Thompson Creek fish ladder, replanting and assessments
This project will improve fish passage and habitat in the Stave River Watershed, and will benefit Coho, Chum, Chinook, Sockeye, and Pink Salmon, as well as Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout. A wooden fish ladder on Thompson Creek – a salmon-bearing tributary to the Stave River – will be replaced. Bio-engineering and planting efforts will continue within the Stave River to replace invasive Reed Canarygrass with natural vegetation and to improve ecological function. An effectiveness assessment will be conducted on right bank erosion protection work and will help further downstream restoration of additional off-channel habitats. This project will host a local stakeholder meeting and community planting events.
Update: Fish ladder replaced on Thompson Creek
An aged wooden fish ladder has been replaced with a new 8.5-metre-long steel structure on Thompson Creek, a tributary of the Stave River near Mission. The ladder will provide long-term, reliable access to good-quality, valuable habitat for salmonids including coho, chum, Chinook, sockeye, pink, cutthroat, and rainbow trout.
The structure was augmented by riparian enhancement work that replaced invasive reed canary grass with native plants in off-channel habitats. Nearly 6,000 individual plants were dug in to reduce bank erosion, provide shade, and increase the volume of leaves and other organic debris falling into the water. In addition, nearly 200 kilograms of garbage was removed from the site.
The project is coordinated by the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition, with support from the FWCP, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Kwantlen First Nation. Volunteers play a key role, especially local champion Phillip Northrop of Thompson Creek Farms, who will monitor fish use of the new ladder.
Final report: executive summary
This project is a collaborative effort to enhance, restore and promote shared conservation values in the Stave River watershed. It is a continuation of work that has occurred in the Lower Stave River region to improve the overall salmon habitat.
FWCP contributed $65,870.82 from June 2019 to March 31, 2020, and with matching and partner inkind contributions the total project value of this project $93,823.47, which resulted in:
• Installation of a new Thompson Creek fish ladder -enabling fish passage ~400 linear m upstream
• 1626 m2 of riparian planting using 5750 individual native plants.
• Effectiveness report for the Right Bank Stabilization project with recommendations and next steps.
Click the provincial database link below to read the full final report for this project.