Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 1320 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Nener, JC and Wernick, BG. 1998. Fraser River Basin Strategic Water Quality Plan, Chilcotin Region: Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin and West Road Habitat Management areas. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. |
| Organization | DFO |
| URL | http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library/315378.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | The Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road Habitat Management Areas collectively provide habitat for large runs of sockeye and chinook, and smaller runs of coho, and pink salmon. These HMAs support a relatively small number of salmon-bearing watersheds, however, the watersheds are quite large and support significant anadromous and resident fish populations. Water quality data were extremely limited for the three HMAs addressed in this report. Data were available for a total of 14 sites, only four of which were sampled on more than two occasions. These limited data did not provide the opportunity to make meaningful assessments of water quality conditions in the HMAs. Compared with other areas of the Fraser Basin the Seton-Bridge, Chilcotin, and West Road HMAs have experienced relatively little development. Urbanization is limited to a small number of communities. There is virtually no manufacturing and processing industry in the HMAs considered here. There are four permitted waste discharges to surface waters located in the three HMAs, all of which are sewage effluents. The dams on the Seton and Bridge River systems are probably the most significant legacy of human development in this area. The potential for degradation of water quality from nonpoint sources of pollution associated with land uses was considered for each of the salmon-bearing systems in the three HMAs. Forestry and agriculture (primarily ranching) are the two most significant land uses in the HMAs, but appear to be of lesser intensity than in many other Fraser Basin HMAs. Consequently, one would expect to find relatively few impacts to water quality in these HMAs at present. Development of cottages along lake shores is occurring. Although no specific problems were identified in existing information, there may be problems in the future if increasing numbers of recreational properties are developed. Such activities may result in riparian loss or damage, and if cottages are reliant upon septic systems for disposal of domestic wastes degraded water quality may also occur. Existing requirements for obtaining a permit for installing a septic system need to be altered to address highly permeable soils, housing density, and other local conditions. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Fraser |
| Sub-watershed if known | Bridge River, Seton |
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| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
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