Projects

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 A detailed stranding assessment of high-risk sections along the Cheslatta River connecting Skins Lake and Cheslatta Lake will be conducted.

The key objective of the project is to qualitatively evaluate the extent of fish stranding caused by the annual periods of high discharge from the Skins Lake Spillway. 

Project specific objectives are to: 

  1. Assess and document key areas of concern for potential fish stranding in pools along Cheslatta River between Skins Lake and Cheslatta Lake. 
  2. Determine the extent of fish stranding under current reservoir operations. 
  3. Assess mitigation options for future consideration in the operations of the Nechako Reservoir. 

 

Funding: $153,979
Budget: $307,958
Proponent: Noot'senay Consulting
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The Integrated Watershed Research Group (IWRG) of UNBC was initiated in response to the growing awareness of the environmental, socio-economic and health implications of watershed dynamics (Owens 2008, Parkes et al. 2010, Parkes 2022). This third phase of research will leverage its experience and expertise, a broad and expanded network of collaborators, colleagues and stakeholders across the watershed to address key outstanding and emerging issues in the Nechako Watershed. This will include expanded, long-term monitoring of hydrometeorological and aquatic conditions and sediment fluxes, key fish populations, and evaluation frameworks that integrate a range of relevant information, knowledge and perspectives to better understand and respond to interrelated issues in the Nechako Watershed, and contribute to enhanced decision-making at the basin scale.

Informed by the insights and outcomes from Phases 1 and 2 research, this project will pursue research in four interrelated themes: 1) Network of Experimental Watersheds for Integrated Research; 2) Effects of Landscape Disturbances on Sediment and Contaminant Fluxes; 3) Fish Responses to Environmental Change; and 4) Amplifying Co-benefits for Climate, Catchments (Watersheds) and Communities.

Theme 1: Network of Experimental Watersheds for Integrated Research 

Goal: To develop a network of experimental watersheds to improve monitoring and understanding of the impacts of the climate crisis and land cover changes on terrestrial water fluxes. This is to enhance the scientific basis for managing the Nechako’s ecosystems and understanding of the water supply by identifying challenges in the resiliency of existing water infrastructure and management systems under the increasing risks of future water shortages and floods. 

Theme 2: Effects of Landscape Disturbances on Sediment and Contaminant Fluxes

Goal: To determine how land-falling atmospheric rivers and severe wildfires modify erosion of the landscape and the delivery of fine-grained sediment and associated chemicals to river channels in the NRB. This information will provide the scientific basis for improved understanding of sediment sources and transfers due to the climate crisis, thereby helping to protect sensitive aquatic habitats and ecosystems from sediment and its associated contaminants. 

Theme 3: Fish Responses to Environmental Change

Goal: To establish a framework for investigating short- and long-term responses of fish to environmental changes including climate change in the Nechako Watershed. The framework will be developed by integrating data collection using telemetry and data logging with modelling of existing organism and population-level datasets. Study species include: burbot, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, and white sturgeon. 

Theme 4: Amplifying Co-benefits for Climate, Catchments (Watersheds) and Communities

Goal: To identify and amplify opportunities for co-benefits to contribute to a healthy, just and sustainable future in the Nechako. The focus of this theme is to identify, trial and refine watershed-based tools and processes that support the integration of climate, catchment (watershed) and community information, and to leverage these approaches to support knowledge exchange partnerships that are better equipped to move knowledge into action. The particular emphasis will be on tools and processes that (a) focus on the triple co-benefit criteria of being good for climate (and our planetary home), good for catchments (land and water living systems) and good for communities (protecting present and future generations); (b) prioritize and profile Indigenous, integrative and regenerative knowledges and practices, and (c) support and profile innovative approaches to knowledge visualisation, communication and exchange that amplify co-benefit designs and orientation. 

 

 

Funding: $400,000
Budget: $800,000
Proponent: University of Northern British Columbia
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Junior Fish Culturist Christy Hunter releasing 2-year-old juvenile sturgeon in the Nechako River

The Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre (NWSCC) is a facility that is operated by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC (FFSBC) and is dedicated to Nechako White Sturgeon recovery. This facility operates with a three-pronged approach to recovery:
• Conservation Fish Culture as a “Stop-Gap” measure to ensure a genetically diverse population.
• Research/Actions that recover the Nechako White Sturgeon back to a self-sustaining population.
• Education and Outreach.

