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Report: ANALYSIS AND PRIORITY IDENTIFICATION OF EXISTING FISH PASSAGE DATA:
BULKLEY RIVER WATERSHED
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For this project, existing fish passage information in the Bulkley River watershed located near Smithers,
British Columbia was reviewed in order to prioritize and rank culverts for further assessment and/or
rehabilitation. A literature and Provincial Steam Crossing Inventory System (PSCIS) database review was
conducted and rehabilitation opportunities were analyzed within the context of a GIS generated Fish
Habitat Model of the known or potential fish habitat located upstream.
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Author: Allan Irvine - Masse Environmental Consultants Ltd
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Date Published: Mar 2018
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Report ID: 56648
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Audience: Government and Public
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Fish passage impediments created by road crossing structures in British Columbia are a significant
challenge that can have a substantial cumulative impact on local fish populations by reducing access to critical habitat and fragmenting populations. Closed bottom road crossing structures (culverts) can
present barriers to fish migration due to increased water velocity, turbulence, a vertical drop at the
culvert outlet and/or maintenance issues. Rehabilitation and replacement of crossing structure barriers can provide access to currently isolated high value habitats.
For this project, existing fish passage information in the Bulkley River watershed located near Smithers,
British Columbia was reviewed in order to prioritize and rank culverts for further assessment and/or
rehabilitation. A literature and Provincial Steam Crossing Inventory System (PSCIS) database review was
conducted and rehabilitation opportunities were analyzed within the context of a GIS generated Fish
Habitat Model of the known or potential fish habitat located upstream.
Past fish passage assessment reports for the Bulkley River watershed were first reviewed to identify
crossing structure barriers previously ranked as high or moderate priorities for rehabilitation. All
previously prioritized crossings underwent a detailed review. To attempt to identify previously unprioritized
crossing structure barriers located on potentially high value streams, road crossing structure
barriers that met any of the following criteria in the PSCIS database and/or the Fish Habitat Model also
underwent a detailed review.
Stream crossing barriers and potential barriers on streams with confirmed fish presence upstream
of the structure.
Stream crossing barriers and potential barriers on streams documented as ≥ 1.5m wide with
linear lengths of modelled upstream habitat <20% gradient for >100 m.
Stream crossing barriers and potential barriers located on streams classified as 3rd order or
higher.
Stream crossing barriers and potential barriers located on streams with >1 ha of modelled
wetland and/or lake habitat upstream of the structure.
Stream crossing barriers and potential barriers on streams with habitat value rated as high in
past fish passage assessment data.
Previously identified crossings that are barriers to fish passage in the Bulkley watershed were prioritized
based on past assessment information, available fisheries data as well as estimated upstream habitat
quality and quantity. The results provide a planning tool to help guide further assessment and restoration
of crossings. It should be noted that the methodology used for this analysis is one of many possible
approaches that incorporates assumptions about the value of fish habitat based on inferred quantities as
well as somewhat subjective interpretations of habitat quality.A detailed review and prioritization ranking was conducted for 397 crossings structures identified as requiring a detailed assessment. The crossing structure located on Highway 16 and Station Creek (PSCIS ID 124420) has been the subject of extensive assessments and has had the natural limits of potential fish distribution delineated with several rehabilitation design options explored in detail. Eighty-three crossings were rated as high priority for follow up with habitat confirmation assessments and potentially fish inventories. One hundred and thirty-six crossings were rated as moderate priority for follow up with habitat confirmation assessments and potentially fish inventories. One hundred and fifty crossings were rated as low priority for follow up with habitat confirmation assessments and potentially fish inventories and 27 crossings were rated as no fix.
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Report Type
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Fish and Aquatic Habitat Information |
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Subject
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Fish Species - Bull Trout - Salvelinus confluentus |
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Fish Species - Chinook Salmon - Oncorhynchus tshawytscha |
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Fish Species - Chum Salmon - Oncorhynchus keta |
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Fish Species - Coho Salmon - Oncorhynchus kisutch |
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Fish Species - Cutthroat Trout (General) - Oncorhynchus clarki |
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Fish Species - Pink Salmon - Oncorhynchus gorbuscha |
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Fish Species - Sockeye Salmon - Oncorhynchus nerka |
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Fish Species - Steelhead - Oncorhynchus mykiss |
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Region - Skeena |
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Fish and Fish Habitat - Culvert Fish Passage |
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Watershed Groups - 460 - Bulkley River |
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