Improving Fish Habitat at Dave Marshall Salmon Reserve

Project Year: 2016-2017

View Provincial Database Record

Chinook Salmon: James Baxter

Project Lead

Squamish River Watershed Society

Watershed/Sub-region

Coastal Region

Cheakamus

Project Type

Habitat-Based Actions

FWCP Contribution

$72,110

Action Plan Alignment

Cheakamus Salmonid Action Plan

Project ID

COA-F17-F-1343

Dave Marshall Salmon Reserve Restoration & Upgrades

This project will focus on restoring, upgrading and maintaining several main groundwater and river intake channels on the Cheakamus Centre (School District #44) property. The project will also focus on habitat improvements for Coho, Chum, Pink, Chinook, and Steelhead Salmon, as well as benefit other salmonids and wildlife.

This is a new project, but it builds on work done in previous years with funding from the former Bridge Coastal Restoration Program, and will also benefit the Evans Creek Re-watering project (funded in part in 2015 by FWCP). The principle works will include extending “Kiwi Habitat Channel,” upgrading “Far Point Channel,” repairing bridge crossings, and cleaning out water control intake structures. Particular focus will be on improving habitat for Coho, Chum, Pink, Chinook and Steelhead Salmon, as well as Cutthroat Trout, Dolly Varden and Bull Trout.


Final Report: Executive Summary

The Dave Marshall Salmon Reserve Restoration project focused on restoring, upgrading, and maintaining several ground water and river intake channels of the Cheakamus River. The project is located at the Cheakamus Centre (School District #44) in Squamish, British Columbia. The project targeted habitat improvements for coho, chum, pink, Chinook, and steelhead salmon. As well, benefits extend to other salmonid, amphibian, bird and wildlife species.

The project fits within the directives identified in the Cheakamus Watershed Salmonid Action Plan as noted in Table 2 under Habitat Based Actions: a) Maintain existing constructed habitat enhancements for all salmonids; and b) Improve existing side channels and offchannel areas for all salmonids.

This project builds upon the work undertaken in the 3 phases of Evans Creek Re-watering projects funded by FWCP and links to and benefit the Evans Creek Re-watering project but is a standalone project in that it concentrates on upgrades and improvements to the Dave Marshall Salmon Reserve.

There were slight modifications to the works schedule in the 2016/2017 season. The intake at Far Point was upgraded to a 3’ diameter pipe along with a new intake structure and the Far Point head pond was cleaned out early in 2016. The field season concentrated on upgrades to weir structures and flow split upgrades at Coho Connector and Birth of a Stream North and South, removal of obstructions and woody debris in Wountie Channel and Mykiss Channel, and bridge upgrades at various locations including Birth of a Stream North and South. Cleanup of Gorbuscha Channel and Duck Pond head ponds were also completed. The valve replacement of Eagle Point Intake was also completed replacing the butterfly valve with a more robust flow control structure. The extension of Kiwi Channel now ties directly into the downstream Evans Creek Re-watering project.

Click the provincial database link below to read the full final report for this project.

View more about this project on the provincial database