EN28(1) Biodiversity, Habitat and Species-at-Risk
Inventory of reservoirs areas where provincial and federally listed species or red or blue-listed species are present, our potential impacts, and completed or potential stewardship and restorative initiatives.
| Potential Impacts Addressed | Abbreviations |
| Habitat Loss/ Fragmentation | HL |
| Species at Risk | SR |
| Biodiversity Loss | BD |
| Nutrient Loss/Gain | NL/G |
| Fish Entrainment 2 | FE |
| Supersaturation | S |
| Cultural Loss | CL |
| Receptor Species | Stewardship3 and Restorative Initiative4 Name | Activity Undertaken or Results Achieved | Potential Impacts Addressed |
| Columbia | |||
| Silky Lupin/Antelope Brush | Rocky's Pasture Restoration | Monitoring of restored Ecosystems to evaluate success of restoration measures. | HL, SR |
| Northern Leopard Frog ( red, ENd) | Northern Leopard Frog Recovery Project | Recovery Team participation. Monitor population status, and success of reintroduction efforts. Identify additional suitable reintroduction sites. Evaluate role of disease in population declines. | HL, SR |
| Badger ( red, ENd) | Non-Game Enhancement | Recovery Team participation. Habitat restoration and reduction in road mortality. | HL, SR |
| Townsend's Big-eared Bat ( blue) | Non-Game Enhancement | Monitoring and maintenance of maternity roost. | HL, SR, BD |
| Western Screech Owl ( red, ENd) | West Kootenay Inventory and Monitoring | Located new nesting locations for this species and increased local stewardship to riparian cottonwood habitat. | HL, SR |
| Yellow Racer Snake ( blue, SC) | Species at Risk Stewardship | Developed best management practices for Racer dens on Private land. Promoted stewardship of reptile habitat. | HL |
| Western Skink ( blue, SC) | Non-Game Enhancement | Monitor skink occupancy and population response to Ecosystem Restoration. | HL |
| Wolverine species ( blue) | Complete four journal publications on previous research to support improved habitat and population management. | HL, SR | |
| Western painted turtle ( blue) | Non-Game Species Habitat Enhancement | Monitor and maintain nesting sites near Cranbrook, Duncan River, and Revelstoke. | HL, BD |
| Mountain caribou ( red, THr) | Mountain Caribou Recovery (40) | Project to determine predator-prey relationships specifically with respect to cougars and wolves. Population inventory: continued monitoring of radio-collared caribou in the South Selkirk population. | HL, SR, BD |
| Great Blue Heron ( blue) | Breeding Inventory & Habitat Assessment | Monitor colony numbers, reproductive success. Monitor bald eagle nest locations and productivity. Identify stewardship locations on crown and private lands; implement covenants. | HL, BD |
| Short-eared Owl ( blue); American Bittern ( blue) | No new or continuing programs for F08. | ||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse ( blue) | Population Recovery Project, East Kootenays | Report on recovery options and re-introduction drafted. Surveyed local interest and capacity to participate in recovery. | HL |
| Flammulated Owl ( blue, SC) | Nest Tree Protection Project | Wildlife tree protection incorporated into habitat restoration prescriptions. Wildlife Tree creation targeting nesting sites for this species. | HL, BD |
| Lewis' Woodpecker ( red, SC) | East Kootenay Enhancement | Wildlife tree creation and habitat restoration. | HL |
| Kokanee Salmon; Bull trout ( blue); Rainbow Trout | Arrow Lakes Reservoir Nutrient Restoration Program | Continuation of nitrogen/ phosphorus addition to the reservoir has led to a documented increase in zooplankton populations and an associated increase in kokanee salmon abundance. Bull trout and rainbow trout have also benefited from an increased abundance of kokanee salmon. | HL, SR, BD, NL/G |
| White Sturgeon ( red, SC) | Upper Columbia Sturgeon Culture at Kootenay Sturgeon Hatchery | Hatchery program continued to augment low survivability of juveniles in the Columbia River; a total of approximately 88,000 juveniles have been tagged and released in the last seven years and are being monitored. An additional 4,000 juveniles were released below Revelstoke in 2007. | HL, SR, BD |
| Upper Columbia White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative – Research and Monitoring Programs | Communications – FWCP supports and facilitates public outreach. FWCP also organizes sturgeon release events in Creston, Trail and Castlegar. | ||
