nature conservancy of canada (ncc) channel...

Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) ChannelBCRP 01.VI.02

byS.Anderson, R.Norgan,

Oceans and Community StewardshipDFO

November 2002FINAL REPORT

Nature Conservancy of Canada Channel BCRP 01.VI.02

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Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Channel01.vi.02

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4

Study Area .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Methods................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Results ................................................................................................................................................................................... 124.1 NCC Channel post construction survey information. ............................................................................................. 134.2 Habitat restoration, creation and improvements..................................................................................................... 16

Discussion.............................................................................................................................................................................. 17

Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................ 17

Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................................................... 18

References ............................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Appendices ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19Appendix A Nature Conservancy of Canada Channel Financial Statement .............................................................. 19Appendix B BCRP Recognition ...................................................................................................................................... 20Appendix C Contact List ................................................................................................................................................. 20Appendix D Equipment List............................................................................................................................................ 20

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1. RESULTS AS RATED BY PERFORMANCE MEASURES ........................................................................ 16

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1. LOCATION AND DETAIL OF NATURE CONSERVANCY OF CANADA CHANNEL ........................ 5FIGURE 2. NCC CHANNEL AS BUILT SURVEY PLAN VIEW ................................................................................. 13FIGURE 3. NCC CHANNEL, RAVEN CHANNEL AND MARSH BENCH LOCATION 2002................................. 14FIGURE 4. NCC CHANNEL PROFILE AND TYPICAL SECTION AS BUILT SURVEY 2002 .............................. 15


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Executive SummaryThe Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) channel is located in the Campbell River estuary. TheNCC channel connects Raven Channel to the Baikie Slough log sort pocket.NCC channel is 420m long, 3-5m wide providing tidal freshwater off channel rearing, spawninghabitat, refuge from high mainstem flows and alternate access to the rehabilitated slough area of theCampbell River estuary. In conjunction with the channel construction creation and planting of marshbenches was accomplished, restoring an area heavily impacted by industrial activity. This slough areaoffers brackish water habitat, providing important transition for juvenile salmonids at outmigration.The construction of this project comprising of channel excavation, marsh bench creation and planting,channel contouring, complexing and riparian planting was a co-operative effort. All partners in theproject provided resources, including financial, technical, and personnel.


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Introduction

Historically the Campbell River was 65 km long, draining a watershed of nearly 1500 km2. Since 1947a series of dams and reservoirs has affected natural river dynamics, and minimized opportunity forgravel, organics and food items to be added to the system. Over the past 50 years, periodic high flowshave resulted in the remaining gravel bed being flushed downstream through the estuary, leaving theriver with large cobbles and boulders unsuitable for salmonid spawning. The lower Campbell River,only 6.5 km in length from the impassable Elk Falls to the estuary, has always had a limited areaavailable for anadromous salmon rearing and spawning. The high kinetic energy of the lower river,with little off channel habitat, restricts rearing areas for juvenile salmonids and spawning for returningadults.

The habitat restoration program on the Campbell River has been based on a comprehensive approach,to salmonid life history, including adult spawning and juvenile rearing within river and estuary. Habitatimprovement strategies were identified by the Assessment of Salmonid Habitat in the Lower CampbellRiver (Burt & Burns, 1995), and enhancement opportunities were conceived to address the limitingfactors to salmonid production on the Campbell. The lower Campbell River was identified as having ashortfall of 15,000 to 20,000 m2 of the Chinook spawning habitat required to meet target escapements,as set in the Campbell River Interim Flow Management Strategy (CRIFMS). Gravel nourishment andplacement, in side channel developments, as well as mainstem spawning platforms, were thereforeconsidered a priority. Additional elements highlighted as key to improving salmonid production of theCampbell included lower river channels providing off channel rearing habitat and refuge from highflow events. The Campbell River Hydro/Fisheries Advisory Committee (May 1997) recognized thedevelopment of any new spawning areas must be evaluated in terms of other species and life stagerequirements, recreational use of the river, and aesthetics (particularly in relation to incorporatingprojects into parks, both provincial and municipal). In 1999 the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) led an initiative to purchase an 18-hectare (44acres) parcel of land in the Campbell River estuary for $1.8 million. This property includes uplandconifer, riparian, estuarine marsh, dredged slough, and part of a previous log storage yard. Theconfiguration of the property allowed, with some allowance from the adjacent landowner, theconstruction of a channel and marsh area. The District of Campbell River will administer the createdpark under a management plan with restrictive covenants.