Project Goals:
• Provide conservation fish culture services that support stocking goals set by provincial government and federal government Decision Makers.
• Support the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative (NWSRI) Technical Working Group (TWG) projects/programs that are designed to help recover Nechako White Sturgeon, specifically:
▪ Spawn Monitoring
▪ Juvenile Indexing/Sampling
▪ Adult Sampling
▪ Juvenile and Adult Telemetry Tracking
▪ Assisting with field and facility experiments
• Continue to provide education and outreach opportunities in cooperation with the NWSRI Community Working Group (CWG) to communities in our area, and around the world via:
▪ School curriculum
▪ Social Media content to raise awareness and support
▪ In person tours
▪ Web cams

Funding: $408,495
Budget: $847,538
Proponent: Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
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In order to address deteriorating water quality in the Nulki and Tachick Lakes, a feasibility study will be conducted to determine the viability of a macrophyte harvesting program for Nulki and Tachick Lakes and to develop a restoration plan.

The purpose of a macrophyte harvesting program would be to remove excess nutrients that have accumulated in the lakes since the 1950s and to, thereby, reduce the intensity of cyanobacteria blooms. The study will also examine alternative methods that can be used to reduce excessive nutrients levels in the lakes. 
The outcome of this study will produce a comprehensive report including a recommended harvesting plan and implementation strategy for restoring the water quality in the Nulki-Tachick watershed. It will also set a precedent and serve as a model on how to proactively approach and mitigate toxic algae blooms in other BC lakes experiencing the same issues.

Funding: $20,000
Budget: $60,000
Proponent: Nulki-Tachick Lakes Stewardship Society

This project includes planning and implementation of further action in support of the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative (NWSRI).  The project includes components that address two main areas of current focus for the NWSRI: habitat restoration to address recruitment failure and investigation of factors leading to diminished juvenile survival.  The outcomes of this work are expected to provide a substantial and timely contribution to the recovery of the Nechako white sturgeon population. 
The project components will address the following main areas:

Habitat restoration - planning and implementing next steps.
Spawning locations – effects of environmental variables.
Juvenile survival – identifying factors that influence juvenile survival rate.
Juvenile habitat - winter habitat evaluation.
Juvenile monitoring - genetic tracing of wild recruits and evaluation of lake releases.

Funding: $445,000
Budget: $1,025,000
Proponent: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
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This project involves conducting a preliminary presence/absence survey for Umam within the Cheslatta watershed. Initial surveys will provide information regarding Umam presence and distribution that will help create a foundation for future management decisions that facilitate the recovery of Umam populations.


Project Goals:

  1. Provide an avenue for Cheslatta Carrier Nation members to further develop skills and training in fish habitat assessment and management.
  2. Determine the presence of Umam populations within the Cheslatta Watershed.
  3. Provide an example of how Traditional Ecological Knowledge can inform wildlife conservation management.
  4. Conduct a field survey over 9 days in the Cheslatta Watershed, based on historical Umam spawning areas as documented by CCN elders, using minnow traps, Backpack Electrofishers, and/or seine nets.
  5. Completion of fish cards for all fish species captured to submit to the regulatory agencies and for CCN records.
  6. Collection of habitat characteristics of each surveyed site including
Funding: $46,236
Budget: $92,472
Proponent: Cheslatta Carrier Nation
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The Integrated Watershed Research Group (IWRG) of UNBC was initiated in response to the growing recognition of the environmental, socio-economic and health implications of watershed dynamics. Informed by the insights and outcomes from Phase 1 research, this 5-year project will pursue research in three interrelated themes: Water security and climate change; Fine-grained sediment sources and dynamics; and Tools for integration in watershed management and governance. Through this phase of research, the IWRG aims to fill gaps in knowledge about the Nechako River Basin (NRB), and to contribute to the integration of information, knowledge and perspectives to better understand and respond to interrelated issues at the watershed scale. The IWRG will achieve this through three interrelated themes, each with their respective goals and objectives.

