Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 100 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Bates, A. 2004. Joe Rich Creek Channel Assessment & Rehabilitation Opportunities. Prepared for Regional District of Central Okanagan. |
| Organization | RDCO |
| URL | https://www.regionaldistrict.com/media/20227/Joe%20Rich%20Creek%20CAP%20Final.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | Joe Rich Creek is a major tributary of Mission Creek east of the City of Kelowna. The creek provides habitat to a resident population of rainbow trout. Licensed water users abstract flows for domestic use, stock watering and irrigation. The Joe Rich Creek watershed has been affected by development activities on crown and private land, including Highway 33. Along the creek, areas of extensive bank erosion along the channel have been identified. Additionally, poor water quality (high sediment, coliform) and channel dewatering during dry summer months have raised concerns over the health of the system. Streamworks Unlimited was retained by the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) Planning Services Department in October 2003 to assess channel conditions, identify rehabilitation opportunities and prepare preliminary prescriptions for remedial works in the Joe Rich Creek watershed. The Joe Rich Creek Channel Assessment was based on a review of existing background information and field assessments in the Fall of 2003. Background information included an Interior Watershed Assessment Procedure (IWAP) completed for Mission Creek (Dobson 1998) and meeting summary notes from the Mission Creek Watershed Advisory Committee (WAC) meeting in November 2002. Field information was supplemented by Sensitive Habitat Inventory and Mapping (SHIM) data collected previously and concurrently with RDCO staff. Channel conditions and processes in the Joe Rich Creek watershed were summarized as follows: ! Drainage from upper areas in the watershed is buffered by significant areas of wetland. Forest development in this area has resulted in little impact to the channel. ! Landslides associated with Highway 33 and Big White Road drainage have contributed sediment and debris to the channel. Local disturbance to the channel has been moderated by intact riparian forests. Sediment from these sources may be causing problems at the Highway 33 culverts and affecting private land downstream. ! Below the Highway 33 crossing, the channel enters an area of intense agriculture. Riparian vegetation is sparse and channel and banks are heavily used by livestock. The channel is deficient of instream structure normally provided by large woody debris (LWD). A process of bank and channel scour has been initiated, widening the channel, eroding banks and increasing sediment loads. ! Channel conditions improve again downstream as riparian vegetation density improves. Localized disturbances occur throughout the private land section. Fish access may be obstructed or limited by artificial weirs in at least two locations. Opportunities for channel, riparian and fish habitat rehabilitation were identified in many areas of Joe Rich Creek. The recommended long term, low maintenance solution for a stable channel supporting fish habitat is the establishment of a continuous, mature riparian forest along the entire length of the Joe Rich channel. This can be accomplished through active planting, however livestock exclusion fencing is key to riparian recovery. Fencing alone may be enough to begin the process of natural revegetation. It will take considerable time for any riparian recovery program to restore channel function and improve fish habitat. In the meantime, existing bank failures may enlarge, contributing sediment to the system and sustaining channel widening and aggradation. The over supply of sediment and under supply of LWD has resulted in a degradation of fish habitat. Shorter term improvements to bank/channel stability and the provision of interim fish habitat are therefore recommended. Table 2 provides a summary of rehabilitation sites with suggested approaches to rehabilitation and relative priorities. Several hundred meters in Reach 5 (upper Weddell property) were identified as severely disturbed and a key source of sediment in the channel. Preliminary prescriptions for rehabilitation of this section are provided in Appendix D. Prescribed techniques include the construction of instream rock riffles, rootwad revetments, brush layers, brush traverses and riparian planting. If a planting program is undertaken, no planting or seeding should go ahead until livestock exclusion fencing is in place so efforts are not compromised. Preliminary cost estimates and implementation considerations are provided in the report. It was recommended by the WAC in November 2002 that ECA levels for the Joe Rich Creek basin be maintained at low levels (i.e. 20-25%) in order to avoid aggravating existing channel instabilities through the middle and lower reaches. Stakeholders in the forest resources of Joe Rich Creek should propose a schedule to re-assess conditions in Joe Rich Creek to determine the degree of channel recovery and, if appropriate, adjust long term ECA levels for the watershed. Future monitoring of overall watershed condition should also be used to identify successful techniques and document progress in the watershed. Monitoring should also include maintenance of any constructed works and/or plantings to ensure restoration goals are met. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Okanagan |
| Sub-watershed if known | Joe Rich Creek |
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| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
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