| ID |
2432 |
| Citation |
Northwest Hydraulic Consultants. 2012. Nechako Sturgeon Spawning Gravel September, 2011 Substrate Assessment. Prepared for Ministry of Forests, Lands and Renewable Resources. March 12th, 2012. |
| Organization |
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations |
| URL |
http://nechakowhitesturgeon.org/uploads/files/2011__Nechako_Freeze_Core_Final_2.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
On September 27th and 28th, 2011, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants Ltd. (NHC) conducted an assessment of the sturgeon spawning substrate that was placed in two locations in the Nechako River at Vanderhoof BC. The substrate was originally placed in the river in May 2011 and the primary purpose of the assessment was to assess the condition of the substrate. Of particular interest was whether interstitial spaces between the stones still existed. It is thought that these spaces are required for sturgeon egg and larval survival. The assessment was conducted with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations personnel and boat and driver support supplied by EDI Environmental Dynamics Inc. The assessment consisted of taking freeze core samples of the substrate and collecting underwater images of the substrate. Visual inspection of the freeze cores and underwater images was used to identify if the interstitial spaces between the placed stones had filled with fine sediment. The freeze cores and underwater images showed that at the lower site the interstitial spaces were filled with sand and fine gravel. In contrast, at the middle site the spaces were essentially free of fine sediment. The difference between the two sites may be related to where the sites are located and the path that sand and gravel take through the river. In particular the lower site is located directly downstream of an island complex and sand and gravel moving as bedload through the Nechako River appears to have moved directly over the placed substrate. In contrast, the middle site is located on an outside bend on the right bank of the river and bedload does not appear to have moved over the majority of the placed substrate on account of the morphology and structure of secondary currents at the site. Some sediment infilling was observed at the middle site, and this infilling was likely caused by sediment that was transported in suspension as well as bedload sheets moving on the inside corner past the placed substrate. |
| Information Type |
Report |
| Regional Watershed |
Nechako River |
| Sub-watershed if known |
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| Aquifer # |
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| Comments |
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| Project status |
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| Contact Name |
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| Contact Email |
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