| Kokanee Salmon; Bull Trout ( blue); and Gerrard Rainbow Trout | Kootenay Lake Nutrient Restoration Program | Continuation of nitrogen/ phosphorus addition to the Kootenay to boost zooplankton populations supporting Kokanee salmon. Increased Kokanee salmon abundance has benefited bull trout and Gerrard rainbow trout populations. Spawning escapement of Gerrard rainbow trout is the highest in recent memory. | HL, SR, BD, NL/G |
| Kokanee Salmon | Meadow Creek Spawning Channel | Continuation of funding for operation of Meadow Creek Spawning Channel. Production of 16.0 million fry (32% egg to fry survival) and return of 250,000 spawners. | HL, NL/G |
| Hill Creek Spawning Channel | Continuation of funding for operation of Hill Creek Spawning Channel. Production of 5.5 million fry (51% egg to fry survival) and return of 97,500 spawners. | HL, NL/G | |
| Kinbasket and Revelstoke reservoirs – kokanee hydro acoustics and escapement monitoring | Annual monitoring to assess population level trends. | HL, BD, FE | |
| Bull Trout ( blue) | Kalso River Bull Trout Monitoring | Monitoring of critical bull trout spawning sites and abundance of fish in a key tributary of Kootenay Lake. | BD, NL/G |
| Arrow Lakes Reservoir Bull Trout Monitoring | Arrow Lakes Reservoir life history – index monitoring of adult spawning locations. | HL, BD. M:G | |
| Dinosaur Reservoir | |||
| Lake Trout, Bull Trout ( blue), Rainbow Trout, all fish species | Dinosaur Reservoir Habitat Improvement | Development and implementation of a long term plan to address habitat limitations and improve recreational opportunities. | HL, BD, N, LG, FE |
| Peace River/Williston Reservoir area | |||
| Woodland caribou ( blue, THr) | Parsnip Caribou Project | Conducting population inventories. Conducting predator-prey dynamics study. Monitoring survival and distribution of radio-collared caribou, moose, & wolves. | HL |
| Fisher ( blue) | Fisher Habitat Use Project | Preparing report on 5-year study of ecology of Fishers in Williston watershed. Contributing to development of improved management strategies. | HL |
| Mountain goat | Nabesche Goats and Licks | Monitoring response of goat population to supplementing with artificial mineral licks (aim to increase numbers and distribution of goats in the drainage). | BD, NL/G |
| Ospika Goat Project | Evaluating impacts of logging on goat use of mineral licks. Contributing to development of improved management strategies. | HL, BD | |
| Stone's sheep | Peace Arm Stone's Sheep Ecology | Preparing report on 6-year study of sheep ecology including effects of winter ticks and population dynamics. Contribution to development of improved management strategies. | BD, HL |
| Cavity-nesting birds and other bird species. | Donna Creek Forestry/ Biodiversity Project | Monitoring response of cavity-nesting birds and other bird species to alternative forest harvesting techniques (retention of tree patches and stubs in clearcuts). | BD, HL |
| Migratory bird species | Mackenzie Migratory Bird Monitoring | Monitoring and banding of migratory songbird). | BD, HL |
| Arctic Grayling ( red) | Population, habitat, and genetic studies | Population monitoring, distribution, life history, genetic studies, and identifying critical habitat. Assist in developing Provincial Management Plan. | HL, CL |
| Kokanee | Classroom Kokanee Demonstration Project | Project involves fish rearing from eggs to fingerlings, and release). Education and public outreach. | HL, BD |
| Offspring of historic released hatchery Kokanee | Kokanee Escapement Survey | Project involves tracking returns from offspring of fish stocked from 1990 – 1998. | BD |
| Brassy Minnow ( yellow) | Brassy Minnow Distribution surveys | Document distribution of Brassy Minnows in the watershed. | HL |
| Pygmy whitefish ( yellow) | Distribution and Genetic studies | Document distribution and genetic status of population. | HL |
| Bull trout ( blue) | Bull Trout indexing | Population monitoring. | HL, BD |
| Hatchery rainbow and brook trout | Small Lake Stocking Assessments | Small Lake fish stocking population evaluations. | BD |
| All fish | GMSMON#2 PCR Fish Index | Fish index in Peace River between Peace Canyon Dam and the Pine River. | Population impact of Water Use Planning physical works and minimum flow regime: HL, BD |
| All fish | GMSMON#13 WLL Williston Reservoir Fish Index | Species composition, abundance, and spatial distribution of fish in the Peace Arm of Williston Reservoir. | Baseline data for future spill entrainment study: FE |
| Reservoirs in Intermountain Zone | |||