The lower Campbell River, especially the estuary has been historically important to juvenile salmonidrearing, however, industrial activities over the past decades have severely impacted the availability andquality of the habitat. In conjunction with the channel excavation, a series of marsh benches werecreated within the estuarine slough at the outlet of the channel. The addition of sedge and rush marshhabitat to previous compacted log storage areas increases the productivity of the slough. Increaseddetritus from the decaying marsh grasses yields increased invertebrate production, important prey forthe rearing and migrating juveniles.This project was in part compensation habitat for Merrill and Ring planned log handling activities atMenzies Bay (north of Campbell River). The Rotary Club of Campbell River also contributed througha required compensation habitat creation stemming from works at the Willow Point (Ken Forde) BoatRamp. The majority of these works focussed on estuarine marsh bench creation.


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Study AreaLocation: Nature Conservancy Channel is on the lower left bank of the Campbell

River between the Highway 19 bridge and the Tamarac Street Bridge inCampbell River.

Watershed Code: 92-2600Map Reference 92-KLat/Long Coordinates 125o 17’ 55” W 50o 2’ 24”N

Figure 1. Location and detail of Nature Conservancy of Canada Channel


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Methods

Construction began in January of 2002 as none of the initial excavation was instream works and marshbench construction could proceed under the winter fisheries operating window for estuarine habitat.Channel construction continued until the surface water and tidal influence of groundwater could not bedewatered effectively using a 6” displacement pump to an upland site. Earthen berms were left in thechannel course to isolate the excavation from up and downstream watercourses

Spoil from the channel excavation was hauled and placed by excavators working at low tide toconstruct 8375m2 of marsh bench habitat in the estuarine slough at the outlet of the channel.


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Six separate benches were constructed ranging in size from 90m2 to 5240m2. Elevations of thebenches were set to local areas of the target vegetation (Carex lyngbeii). The outside perimeter andslope (about 3:1) of the benches was reinforced with gravel and cobble to protect from wind and tidalaction. Some hand digging was required to direct surface drainage through the benches. During Marchof 2002 the area was planted using donor stock harvested from designated areas in the Campbell Riverestuary. All holes resulting from donor stock harvest were refilled with sand. In order to track donorharvest areas and quantities of stock harvested diagrams outlining this information was required. Plugswere transported by herring skiff from the donor site to the bench site and planted with hand tools atabout 1m centres. Snow fencing was erected around the perimeter of the largest of the benches, and theinside area crisscrossed with polypropylene rope and flagging tape to protect from grazing Canadageese.

Monitoring of the marsh created as compensation habitat will continue as the responsibility of Merrilland Ring and the Rotary Club of Campbell River for five years as required by DFO habitatcompensation.


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Construction recommenced in July 2002 with channel excavation, and complexing with rootwads,logs, undercut banks and large boulders placed throughout. Woody debris was ballasted with largerocks and butt ends buried in the bank where possible. Cabling was required in some areas as the tidalnature of the channel causes large daily fluctuations in water level.

Alcoves were excavated where there was sufficient area available (constrained by property lines).Gravel filled bulk bag ‘weirs’ were left at two points in the channel to slow flows and allow settlingduring ebb tides.

Rearing salmonids were salvaged from Raven channel, adjacent to the inlet of the newchannel where a 15m x 1m (50ftx3ft) section of Aquadam provided protection and water controlduring the excavation of the top section joining with Raven Channel. Flows were established to thenew channel slowly, with the bulk bag weirs in place. The two bulk bags weirs were emptied on site 2weeks after the channel was opened.


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The channel inlet comes off about halfway down the Raven Channel. The inlet to the channel is set atthe same elevation as the corresponding point on Raven Channel to carry approximately half of theflow through to NCC channel. The channel water elevations are tidally influenced with a designedminimum water depth of 0.25m.The intake is a simple opening to Raven Park channel, armoured with large 0.5m rock for erosioncontrol.


