| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
Carmanah Research Ltd. conducted an Overview Fish Habitat Assessment Procedure of the Cottonwood River watershed. The Overview is the first step in the Fish Habitat Assessment Procedure, a process that identifies opportunities for fish habitat restoration. The objective of this document is to recommend impacted stream reaches for Level 1 fish habitat assessment. Fish habitat was assessed using aerial photographs supported by records of fish inventory, forest harvesting, and analysis of Terrain Resource Inventory Maps. This assessment identifies site-specific habitat concerns and provides a preliminary assessment of the viability of habitat restoration work in the drainage. Several impacted areas have been defined as requiring Level 1 assessment. The Cottonwood River watershed comprises a study area of 247,363 hectares in the Central Interior of British Columbia. The Cottonwood River flows west into the Fraser River, north of Quesnel. Twelve sub-basins were assessed for fish distribution and habitat conditions, based on boundaries provided by West Fraser Mills Ltd. The sub-basins, from the confluence of Cottonwood and Fraser rivers, are the Cottonwood Residual, Ahbau Creek, Nelson Kenny Creek, Umiti Creek, John Boyd Creek, Lightning Creek, Swift River, Sovereign Creek, Victoria Creek, Reddish Creek, McMartin and Little Swift River. Habitat impacts in the Cottonwood River watershed are the result of mining, forestry, linear (roads, railways, hydrolines) and agriculture activities. The Cottonwood Residual sub-basin is defined, in its upper limit, by the confluence of Lightning Creek and Swift River. The sub-basin extends 58 km downstream to the Cottonwood and Fraser River confluence. Chinook, pink, coho and kokanee salmon use the Residual area for migration and rearing with some spawning and incubation. Fish habitat in this area is ample due to the sinuosity of the river channel, but forest harvesting has removed the riparian vegetation from several portions of the riverside. Forestry access roads may be contributing to the high level of surface erosion seen in the sub-basin that, in turn, may be impacting fish habitat. The size and sinuosity of Cottonwood River make the mainstem a hazardous place to work, so no assessment work in the mainstem is recommended. Chinook and kokanee salmon and rainbow trout are found in Ahbau Creek up to Lodie Lake. Fish habitat concerns in Ahbau Creek are related to linear (i.e. roads, railways and hydrolines) developments and forest harvesting along some mainstem reaches and on the tributaries. Level 1 assessment is recommended for several reaches. Nelson Kenny Creek, a tributary of Ahbau Creek, is designated as a separate sub-basin. The creek has chinook salmon habitat in the lower reaches, and it is recommended that a fish inventory be conducted to determine the presence or absence of fish above reach 2. Fish habitat concerns are related to linear development, forestry and agriculture activities. Level 1 assessment is recommended for reaches 1, 2 and 3. Umiti Creek is expected to contain chinook salmon, since there appear to be no barriers to migration. Potential fish habitat concerns are related to clear cutting to streambanks in several areas and sediment generation from forest access roads. Several reaches have been recommended for Level 1 assessment. John Boyd Creek contains chinook and rainbow trout throughout its mainstem. Fish are suspected of using at least the first reach of tributaries for rearing and spawning. Forestry activities that have impacted the fish habitat in John Boyd Creek and tributaries include clear cutting of the riparian areas and sediment input from roads that cross the creek. The reaches containing chinook have been recommended for Level 1 assessment. Forestry, mining, linear and recreational developments have impacted the fish habitat in Lightning Creek. Since Lightning Creek contains chinook, rainbow trout and bull trout, most of sub-basin is recommended for Level 1 assessment. Swift River contains spawning, incubation, rearing and migration habitat for chinook salmon. Forestry and mining activities have impacted the fish habitat by increasing sediment input from roads and removal of the riparian vegetation from the riverside. Several reach-specific recommendations have been made. Both forestry and mining activities have impacted the fish habitat in Sovereign Creek. The lower reaches of this chinook-bearing creek have been recommended for Level 1 assessment. Several reach-specific concerns have been flagged for field inspection. Concerns about the fish and fish habitats in Victoria Creek are few. The low gradient of the stream has absorbed the effects of the limited timber harvesting that has occurred in this sub-basin. Several reach-specific recommendations have been made. Fish habitat concerns in Reddish Creek have a high priority. The timber harvesting activity adjacent to Reddish Creek has potential sediment related impacts on the mainstem. Fontaine Creek, a tributary of Reddish Creek, has significant historical logging that has impacted the riparian zone. Impacts to fish habitat and riparian areas are evident along 11 km of the stream. Level 1 assessment is recommended for several reaches. McMartin Sub-basin, formed by the upper reaches of the Swift River, contains rainbow and bull trout. Concerns about fish and fish habitats are few. Fish habitat concerns in Little Swift River have a high priority for several reaches of the stream, mostly related to forest harvesting activities. Mining activities along reaches 2 and 3 of Little Swift River have impacted the mainstem by increasing sediment input. The stream crossing should be assessed to quantify the impacts on fish habitat. |
