................................................... 7 Risks & Threats .................................................................................................................................... 16 Summary of Recommendations from Literature, Interviews and Questionaire....................................... 25 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................................... 26 Acknowledgements This project was funded by the RDCK for which we are very grateful. Many people assisted with this document by sharing reports, participating in interviews and answering the questionnaire including: Jeff Burrows, Crystal Lawrence, Jeremy Baxter, Wendy Horan, Gregoire Lamoureux, Richard Johnson, Ryan Durand, Darcie Quamme, Rhia Mackenzie, Alan Thomson, Dahpne Fields, Jennifer Yeow, and Joel Russ. I truly appreciate the support from the community and admire the passion that exists
    [Show full text]
  • Fish in the River Report – 2000
    \ Fish In The River Final Report June 30, 2000 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR FISH IN THE RIVER June 30, 2000 This project was conceived this winter in response to a request for proposals sent out in Nov. 1999 for the Environmental Stewardship and Public Education Program for the Columbia-Kootenay Basin. The intention was to begin a dialogue about the state of the fisheries and other natural resources in the valley, and to explore ways to promote their health. The project provided information to people who want to learn more about the Slocan River fish population and other environmental issues, as well as collect information from residents. In the past, The Slocan River system supported higher populations of diverse species of fish than it does now. There are a number of reasons for the decline of the fish. Two easily identified problems are dams built on fish migratory routes, and the removal of riparian vegetation. Thanks to funding from the Columbia Basis Wildlife Compensation Program, Forest Renewal and Provincial Government Ministries, a sizable number of research studies have been done on the Slocan River system. Much of the content of these works and recommendations for restorative work are unknown to the public. Their work represents some of the information we have summarized and disseminated. We had as many venues as possible for reaching out to the residents. During the period of the project had a website (which will continue until Dec.),an information Kiosk, newspaper articles, Small meetings in resident’s homes, a brochure, and public meetings. Our final report is a compilation of as much of this material as possible.
    [Show full text]
  • Slocan Lake Bull Trout Redd Counts (2016 FWCP)
    Slocan Lake Bull Trout Redd Counts – 2016 FWCP Study No. COL-F17-F-1280 Jeremy T.A. Baxter1 and Robyn L. Irvine2 Prepared for: Crystal Klym Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program - Columbia 601-18th Street Castlegar, B.C. V1N 2N1 The FWCP is a Partnership of: January 23, 2017 – Final Report 1Mountain Water Research, 107 Viola Crescent, Trail BC, V1R 1A1 e-mail: [email protected] 2 Poisson Consulting Ltd., 4216 Shasheen Road, Nelson BC, V1L 6X1 e-mail: [email protected] Slocan Lake Bull Trout Redd Monitoring FWCP Project No. COL-F17-1280 2016 – Final Report Cover Photos: 2016 Wilson Creek Bull Trout redd survey and Silverton Creek male Bull Trout protecting spawning gravels. Suggested Citation: J.T.A. Baxter and R.L. Irvine (2017). Slocan Lake Bull Trout Redd Monitoring 2016. FWCP Project No. COL-F17-1280 Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Columbia Basin, Castlegar. A Mountain Water Research and Poisson Consulting Ltd. Final Report. © 2017 FWCP. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission from Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Columbia Basin, BC. Slocan Lake Bull Trout Redd Monitoring FWCP Project No. COL-F17-1280 2016 – Final Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report summarizes the results of the fourth year of study carrying out adfluvial Bull Trout redd counts on tributaries to Slocan Lake for the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) in Fall 2016. All creeks with Bull Trout accessible habitat were surveyed in late September 2016 to count redds and spawning fish.
