Squamish River Watershed Status Report Prepared for: Squamish River Watershed Fisheries Sustainability Forum: November 27-30, 1997 Prepared by: David A. Levy and Shawn Davies HATFIELD CONSULTANTS LTD. Suite 201 - 1571 Bellevue Avenue West Vancouver, BC V7V 3R6 Tel: (604) 926.3261 Fax: (604) 926.5389 Email: [email protected] NOVEMBER, 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Purpose and Focus of Project 2 1.3 Definition of Study Area 2 2.0 THE SQUAMISH RIVER WATERSHED ENVIRONMENT 5 2.1 Physical Description 5 2.2 Geology 5 2.3 Climate 6 2.4 Watershed Hydrology 6 2.5 Water Quality 7 2.6 Contaminant Sources 10 3.0 LAND AND WATER USE 12 3.1 General Land Use Classification 12 3.2 First Nations 12 3.3 Industrial 13 3.4 Settlement 15 3.5 Recreation 15 3.6 Squamish River Estuary 15 3.7 Water Withdrawals and Impoundment 16 4.0 FISH AND AQUATIC-DEPENDENT WILDLIFE 19 4.1 Aquatic Habitat Characteristics 19 4.2 Fish Community 19 4.3 Distribution of Salmonids 20 4.4 Abundance of Salmonids 26 4.5 Aquatic-Dependent Wildlife 26 5.0 FISHERIES EXPLOITATION 30 5.1 Historical Commercial Fishery in Howe Sound 30 5.2 Exploitation of Squamish River Fish in Pacific Coast Fisheries 30 5.3 Recreational Fishery 34 i 5.4 First Nations Fishery 34 Page 6.0 FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT AND WATERSHED RESTORATION 36 6.1 Salmonid Enhancement Program 36 6.2 Watershed Restoration Program 39 7.0 INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS 42 7.1 General 42 7.2 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat 42 7.3 Industry 42 7.4 Human Settlement 43 7.5 Tourism and Recreation 43 7.6 Non-Governmental Organizations and Multi-stakeholder Initiatives 43 8.0 FACTORS LIMITING SALMONID PRODUCTIVITY 47 8.1 Forestry-Related Impacts 47 8.2 Hydroelectric Development and Water Regulation 47 8.3 Urbanization 48 8.4 Industrial/Commercial Development 48 8.5 Insufficient Escapement 49 REFERENCES 51 APPENDIX 1: Chronological History of the Squamish Region 55 APPENDIX 2: Description of Squamish Watershed Restoration Projects 59 APPENDIX 3: Institutional Framework within the Squamish Watershed 74 ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND Salmon and steelhead populations are in serious decline in many regions of British Columbia and western North America. The combined pressures from over-harvesting, habitat alteration, and climatic change all threaten the long term sustainability of these unique and important resources. The present situation calls for improved strategic planning coupled with co-ordinated and meaningful actions if we are to restore and maintain these populations for the enjoyment and benefit of future generations. Efforts to restore salmonid populations to sustainable levels are underway throughout the Pacific Northwest. At an International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability held in Victoria, B.C. in April of 1996, a Sustainable Fisheries Strategy was developed to help guide these efforts. The Strategy articulates a common vision for the future of salmonids and associated habitats, as well as a framework for protecting and restoring salmon and steelhead populations. The Sustainable Fisheries Foundation, convenors of the Victoria conference, are seeking to work with stakeholders at the local level throughout the Pacific Northwest to refine the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy for application in specific watersheds. The Sustainable Fisheries Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, enhancement, and sustainable use of salmon and other fish species in the Pacific Northwest. In a related, but independent initiative, the B.C. Coastal Forest Industry commissioned a study (Levy et al. 1996) to evaluate the current status of fisheries resources in the Strait of Georgia, and to determine the factors that are currently influencing their sustainability. This previous study identified the need for the Forest Industry to work with First Nations, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies to facilitiate restoration of fisheries resources in the Strait of Georgia. Heeding that advice, the Forest Alliance of British Columbia (FABC) has committed to convening a fisheries sustainability forum in 1997. To execute the forum, FABC formed a strategic partnership with the Sustainable Fisheries Foundation (SFF). Both agencies have agreed to work together by selecting a specific watershed within the Strait of Georgia region to serve as the focus for this effort. Criteria for consideration of Strait of Georgia watersheds as candidates for the Forum included those watersheds which are important salmon producers and which support active Forest Harvesting and related operations. Six Strait of Georgia watersheds were pre-selected as candidates for the Forum, including: Cowichan River Watershed, Nanaimo River Watershed, Courtenay Watershed, Campbell River Watershed, Jervis Inlet Watershed, and Squamish River Watershed. Within each of the pre-selected watersheds, descriptive information was compiled by Hatfield Consultants concerning watershed characteristics, land tenure, urban development trends, First 1 Nations involvement in fisheries management, fisheries resources (including salmon spawning escapements, freshwater habitat issues, estuary issues), and key contacts (Mulholland and Levy 1997). Based on analysis of this information, FABC and SFF selected the Squamish River Watershed as the focus for the Fisheries Sustainability Forum. 