| In F08, BC Hydro continued to participate actively in the Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV), a multi-faceted partnership of BC-based resource industries, conservation organizations, academia and government agencies. The CIJV was formed to address the challenges of sustaining healthy populations of birds and other wildlife while ensuring the viability of other uses of the landscape. It is designed to increase the effectiveness of existing and new initiatives to address species at risk and stewardship through effective coordination, building on existing regional partnerships, and fostering greater cooperation. | |||
| Bridge River Coastal area | |||
| Wetland plant species, fish species, wildlife species | Feasibility Assessment for Wildlife Restoration Activities in the Ash River Watershed. | Wetland restoration design and planning, intended to restore wetland habitats lost due to creation of dam and reservoir. | HL, BD |
| Jordan River Wetland Habitat Mitigation: Wetland Construction on Diversion Reservoir | Wetland restoration (construction phase) intended to restore wetland habitats lost due to creation of dam and reservoir. | HL, BD | |
| Salmon species ( NAR) | Trethewaey Spawning and Rearing Channel | Re-establishment of side-channel habitats on mainstem floodplains. | HL, BD, CL |
| Lower Coquitlam River Fish Habitat and Flooding Assessment | Fish habitat restoration to compensate for loss of habitat from Coquitlam dam & reservoir creation and operation. | HL | |
| Lower Ash River Identification of Fish Habitat Restoration Opportunities | Develop plan to identify production-limiting factors and best restoration practices. | HL | |
| Campbell River – First Island Side Channel | Project planning and engineered design for intake upgrade to improve water flow in side-channel habitat during low flows in mainstem river. | HL, BD | |
| Ash River Monitoring Study #2 | Assessment of adult fish passage at Dickson Falls during pulse flow release from Elsie Lake Dam (Steelhead study). | ||
| Evaluation of the Migration Success of Nerkids (Kokanee) from the Alouette Reservoir | Kokanee and Steelhead migration study. | HL, BD, CL | |
| Coho Assessment Study | Scoping exercise to determine restoration options for low flow, side-channel habitat. | HL | |
| Ash River Nutrient Enrichment for Fish Habitat Restoration | Mitigate nutrient sink created by dam, primarily to benefit summer-run Steelhead and resident trout. | NL/G | |
| Salmon River Nutrient Enrichment for Fish Habitat Restoration | Mitigate nutrient sink created by dam, primarily to benefit winter-run Steelhead, Coho, char and resident trout. | NL/G | |
| Salmon River / Big Tree Main Side Channel | Planning and design of side-channel habitat and associated water intake structure to provide for both salmonid spawning and rearing. | HL | |
| Stave River Spawning Habitat Restoration | Recontouring and stabilization of Lower Stave River shorelines to reduce effects of dewatered habitat during flow reductions. Activity will also help protect local First Nation archaeological sites. | HL, CL | |
| Puntledge River Stotan Falls – Improvement for Adult Summer Chinook Migration | Physical work to improve upstream salmonid migration past a natural barrier, specifically during lower river flows. | HL | |
| Puntledge River Summer Chinook DNA Analyses | To determine proportion of return run that can be considered to be "true" summer run. | BD | |
| Puntledge River Impound and Diversion Dam Fishway Assessment | Fish passage efficiency assessment, using video. | BD | |
| Puntledge River Radio Telemetry Study on Chinook Migration in the Upper Watershed | Chinook migration tracking to confirm passage efficiency and habitat usage in upper reaches of watershed beyond Comox Dam. | HL, BD | |
| Puntledge Monitoring Study #3 | Monitoring Steelhead production. | ||
| Smolt Pond Intake and Duteau Creek Weir Upgrade | Repair of non-functioning weir to restore upstream and downstream fish migration and smolt imprinting pond flows. | HL | |
| Stave River Steelhead Smolt Imprinting Net Pen Project | Improvement of smolt imprinting process on hatchery raised steelhead. | BD | |
| Campbell River Spawning Gravel Placement: Three Year Plan | Planning exercise to design and site mainstem spawning gravel pads for Chinook. | HL | |
| Cheakamus River Side-Channel Restoration | Habitat restoration project to address loss of fisheries habitat due to dam-related water diversions. | HL | |