    [Show full text]
  • Fish Passage and Reintroduction Into the U.S. & Canadian Upper
    Fish Passage and Reintroduction Into the U.S. & Canadian Upper Columbia River An Interim Joint Paper of the U.S. Columbia River Tribes and Canadian First Nations Overview ■ Brief overview of the Columbia River Treaty ! ! ■ Review US Tribes’ fish passage goal and US Entity’s regional recommendation ! ! ■ Overview on contents of UCR Interim Joint Passage Paper ! ! ! ! Columbia River Treaty ■ 1964 Treaty between US and Canada for operation of Columbia River. ! ■ Purposes: Flood risk management and power generation ! ■ No consideration of ecosystem and fisheries ! ■ 5 dams constructed: Keenleyside, Mica, Duncan in Canada; Libby in the US. ! ■ “Industrial River” Columbia River Treaty ■ US and Canada have each initiated “reconsideration” processes as key elements of Treaty automatically change in 2024. ! ■ In US, the Treaty operating Entity (BPA, COE) led a sovereign and stakeholder review process that resulted in a recommendation to the State Department. ! ■ 15 Columbia Basin Tribes organized to address common concerns. ! ■ Integrate Ecosystem-based Function & Fish Passage US Tribes’ CR Treaty Fish Passage Goal ■ “Restore and protect salmon and other fish passage to historical habitats in the Upper Columbia and Snake River Basins” ! ■ Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams ■ Hells Canyon Complex ■ Dworshak Dam US Entity Regional Recommendation ! The United States should pursue a joint program with Canada, with shared costs, to investigate and, if warranted, implement restored fish passage and reintroduction of anadromous fish on the main stem Columbia River to Canadian spawning grounds. This joint program would proceed on an incremental basis, beginning with a reconnaissance- level investigation, and continue with implementation actions… B.C. CR Treaty Decision ! Salmon migration into the Columbia River in Canada was eliminated by the Grand Coulee Dam in 1938 (26 years prior to Treaty ratification), and is currently not a Treaty issue.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Slocan River, British Columbia
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by British Columbia's network of post-secondary digital repositories Understanding the Presence, Diet, and Habitat Attributes of River Otters (Lontra canadensis) on the Slocan River, British Columbia Cameron MacKinnon RFW 271 Recreation Fish and Wildlife program School of Environment & Geomatics, Selkirk College Faculty Advisor: Lui Marinelli Course Instructor: Brenda Beckwith April 9, 2020 2 Disclaimer The contents provided on the following pages are student work produced as part of the written evaluation in the diploma program in the School of Environment and Geomatics, Selkirk College, Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada. This work obtained a minimum assessment grade of “C” (60%) and met the requirements of the assignment for which it was completed. The author has provided written permission to include the following academic work in the Selkirk College Online Repository (SCOLR) and retains full copyright over their work. Canadian Copyright law applies to use of this work. 1. Abstract Once prevalent in many waterways across British Columbia (BC), river otter populations have seen a decrease due to trapping, development, and pollution since the beginning of the 20th Century (Mowry et al. 2011). Although there are data available on coastal studies of river otter populations, details on river otter diet and populations in BC’s West Kootenay region is largely unknown (Mackenzie 2013). During January and February of 2020, colleague Tiffany Muncaster and I surveyed sections of a 14-kilometer reach of river from Lemon Creek to the community of Winlaw, BC, to determine the presence of river otter through non-invasive observation survey techniques.
    [Show full text]
  • Soils of the Doukhobor (Former Coub) Lands Of
    SOILS OF THE DOUKHOBOR (FORMER COUB) LANDS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA by ALBERT L. VAN RYSWYK A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE in the Department of Soil Science We accept this thesis as conforming to the standard required from candidates for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE Members of the Department of THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA October, 1955 11 Soils of the Doukhobor (Former CCUB) Lands of British Columbia Abstract The soils of the Doukhobor lands of British Columbia were studied as a part of a research project undertaken by faculty members of the University of British Columbia at the request of the Attorney General of the Province. ' These lands comprise about 12,0*72 acres that occur in 16 parcels or communities in two gener• al areas, 5£27 aores near Grand Forks and 13,5^5 aores in the West Kootenay area. Soil surveys of these areas were conducted during the summers of 1953- and 1952* They were traversed by automobile and on foot and the soil type boundaries and related information plotted on aerial photographs of the scale of about one mile to 13 inches. From these photographs, soil maps were prepared of the scale of hoo feet to the Inch. In the course of the field operations bulk and undisturbed soil profile samples were collected from the more important soil types and test6 were conducted relative to infiltration rates and field moisture capacities. The soil profile samples were used in the ill laboratory during the winters for the determination of soil reaction, organic carbon, nitrogen, mechanical composition, apparent speoiflo gravity, pore size distribution, permanent wilting percentage and other properties.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphology and Timing of Spawning of Umatilla Dace ( Rhinichthys Umatilla ) in the Slocan River, British Columbia
    Morphology and Timing of Spawning of Umatilla Dace ( Rhinichthys umatilla ) in the Slocan River, British Columbia LOUISE PORTO 1, 2 and CRYSTAL LAWRENCE 1 1Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure, Suite 601E, 601 Front Street, Nelson, British Columbia V1L 4B6 Canada 2Corresponding author: [email protected] Porto, Louise, and Crystal Lawrence. 2016. Morphology and timing of spawning of Umatilla Dace ( Rhinichthys umatilla ) in the Slocan River, British Columbia. Canadian Field-Naturalist 130(3): 224–230. Umatilla Dace ( Rhinichthys umatilla , Cyprinidae) are endemic to the Columbia River Basin. In Canada, this species is assessed as “threatened”. Little is known about its life history, especially with respect to spawning in the wild. A total of 688 specimens were captured, including 39 mature males and females displaying spawning colouration and tubercles, during minnow trapping and electrofishing surveys conducted on the Slocan River in southern British Columbia, Canada. Fertilized eggs were not observed, but eggs and milt were expressed from ripe individuals. Spawning was estimated to occur from mid-July to mid-Sep - tember. Aquatic macrophytes and flooded terrestrial vegetation were important habitat features for mature Umatilla Dace leading up to the spawning period on the Slocan River. To our knowledge this is the first time that Umatilla Dace have been captured in spawning condition and observed with spawning colouration and tubercles in the wild in Canada. Results of this study will aid the development of recovery plans and management for this species in British Columbia. Key Words: Umatilla Dace; Rhinichthys umatilla ; spawning morphology; spawning time; Slocan River; Species at Risk Act; special concern; threatened status Introduction River (McPhail 2007).
    [Show full text]