1.2 PURPOSE AND FOCUS OF PROJECT The purpose of this project is to engage forest companies, government agencies, First Nation, municipal organizations, interested parties, and individuals in a collaborative process to work towards fisheries sustainability within the Squamish watershed. Specific objectives of the Nov. 27-30 Squamish River Watershed Fisheries Sustainability Forum include: · provide an opportunity for citizens, policy makers, resource users, First Nations and other interested parties to exchange information on the conservation and restoration of salmonid populations; · engage participants in focussed discussions related to fisheries sustainability in the Squamish River watershed and elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest; and, · enable participants to develop a long-term vision for fisheries sustainability in the watershed, identify the factors that are limiting the realization of that vision, and develop strategies for overcoming these constraints. To achieve these objectives in a short time frame, it is critical that all participants have a common understanding regarding the status of salmon populations and the salmon fisheries of the Squamish River watershed. This document aims to summarize the relevant information for Forum participants, so that participants have the necessary background to maximize their potential contributions to the Forum. Another valuable reference document which contains a set of papers related to Howe Sound and Squamish Watershed environmental conditions is the Proceedings from the Howe Sound Environmental Science Workshop (Levings et al. 1992). The existing fisheries information for the Squamish Watershed is contained in both published and unpublished reports which have been prepared for specific resource users. Undoubtedly there will be some participants who have much additional insight and understanding concerning some of the fisheries topics summarized below. We invite such individuals to come forward and share their understanding with other Forum participants. 1.3 DEFINITION OF STUDY AREA We have selected a focus on the salmonid populations of the Squamish River and its major tributaries as shown on Figure 1.1. Within the Howe Sound region, the Squamish River supports 100% of the steelhead trout, chinook, sockeye and pink salmon populations, and approximately 99% and 95% of the coho and chum salmon populations, respectively. The study area also 2 includes the inter-tidal and shallow (< 5 m depth) sub-tidal areas of the Squamish Estuary. Most of Howe Sound is therefore outside of the Study Area for the purposes of the present analysis. 3 2.0 THE SQUAMISH RIVER WATERSHED ENVIRONMENT 2.1 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION The Squamish watershed is located approximately 60 km north of Vancouver and is the largest watershed within the Strait of Georgia basin. The total watershed area is 354,206 ha and extends from sea level to 2,678 m at the top of Mtn. Garibaldi. It lies between the Coast Mountain Range and the Tantalus, Clendenning and Elaho Mountains (Figure 1.1). The primary drainage is the Squamish River which flows 70 km southwest from the Coast Mountains to the estuary at the head of Howe Sound. The Squamish estuary covers an area of approximately 850 ha, and is site for much of the human settlement in the watershed. There are four main tributaries to the Squamish River; these include the Cheakamus, Mamquam, and Elaho Rivers, and Ashlu Creek which collectively drain a mountainous, glaciated watershed of 3,636 km2 (Schubert 1993). Other significant tributaries are Shovelnose, High Falls and Pillchuck Creeks. The Squamish watershed includes a portion of the Soo Timber Supply Area (TSA) and all of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 38 operated by International Forest Products (Interfor), as well as part of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Garibaldi Park covers approximately 37,800 ha, of which about 17,500 ha is classified as mature forest. The remaining area of the watershed is comprised of the Town of Squamish, including the Squamish estuary, and a large area of valley bottom which is a reserve of the Squamish Nation. Much of the valley bottom is covered by deciduous forest. Most of the settlement is confined to the valley flats associated with the