| Squamish Estuary/Mamquam Blind Channel Restoration | Fisheries habitat creation project to restore salmon access to estuarine/intertidal channels; restore estuarine vegetative habitat. | HL | |
| Using Strobe Lights as a Fish Deterrent (31) | Assessment of effectiveness of using strobe lights to deter fish proximity and entrainment into intake gates at John Hart dam. | FE | |
| Salmon River Adult Fishway Assessment study (32) | Fish passage efficiency assessment using hydroacoutics and radio telemetry. | BD, HL | |
| Elliot Dam Water Release Mechanism Installation | Restore flows to the Lower Jordan River that had been cut off as a result of water diversion. | HL | |
| Lower Jones Creek Fish Productivity Index | Monitoring program to determine the fisheries benefits associated with minimum flow releases from Wahleach Dam in to Jones Creek. | BD | |
| Channel Stability Assessment | Monitoring program to assess channel change and infer its effects on fish productivity in the anadromous reach of Lower Jones Creek in consideration of results from the Lower Jones Creek Fish Productivity study. | BD | |
| Herring Island Side-channel Chum Spawning Success Monitoring | Monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of Wahleach Generating Station operational measures to minimize chum and pink spawning in marginal areas of the Herring Island sidechannel; and to assess the risk of stranding of adult spawners associated with the recommended operations. | BD | |
| Wahleach Reservoir Fertilization program | Restore kokanee abundance in Wahleach Reservoir. | BD | |
| Lower Wahleach Creek Channel Enhancement Program | Construction of spawning platforms and rearing channels in Jones Creek. | BD | |
| Assessment of Fisheries Access to Streams Tributary to Coquitlam Reservoir | Study to identify fish use and/or fish habitat potential in each of the three streams identified with potential fish access issues and to recommend physical work and/or operational constraints to restore fish access for all operations. | BD | |
| Dam Flow Release Ramping Rate Development | Monitoring program to report on the fish stranding impacts in the lower Coquitlam River associated with the implementation of interim ramping rate protocol for the Coquitlam Dam. | BD | |
| Access of Pink Salmon Passage in Lower Coquitlam/Buntzen River | Study to monitor the migration of returning pink salmon in odd years to determine if there are any flow-related partial or complete migration barriers in the lower Coquitlam River corridor. | BD | |
| Invertebrate Productivity Index | Study to develop a predictive model for evaluating periphyton and invertebrate benefits associated with lower Coquitlam River flow alternatives. | BD | |
| Lower Coquitlam/Buntzen River Temperature Monitoring | Monitoring program to identify if and how temperature in the lower Coquitlam River is influenced by reservoir operations. | BD | |
| Lower Coquitlam/Buntzen Fish Productivity Index | Monitoring program to determine the fisheries benefits of two test flows and to enable a better understanding of trade-offs between fisheries, domestic water and power generation. | BD | |
| Lower Coquitlam/Buntzen River Substrate Quality Assessment | Monitoring program to evaluate the effectiveness of the flushing flow provisions to increase fish productivity through improved substrate quality in the lower Coquitlam River. | BD | |
| Stave Pelagic Monitor | Assess productivity benefits associated with a more stable Stave Reservoir elevation | BD, SR | |
| Stave Littoral Productivity Assessment | Assess littoral zone productivity benefits associated with a more stable Stave Reservoir elevation. | BD, SR | |
| Stave Fish Biomass Assessment | Assess fish productivity benefits associated with a more stable Stave Reservoir elevation. | BD, SR | |
| Stave Limited Block Load as Deterrent to Spanning | Monitoring of effectiveness of Ruskin Generating Station operations in minimizing stranding of chum salmon redds. | BD | |
| Stave Risk of Adult Stranding | Monitoring of effectiveness of Ruskin Generating Station operations in minimizing stranding of chum salmon redds. | BD | |
| Stave Risk of Fry Stranding | Monitoring of effectiveness of Ruskin Generating Station operations in minimizing stranding of chum salmon fry. | BD | |
| Lower Bridge River Aquatic Monitoring | Assess Terzaghi Dam minimum flow alternatives in production of total juvenile salmonid biomass. | BD, SR | |
| Seton Smolt Monitoring | Assess Seton Generating Station nightly shutdown in protection of sockeye salmon smolts. | FE | |
