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If you have any questions on the information presented, or require additional report data or attachments, please contact the Report Contact
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Reflection Lake is important breeding marsh bird habitat for several species, including the provincially blue-listed eared grebe (Podiceps nigricollis). A recent marsh bird monitoring project documented Reflection Lake as having high bird species richness compared to other survey stations in the Columbia Wetlands.
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Author: Rachel Darvill, Goldeneye Ecological Services
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Old Reference Number: COL-F20-W-303
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Old Reference System: FWCP - Fish Wildlife Compensation Program Columbia
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Date Published: Apr 2020
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Report ID: 58734
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Audience: Government and Public
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There has been a noticeable increase in the amount of cattail (Typha latifolia) growing in the lake/marsh ecosystem found here (reducing available breeding habitat), which is likely due to disruptions in hydrology that are human caused.
It is well-known that ideal marsh bird breeding habitat are wetlands with well-interspersed 50:50 vegetative cover/open water, whereas cattail monocultures are not well-used by birds. The focus of this project is on-the-ground experimental cattail manipulation that aims to return Reflection Lake to the hemi-marsh condition, increasing breeding bird habitat. Experimental cattail removal using benthic barriers (in this case, thick tarps placed on lake bottom) may be an effective way of removing patches of cattail. Through our restoration efforts, it was determined that the large cattail mat present at Reflection Lake is floating, making hand-removal efforts an ineffective approach for most of the cattail monoculture due to dangers presented to humans doing the work. It is suggested that other restoration ideas be pursued for the majority of the floating cattail mat; such as auger boring or pipe ramming used for culvert installation under the adjacent highway and railway, or mechanical removal followed by
possible muskrat re-introduction.
This project provided hands-on opportunities to college students that wanted to be involved with restoration efforts. It built upon relationships with First Nations by assisting Ktunaxa communities to relearn a traditional cultural practice that had been lost, cattail weaving. Empowering educational opportunities in the form of cattail removal and a cattail weaving workshop (lead by a Ktunaxa knowledge keeper) were created for First Nations communities. A traditional skill once lost, has now been regained by some peoples in Ktunaxa communities.
This project aligned with the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) habitat-based actions:
(P1) restore and create wetland and riparian area habitat to address impacted, degraded or lost habitat.
This project aimed to result in the restoration of Reflection Lake to re-create the hemi-marsh condition
(50:50 interspersed vegetation with open water), in an area where cattails are creating mono-cultures likely due to adjacent, historic man-made alterations (railway yard, highway) that have disrupted the natural hydrologic regime. Restoring the hemi-marsh condition at Reflection Lake would benefit marsh birds by increasing breeding bird habitat and feeding/resting (stopover) habitat. Direct benefits would be made to the provincially blue-listed eared grebe and several FWCP priority species for wetland/riparian ecosystems [e.g., sora (Porzana carolina), Virginia rail (Rallus limicola), pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), wood duck (Aix sponsa), hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus).
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Report Type
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Fish and Aquatic Habitat Information |
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Subject
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Birds - Hooded Merganser: Lophodytes cucullatus |
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Birds - Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps |
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Invertebrates - Benthic |
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Region - Kootenay |
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Fish and Fish Habitat - Habitat and Stream Assessment |
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Fish and Fish Habitat - Lake |
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Fish and Fish Habitat - Restoration |
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Vegetation - Aquatic Vegetation |
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Vegetation - Riparian |
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Water Information - Restoration |
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