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Author Topic: Good news!  (Read 1953 times)

Old Black Dog

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Good news!
« on: September 08, 2005, 05:56:34 PM »

By Jennifer Feinberg,

Progress
Sep 06 2005

The first major stab at habitat restoration of an urban section of the Hope Slough was just wrapping up Friday.
Keen onlookers watched as the project aimed at creating a spawners' paradise progressed each day last week, says project coordinator Meeri Durand.
"The creek looks much better," she notes. "The sediment created by the work was minimal."
Heavy machinery was used to restore the optimum gravel base and a shallow riffle was created that will create the ideal conditions for spawners. The workers reconfigured the channel instream, and created a new path leading to a viewing platform made from lock-blocks.
Native riparian plants are expected to go in to the soil shortly to provide shade to cool the waterway, says Durand.
"The slough has some good rearing areas but what was missing was good spawning habitat," she explains.
A is tertiary path is being built, leading to a viewing platform that will include some very basic interpretive facilities, like plaques. The materials being used are specifically designed to be as vandal-proof as possible.
The project work in the park will be continuing this fall, Durand said. It's geared to raising awareness about habitat restoration and the salmon.
DFO habitat biologist Matt Foy says the project partners are hopeful the fish will choose this rather fragile stretch of what was once part of the larger river system.
With its newly gravelled bottom, the project section will offer the oxygenated conditions fish like.
"It's an experiment. When we create habitat, there's an expectation they'll stop and recognize the better conditions for spawning."
The project was undertaken by Fisheries and Oceans, with the City of Chilliwack, FVRD, and Chilliwack Fish and Game Protective Association.
"Once they spawn there once, their progeny will return in three to four years, in the case of the chinook," Foy says.
Other stocks like chum and coho are expected to like the new digs, too. But there's no guarantee, he cautions.
"The only thing we don't know is, maybe they'll like a riffle more upstream of the slough," he says.
An open house for the project is expected some time after the fish arrive back.
Residents and park users watched the project unfold all last week.'
"It's going to be a long-term project," Foy says. "We've taken small steps. We'll watch to see how the salmon respond."
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allwaysfishin

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Re: Good news!
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2005, 11:22:19 PM »

that's cool, might have to drive out and check it out.
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