| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The San Juan River watershed, managed by BC Timber Sales, Timber West Forest Corp. and Teal Cedar Products Ltd., was identified as a candidate watershed for fish passage assessment funding through the Forest Investment Account (FIA). M. C. Wright & Associates Ltd. conducted fish passage assessments throughout the watershed from July 23rd to December 17th, 2010. Mainlines and major branch roads including Hemmingsen Creek Mainline, Harris Creek Mainline, Lens Creek Mainline, Fleet River Mainline, and Granite (Renfrew) Creek Mainline were targeted first for field assessment followed by accessible spurs and then deactivated roads. A total of 987 crossings were visited; 953 crossings did not qualify for full assessments and 34 were fully assessed. Of the 953 non-assessed crossings, 136 were openbottomed structures (bridges, wooden box culverts, etc.) and 817 were closed bottom structures (cross-drains, round culverts with no fish habitat, etc.). UTM and photographic data were collected for all structures visited. Of the 34 assessed crossings, 32 were determined, using scoring criteria, to be barriers or potential barriers to fish passage and proposed solutions were developed for each site. Habitat gained index (HGI), channel gradient (>20%) and the potential existence of downstream crossing barriers were used to eliminate 18 crossings from the immediate candidate list for restoration. For the 16 crossings recommended as candidates for restoration two replacement options were provided for each crossing, with pricing calculation estimates based upon span and price per unit for each replacement structure. Also, the recommended crossings were put through a cost benefit analysis and given a priority rating between 1 and 3 based on habitat value upstream (high to low respectively). One priority 1 site was identified, followed by 11 priority 2 sites and 4 priority 3 sites. |