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Rock was also placed to provide protection to sensitive sections of bank and areas with mature trees orwhere bank protection was required.

Riparian PlantingThe slope and upper crest of the channel were planted with Pacific Ninebark, Thimbleberry, and SweetGale to provide riparian cover, as well as Western red cedar, cottonwood and spruce. Crews undertookto remove invasive species such as blackberries and Scotch broom to provide native species withimproved growing conditions.

The channel is 420 m long and averages 4m wide, providing about 1700m2 of rearing habitat as well asaccess from the estuary to the river for adults and juveniles. A trail and bridge abutment wasincorporated into design and construction to allow public access to the channel area within Raven Parkand the NCC lands (Municipal Park).


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NCC Channel is located mainly within Raven Park, and the NCC lands administered by the District ofCampbell River, but part is on private land owned by Raven Industries. Agreements on setbacks withthe property owner were established before the project began.


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ResultsThe channel remains wetted at all target river flows, including the low summer rearing flows of 35m3

(1200f3), thus providing additional year round rearing for all species. An important component of thefish habitat restoration project was the creation of off-channel rearing for juvenile salmonids byproviding refuge from high flows, and riparian zones to contribute food to the system, as well as shadeand decaying plant material. The banks of the channel were planted with native riparian speciesreflecting the composition the surrounding area. The incorporation of pools and alcoves complexedwith stumps, logs and large boulders give cover for juvenile as well as adult returning salmon. Thearea remains fresh water although tidal influence affects water levels and velocities. Tidal influencenot only increases wetted area but also contributes more organics from the channel banks into thesystem.


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4.1 NCC Channel post construction survey information.

Figure 2. NCC channel as built survey plan view


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Figure 3. NCC channel, Raven Channel and Marsh bench location 2002


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Figure 4. NCC channel profile and typical section as built survey 2002


4.2 Habitat restoration, creation and improvements.

Table 1. Results as rated by performance measuresPerformance Measures – Actual Outcomes

Habitat (m2)

Project Type Primary habitat benefittargeted of project (m2)

Primary TargetSpecies

Estu

arin

e

In-s

tream

Hab

itat –

Mai

nstre

a

In-s

tream

Hab

itat –

Trib

utar

y

Rip

aria

n

Res

ervo

irSh

orel

ine

Com

plex

Riv

erin

e

Low

land

Dec

iduo

us

Low

land

Con

ifero

us

Upl

and

Wet

land

Impact MitigationFish passage technologies Area of habitat made available to

target speciesDrawdown zone

revegetation/stabilizationArea turned into productive habitat

Wildlife migrationimprovement

Area of habitat made available totarget species

Prevention of drowningof nests, nestlings

Area of wetland habitat createdoutside expected flood level (1:10

year)Habitat Conservation

Habitat conserved –general

Functional habitatconserved/replaced throughacquisition and management

Functional habitat conserved byother measures (e.g. riprapping)

Designated rare/specialhabitat (subset)

Rare/special habitat protected

Maintain or Restore Habitat forming processArtificial gravel

recruitmentArea of stream habitat improved by

gravel placement200

Artificial wood debrisrecruitment

Area of stream habitat improved byLWD placement

1700

Small-scale complexingin existing habitats

Area increase in functional habitatthrough complexing

Prescribed burns or otherupland habitat

enhancement for wildlife

Functional area of habitatimproved

Habitat DevelopmentNew habitat created Functional area created Chinook, chum,

coho and trout8375 1700

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Habitat Created:• 420 linear metres of channel excavated• 1700m2 LWD complexed rearing• 200m2 spawning at top end• 8375m2 Marsh bench-estuarine rearing/transition habitat

