Kwatna River Overwinter Pond Project - Gus Creek

 

Objectives

To establish rearing and high water refuge in the lower reaches of the Kwatna River for Coho.

FRBC Region/ MELP Region/ MoF Region

Mid Coast/Cariboo/Mid Coast

Author

Niel Oborne, International Forest Products and Michael A. Parker, MELP

Proponent

International Forest Products, Mid Coast Division, Hagensborg, BC

Watershed

Kwatna River

Location

The project area is located within the Mid Coast Forest District of the MELP Cariboo Region, some 55 km West of the community of Bella Coola.

Introduction

The Gus Creek site is an old back channel that has been in filled by silt. It is located low on the watershed ( 3 km. from the estuary ) and downstream of approximately 90 % of the spawning sites. The channel is still within tidal influence and twice / day for at least 20 days / mo. is enhanced by tidal flows.

Assessments and Prescriptions

This project follows 3 yrs. of up slope watershed restoration activity in the Kwatna watershed. Fish Habitat Assessments indicated that rearing habitat is a limiting factor in our efforts directed toward restoration of fish population to near historical levels. An Overview and Level 1 Fish Habitat Assessments were completed by Grizzly Holdings Ltd. on the Kwatna River in 1997. In 1998, LGL Ltd. completed Level 2 FHAP prescriptions for several sites on the Kwatna. Due to the late start in the restoration season in 1998, the Gus Creek Off Channel was undertaken as it could be constructed in the dry and only connected once completed.

Rehabilitation Work

Interfor chose an EX200 excavator owned by the local Nuxalk Band with an operator adept in logging road construction, landscaping, and pond building. A Clark 668C line skidder owned by Tim Case, Hagensborg, was hired to transport large wood debris to the site. The labour crew varied from 1 to 3 persons. To account for our presence and activity in a sensitive riparian area and adjacency to a major salmon producing stream Bio Forest Consulting Services was retained to do environmental monitoring for the project.

The project began in Sept. / 98 and continued through to Nov. / 98. Midway through this period we finished excavating the suggested channel according to LGL’s prescriptions. It was agreed between Interfor, MELP, and LGL that considering cost and the amount of pond habitat built that is would be better to double the size of the Gus Creek project than to move on to the next project which had a few unknowns built into it.

The average mid pond depth is approx. 2 meters at low tide, high tide may increase this depth by as much as 1 meter. Over 200 individual pieces of wood debris were anchored or placed in the pond to serve as cover. Final completion is scheduled for Mar. / 99 when all bared soil will be seeded with a coastal reclamation grass mixture young cedar and spruce trees will be planted to increase riparian cover.

Work to date created 356 person days of labour.

Cost Summary

 

Restoration Results

The completed Overwinter pond is 420 lineal meters and is slightly over 0.5 ha. (500m²) in surface area. The average mid channel depth is approximately 2 meters at low tide, high tide may increase this depth by as much as 1 meter. Nearly 100 individual pieces of wood debris were anchored or placed in the pond to serve as cover.

Biostandards suggest that this pond should supply new habitat to 340 adult Coho, and some 6000 smolts (Keely et al. 1996, and Adams and Whyte 1990 as cited in Slaney and Zaldokas 1997). An estimated 2072 salmonid fish would be expected in the 0.5ha pond given the equation Log₁₀ fish number = 0.51 log₁₀ pond area(ha)+3.47 (Keely and Slaney 1996 as cited in Slaney and Zaldokas 1997) for overwinter ponds.

Proposed Work

There are several other sites including wood complexing and rearing pond development within the Kwatna River watershed for which prescriptions have already been drawn. These are scheduled to be completed during the in stream window of 1999. As well, seeding and riparian planting along the created off channel will be completed in 1999.

For Further Information contact:

Off channel rearing pond excavated along Kwatna River mainstem prior to LWD complexing and planting of broadcast overburden materials.

Literature cited:

Slaney, P.A. and D. Zaldokas (eds.). 1997. Fish Habitat Rehabilitation Procedures. Watershed Restoration Technical Circular No. 9. ISBN 0-7726-3320-7. Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks. Vancouver, BC.