Theme 1: Water security and climate change
The overarching goal of this research theme is to create a comprehensive research framework using hydrological modeling supplemented by observations to identify the relative impacts of climate change and flow regulation on water availability, flow timing and water temperatures in NRB rivers and streams. This is to improve the scientific basis for managing the NRB’s ecosystems and enhance understanding of the water supply by identifying challenges in the resiliency of existing water infrastructure and management systems under the increasing risks of future water shortages and floods.

Theme 2: Fine-grained sediment sources and dynamics
The overarching goal of Theme 2 is to develop a framework for the use of the sediment fingerprinting technique, supplemented by other approaches such as land use and river channel mapping and sediment quality assessment, to identify the role of key watersheds dominated by specific land uses (i.e. agriculture and forestry) and disturbances (e.g. wildfires) in supplying fine-grained sediment to the Nechako main stem. This information will provide the scientific basis for improved understanding of sediment sources and transfers, thereby helping to protect sensitive aquatic habitats and ecosystems from sediment and its associated contaminants.

Theme 3: Tools for integration in watershed management and governance
The overarching goal of Theme 3 is to answer the guiding question: How can integrative tools and processes be optimized to increase understanding of the cumulative impacts of environment, community and health changes within the NRB, and inform and support intersectoral action and watershed governance? This question is informed by the collaborative and technical successes of the web-portal development in Phase 1, and specific interests from established and proposed portal user groups.

Funding: $499,950
Budget: $999,950
Proponent: University of Northern British Columbia

The purpose of the proposed project is to acquire LiDAR* point cloud data and high resolution airborne digital imagery combined with post acquisition data analysis to define the current state of the Terrain and Hydrology in the Cheslatta River Corridor and watershed.
The CCFNLP will provide a comprehensive and thorough base of data to support:

  • Integrated Watershed Research
  • Tributary Watershed Restoration and Stewardship
  • Cheslatta Watershed Restoration

Specific Project Deliverables will be the identification and definition of:

  • Streams and rivers and lakes that will support a fish habitat.
  • Streams, river banks and lake shorelines that require stabilization
  • Streams, rivers and lakes that will benefit from reduced sedimentation and erosion
  • Riparian zones that have been de-nuded
  • Streams, rivers and riparian zones that require fencing to prevent livestock intrusion.
  • Streams that require hardening for livestock crossing
  • Streams that require the installation or replacement of culverts to ensure proper fish passage

*Light Detection and Ranging

Funding: $200,000
Budget: $400,000
Proponent: Cheslatta Carrier Nation
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The University of Northern British Columbia houses an Integrated Watershed Research Group comprising four research chairs: Stephen Déry (Canada Research Chair in Northern Hydrometeorology), Philip Owens (Forest Renewal BC Chair in Landscape Ecology), Ellen Petticrew (Forest Renewal BC Chair in Landscape Ecology), and Margot Parkes (Canada Research Chair in Health, Ecosystems and Society). The chairs have worked collaboratively for several years on integrated watershed-based research with an emphasis on the Fraser River Basin and other northern BC watersheds including the Nechako River Basin. The researchers view integrated watershed research as linking biophysical, chemical, social, and human-health processes to address important environmental, landscape ecology, and community issues.

The integrated watershed research will focus on the following three areas:

  1. Water security and climate change (Déry and students).
  2. Sediment sources and dynamics (Petticrew, Owens and students).
  3. Tools for integration in watershed management and governance (Parkes and students).

The expected outcomes of the project are:

  • Analysis of recent trends and variability in observed river runoff across the NRB, and a comprehensive water budget for the basin.
  • Determination of the main sources of the fine-grained sediment transported in the Nechako basin (past and present), including an assessment of likely future trends.
  • Development of a watershed portal profiling integrated watershed information, and associated training and knowledge transfer.
  • Training of postdoctoral research fellows, undergraduate and graduate students, and a project manager.
  • Dissemination of research results to the public, via workshops, as well as through academic conference presentations, posters and publications.
Funding: $500,000.00
Budget: $1,000,000.00
Proponent: University of Northern British Columbia
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Update at 2017 06 15

This project is no longer active. NEWSS received $300,000.00 from NEEF between April 1st, 2014 and April 12th, 2017. With this funding NEWSS completed;

  • stream restoration and fish passage work at Murray Creek;
  • replacement of a culvert at Murry Creek; 
  • culvert removal, bioengineering, and stream restoration work at Stoney Creek.