Discussion

The funding from BCRP was used in the main to excavate and complex the NCCchannel. Using this funding in conjunction with that offered through the othercontributing partners; Merrill and Ring, Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, CampbellRiver Community Fisheries Committee, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and AlpineExcavating, to the overall project has restored freshwater and estuarine habitat to thelower Campbell River. Improved access to estuary habitat and off channel refuge createdas a result of the NCC channel and marsh bench construction should provide for all lifestages of salmonid species using the Campbell River.Monitoring of the utilization of the habitat by salmonids will be conducted throughswims of the channel, trapping to determine species use, observations during spawningperiods, and tracking of the growth of estuarine benches and riparian plantings.An important aspect of this project is the improved access to the lower Campbell Riverand estuary area to the general public. Although the trail is only roughed in at this timethe potential for information, education and an improved sense of stewardship will be ofgreat benefit to the community.A consultant dealt with the Merrill and Ring compensation requirements and additionalactivities required fulfilling their obligations. Funding for all activities related to themarsh benches are not included in this report.

RecommendationsRestoration actions to address the bottlenecks to salmonid production in the lowerCampbell River, where possible and practical should continue (Burt and Burns, 1995,CRIFMS 1995). The Management Plan for the Baikie Island Reserve (August 2002),developed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the District of Campbell River willprovide the framework of future changes to this area, protecting and enhancing thediversity of the ecosystem.Monitoring and assessment of restored habitat is important, both for future projects on theCampbell and for sharing of information and experiences with others undertaking similarprojects.Improving public access to the area with a completed trail and interpretative sign networkincreases education, awareness and stewardship, key to protecting and improving allhabitats on the Campbell River.


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Acknowledgements

BCRP for the financial support necessary to produce this valuable habitat restorationprojectRaven Group of Companies, adjacent property owners for allowing access to the projectsiteQuinsam River Salmon Hatchery for providing equipment and personnel to assist withconstruction and planting.District of Campbell River and the Nature Conservancy of Canada – the NCC channel ispart of the Baikie Island Reserve Area of the Campbell River estuary.Kevin Bishop of Alpine Excavating for donating machine time to the project

ReferencesBurt, David & T. Burns 1995. Assessment of Salmonid Habitat in the Lower CampbellRiver. BCHydro Environmental Affairs, Southpoint Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Campbell River Interim Flow Management Strategy. 1997. Campbell RiverHydro/Fisheries Advisory Committee.

District of Campbell River & Nature Conservance of Canada Management Plan for theBaikie Isalnd Reserve. August 2002. 55p.


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Appendices

Appendix A Nature Conservancy of Canada Channel Financial StatementIncome & Expenses

Nature Conservancy of Canada Channel01.vi.02

Income ExpensedIncome

BCRP 67975

Habitat Conservation TrustFund 30000 30000

Merrill and Ring 60000 60000Campbell River CommunityFisheries Committee 4900 4900

DFO (In Kind)50days@ $250 12500 12500

Alpine Excavating (In Kind) 1000 1000

Total Income 176375 108400

Expenses BCRP (other)

Project Personnel

Wage

Consultant fees 4130.00

(List others as required)

Equipment & ExpensesEquipment rental 50379.50

Equipment purchase

Materials purchased 10754.96

65255.46Subtotal

Total Expensed 173655.46 65255.46 108400

Balance *2719.54


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Appendix B BCRP RecognitionThe official opening of NCC channel has not yet occurred.Official coverage will be forwarded when it is available.

Appendix C Contact List

• Jim VanTine Special Projects Officer DFO 250-287-9564• Scott Northrup Habitat Biologist, Estuary DFO 250-756-7275• Gary Williams GL Williams & Assoc. Consultant 604-941-7541

(Merrill & Ring)• Rik Norgan Eng. Tech DFO 250-756-7026• Shannon Anderson Biologist DFO 250-286-5807• Kevin Bishop Alpine Backhoe Services 250-923-1588• Moe Vale Shelter Point Contracting 250-286-3505• Doug Raines District of CR 250-286-5700• Tim Ennis NCC 250-656-6286

Appendix D Equipment List• 2 Linkbelt 892-E excavator, or equivalents• 1 Hitachi EX 160 excavator• 1 D41-P Tractor Crawler• 3 Moxy 6227-B articulated haul truck, or equivalents• Tandem highway haul trucks• 15m x 1m (50ftx3ft) section of Aquadam• 6” displacement pump, and various small pumps

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