Floodplain Restoration Benefits Salmon

K. Scharffenberg

Floodplain Restoration Work at Stave River

Mission – With funding from the FWCP, the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition is in the midst of increasing off-channel rearing and overwintering habitat for Chum, Coho, Sockeye and Chinook Salmon in the lower Stave River.

The Coalition is creating cool groundwater channels, removing fish barriers, developing a plant inventory, and with the help of Kwantlen First Nation, completing an archaeological assessment. Once completed, more than 1,200 m2 of new salmon habitat will be created; over 100 m2 of large woody debris will be added to increase the overall habitat diversity; and approximately 6,000 m2 of riparian areas and tidal benches will be re-vegetated at three sites in the watershed.

In this photo, sedges are being brought to the planting site.