| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
At the reconnaissance level of assessment, the following hydrologic conclusions are presented for the Spius Creek watershed. There has been a moderate level of forest development -currently at 17%- in the Spius Creek watershed. Important other land-use events have been large wildfires, particularly, in the Maka Creek sub-basin in 1960 and 1971. Peak flow increase due to the effects of forest harvesting is a low to moderate concern for both current and proposed development (ECA is currently 17.3%) over the total watershed. Maka Creek sub-basin is the only area of concern for possible increased peak flows over natural levels (ECA is 27.3%), but the ECA is reducing to 2005 due to hydrologic recovery at old cutblocks (proposed ECA is 25.3%). From field survey results, the primary concern at the total watershed level is associated with sediment delivery to streams from surface erosion and mass wasting at roads. Erosion at fillslopes, cutbanks and ditchlines were frequent sediment production locations. Erosion and potential erosion at old, inactive roads are another concern, along with the impact of cattle at riparian areas. The greatest number of point sediment sources are located in the Prospect Creek sub-basin. Recommendations to mitigate the sediment hazard are provided in Appendices F and G for each sediment source listed. Due to the amount and spatial distribution of sediment sources, however, a road access and deactivation plan (RAD) is suggested over the total watershed to address restoration recommendations and identify road deactivation opportunities. The intent of the RAD plan is to reduce the amount of active roads in the watershed and identify roads for deactivation/restoration to lower the potential sediment contribution to creeks. A component of the RAD plan is a review of road requirements by licensees and other watershed stakeholders over the forest development plan period (e.g. 5 years). It is suggested that a map of a draft road network could be presented at a watershed meeting for review and comment by all stakeholders, with preliminary agreement on roads no longer needed for deactivation in each sub-basin. Recommendations from the sediment survey results of this study could then be implemented for the remaining active roads. Sediment production and delivery to creeks from cattle movement in riparian areas was observed dispersed throughout the watershed. It is suggested that a cattle management plan be established in consultation with watershed stakeholders to identify cattle migration patterns and develop mitigation strategies (e.g. armour watering stations in creeks). The plan could be developed and linked together with the RAD plan. The Re-CAP results indicate that mainstem channels in the Spius Creek watershed are generally recovering from an event that occurred at or prior to 1960. It is suspected that rapid road building to access the Maka fire in 1960 may have introduced channel disturbance at that time. Several channel reaches are still disturbed -reaches 2, 12, 13 and 24- and activities on fluvial terraces adjacent to these reaches should proceed with caution. Channel condition in the Silver Creek and South Fork Creek are a concern in the Spius Creek sub-basin. Both channels are showing signs of moderate and severe disturbance, and should be investigated more thoroughly on the ground to determine if impacts are located. The large burn in the 1960's has impacted the riparian areas of Maka Creek and some of its tributaries. Shading is reduced on the Maka Creek main stem and LWD supply and amount are reduced at the tributaries. Riparian disturbance from cattle damage is also evident on many of the creeks through the burn area. The appendices associated with this report are not available in EcoCat. |
