| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
This report presents the results of an overview hydrologic assessment of the Chataway Creek sub-basin, located north of Merritt. Aspen Planers Ltd. (Merritt Division) initiated the study, partly in response to results of the Merritt Forest District IWAP completed in 1997, and partly to address concerns from the Ministry of Forests. The Chataway Creek sub-basin drains an area of 3, 808 ha and enters the Skuhun Creek watershed at the confluence with the Upper Skuhun Creek sub-basin. Mining, forest harvesting, grazing, and recreational uses are identified activities in this sub-basin. Forest harvesting dates back to the early 1990's. The sub-basin is extensively claimed, and further mining exploration is expected (B. Madu, Min. Energy and Mines, pers. comm.). There is no water licenses listed and 1 BCFS recreation sites are located within the sub-basin boundary. The average annual maximum discharge of Chataway Creek is 0.58 m per second cubed over the period of 1984-1995, and ranges form 0.3 metres per second cubed to 0.9 meters per second cubed (Water Survey of Canada). Peak flows occur during the spring nival period, between mid-April to mid-July, corresponding to the snowmelt period. Topography in Chataway Creek is gentle with low slope gradients. Surficial geology consists of undifferentiated morainal and drumlinoid deposits in the south with rock outcroppings in the north. Surficial textures sampled from cut-banks and fill-slopes ranged from sandy to sandy-silt. Marsh areas are dispersed throughout the watershed. The mainstem of Chataway Creek is fish bearing: for the purpose of this assessment all permanently flowing channels are considered fish bearing. watershed assessment, ECA, peak flow, erosion, sediment |
