Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 546 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Eaton, B. 2008. Workshop Handbook: Fishtrap Creek Workshop: Watershed Response to the MacLure Forest Fire. FORREX and UBC |
| Organization | UBC |
| URL | http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/~beaton/Fishtrap/Overview_files/FishtrapBooklet.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | In August 2003, the McLure Fire burned through several watersheds north of Kamloops, including Fishtrap Creek. High fuel loads, dry initial conditions, and strong winds resulted in an extremely high intensity fire that was difficult to contain. The burn of Fishtrap Creek Watershed was extensive, affecting 70% of the catchment and killing almost all of the trees in the riparian area. Since the fire, substantial salvage harvesting has occurred. Fishtrap Creek was chosen as a study site to document watershed response to wildfire because of its proximity to Kamloops, ease of access, and the existence of a Water Survey of Canada stream gauge, which has been operating almost continuously since the early 1970s. In addition, stand-scale snow hydrology studies have been conducted at Mayson Lake, just outside the catchment boundary, since 1995. Since the fire, the stand-level studies have been expanded to include snow hydrology and site water balance measurements in burned stands. Research and monitoring efforts have been initiated on the lower reach, including studies of suspended sediment concentrations, fine sediment sources and dynamics, stream temperature, water chemistry, benthic invertebrates, channel morphology and bed material transport. Much of this research has been funded by the provincial Forest Investment Account via the Forest Science Program. The objective of the workshop is to present a summary of research results to date, and to present emerging ideas about patterns of hydrogeomorphic disturbance and recovery. We also wish to promote discussion about the implications of the results for management and restoration of stream habitat in the context of natural disturbance and forest harvesting. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | North Thompson |
| Sub-watershed if known | Fishtrap Creek |
| Aquifer # | |
| Comments | project may be resurrected in future as funding permits, Phil Owens and UNBC group still doing some work |
| Project status | complete |
| Contact Name | Brett Eaton |
| Contact Email | [email protected] |