stave river - restoration
The three kilometres of the Stave River that flows from the Ruskin Dam into the Fraser River is an important spawning area for chum, chinook and coho salmon. It is the only remaining spawning habitat in the Stave watershed and hosts the second largest chum salmon population (approximately 500,000 adult spawners) in the Fraser River watershed.
The area below Ruskin Dam consists of braided channels running along numerous gravel bars. The presence of the dam has significantly influenced the downstream gravel recruitment, sedimentation and erosion on the Lower Stave River consequently decreasing the prime spawning habitat.
From 2006-2009 the river was the focus of restoration work and there were significant attempts to re-contour and re-distribute the gravel. The projects have enhanced approximately 90,000m2 of instream habitat for spawning salmonids. Components of the projects include:
- bank stabilization along the Stave River,
- replacement of a high use pedestrian bridge,
- rebuilding of a channel overflow,
- widening and deepening of a channel,
- re-developing a channel intake,
- re-contouring a spawning riffle and low-gradient channel,
- building new steelhead refuge pits and,
- installing gravel bank protectors.
With the completion of the projects the spawning habitat in the Stave River is significantly improved. The increased bank stabilization has decreased the amount of sedimentation in the spawning grounds and also protected an important archaeological site from further erosion.
As a whole the rehabilitated portion of the Stave River is functioning as proposed. Stranding issues were minimal in the re-contoured areas the amount of spawning habitat that is now available is being fully utilized. Some issues still persist but to a much lesser degree then before the works. The final phase of the Stave River restoration is planned for 2010.