| Alouette Smolt Enumeration | Assess Alouette Dam minimum flow requirements and associated juvenile salmonid production. | BD | |
| Alouette Fertilization Program | Restore kokanee abundance in Alouette Reservoir. | BD | |
| Alouette Kokanee Out Migration | Monitoring of Alouette Dam spill release and associated enumeration of kokanee passage downstream with potential return as sockeye salmon. | BD | |
| Wildlife Species | Powerhouse Foreshore Restoration Project – Year One Plan | Restoration of riparian zone habitat and upslope (from river) wildlife habitats originally impacted by the Seton townsite during original facility construction. | HL, BD, CL |
| Mule Dear ( NAR) | Identification of Mule deer migration routes and seasonal ranges with the St'at'imc Territory and BC Hydro Footprint | Mule deer migration routes and habitat usage study to assess impact of hydroelectric footprint on Mule deer populations. | HL, CL |
| Roosevelt Elk ( blue) | Lower Mainland Roosevelt Elk Recovery Project | Relocation/reintroduction of Roosevelt elk from Sunshine Coast population unit into Upper Stave Watershed. | BD |
| Northern Goshawk ( red) | Northern Goshawk Habitat Enhancement Project Proposal | Scoping exercise to determine feasibility of storing forest habitat features utilized by goshawk. | HL |
| Western Screech Owl ( ENd, blue) | Conserving western screech-owl habitat along the Shuswap River | Owl habitat usage and territory mapping on BC Hydro and privately owned, riparian land. | HL, SR |
| Western Screech Owl ( ENd, blue), N. Pygmy Owl ( NAR), N. Sawwhet Owl ( NAR) | Campbell River Watershed Owl Monitoring & Habitat Restoration | Owl population study and habitat restoration (nest boxes), to determine range and distribution of several species. | HL, SR |
| Grizzly Bear ( THr, blue) | Grizzly Population Density/ Distribution in South Coastal Range | Population study to better understand factors affecting populations for management purposes in BC Hydro watersheds. | SR, HL |
| Ecological Relationships Between Bears and Forest Management in the Coastal-Interior Transition of British Columbia | Address knowledge gaps of population density and distribution in South Coastal Ranges. | SR, HL, CL | |
| Vancouver Island Marmot (End, red) | Greig's Ridge Marmot Transplant | Re-introduction of captive-bred animals into historical ranges of Strathcona Park. | HL, SR, BD |
| Transmission Right-of-Ways | |||
| Programs administered by BCTC. | |||
Notes
- Compliance with the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) is required and there are provincially listed species that are protected under the B.C. Wildlife Act and the Forest and Range Practices Act (Identified Wildlife). This means BC Hydro must comply with these federal and provincial pieces of legislation by avoiding, mitigating and compensating for impacts to listed species and being involved in recovery strategies and action plans as appropriate. Red and Blue Listings is an inventory process used by the B.C. Conservation Data Centre. It does not have any regulatory force. In the interest of reducing its regulatory risk BC Hydro has been proactive in seeking to identify and reduce its impacts on listed species and undertaking a number of stewardship initiatives.
- Federally listed species under SARA are either Endangered (ENd), Threatened (THr) or of Special Concern (SC). We are currently tallying which of these species and populations occur in lands owned or managed by BC Hydro while proceeding with programs to enhance, restore or maintain known endangered or threatened species and their habitats. This listing does not include stewardship initiatives undertaken solely as part of Water Use Planning and other programs.
- Stewardship means preventative, restorative, enhancement or maintenance initiatives over the long-term time scale required to protect and maintain, restore, or enhance populations and their habitats.
- These programs are largely undertaken with partners as part of our Compensation Programs and were funded in full or in part by BC Hydro and are shown in italics.
- Mortality may result from fish passage through hydraulic turbines or over spillways during their downstream migration.
- Supersaturation occurs when water falls turbulently from reservoir elevation to discharge elevation, usually via spillways. Air is forced into solution increasing the concentration of nitrogen and oxygen, as measured by Total Gas Pressure, which can interfere with normal gill function of aquatic species.
Last Modified: Jul 17, 2008