Original Description:

Nechako Environmental and Water Stewardship Society (NEWSS) will carry out stream restoration works on 30 streams within the Nechako Valley watershed. These projects include but are not limited to bank stabilization, fencing (keeping livestock out of riparian zones), harden crossing of streams for livestock, establishment of riparian zones where required and ensuring proper fish passage with culvert replacements.

 NEWSS will further its role of stewardship by creating resources and educational tools, working with rural community and all users of the Nechako watershed resources, facilitating ongoing conversation to exchange knowledge, share perspective and explore opportunities for cooperative learning with First Nations, community residents, landowners, industry leaders, grade schools, universities and appropriate government agencies. NEWSS aspires to maintain sustainable water for landowners through the Nechako watershed and create a cleaner, healthier environment for all residents and visitors to the area.

Project Deliverables:

  • To employ a minimum of one full-time employee to manage the Recipient’s operations
  • Facilitate stakeholder engagement and education
  • Implement stream rehabilitation projects
  • Stabilize stream banks
  • Re-establish denuded riparian zones
  • Fence livestock out of streams and riparian zones
  • Harden stream crossings for livestock
  • Replace or install culverts to ensure proper fish passage
  • Re-establish fish habitat on identified streams
  • Reduce sedimentation and erosion
  • Produce maps of aquifers underlying the Nechako Plateau
  • Build partnerships in water stewardship
Funding: 300,000
Proponent: Nechako Environmental and Water Stewardship Society
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A comprehensive 5-year study on the Fraser River populations of white sturgeon, including the Nechako River, concluded the Nechako River population of white sturgeon is a genetically distinct population, isolated from Fraser main-stem populations and has experienced a decline in juvenile recruitment that started in the early 1960's and has resulted no measurable juvenile recruitment since the late 1960's. Recent research has affirmed this assertion and the current estimated total population size is
approximately 600 fish.  There is a high probability of extinction within a few decades without immediate intervention to prevent further declines.

In January 2001, the provincial Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative was established to address the critical state of the population.  The purpose of the recovery initiative is to stabilize the remaining population by preventing further declines, and ultimately to rebuild a self-sustaining population.

Even if the recruitment problem is immediately rectified, the mature population would continue to lose numbers of mature fish for the next 25 years to natural mortality given the lag time between juvenile recruitment and maturation for this population. Without immediate intervention, genetic diversity will also continue to be eroded. The specific reason(s) for recruitment failure are not precisely known, and while analysis of this problem is progressing substantially, recruitment restoration cannot be guaranteed in the near future. As such, a conservation fish culture is paramount to preventing extinction of this population, until wild recruitment can be re-established.

A conservation fish culture program can act immediately serving as an interim measure to preserve the genetic diversity in the remaining population, halt the continued loss of juvenile recruitment and initiate the rebuilding of age structure in the population.  In addition, cultured sturgeon can facilitate a number of research initiatives that will reduce the uncertainty associated with many components of the recovery program including the reason(s) for recruitment failure.

The sturgeon conservation centre has been built in Vanderhoof and will be operational by May 2014. The capital funding was provided by Province of BC, Rio Tinto Alcan, District of Vanderhoof and other partners. It will be operated by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC under the auspices of the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative.

$4 million dollars will be provided by Rio Tinto Alcan through Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund over the next ten years to operate the facility. An additional $50,000 per year for operations has been provided from Rio Tinto Alcan directly. The conservation centre will be able to produce up to 12,000 juvenile sturgeon per year from up to twelve adult pairs, helping to secure the genetic diversity of this imperilled population for future generations.

Funding: $4,000,000.00 ($400,000.00 per year for 10 years)
Budget: $8,551,857.00
Proponent: Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative in Partnership with Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
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This two-phase project seeks to understand the physical and biological
conditions in the river over the last 40 years that have supported the
occasional recruitment and subsequent survival and growth of juvenile
Nechako White sturgeon. Phase one will be focussed on ageing of juvenile
sturgeon fin ray samples collected in the Nechako River since 1967 and
comparing the recruitment patterns with biotic and abiotic factors that can
affect success. Using year of birth, phase two will examine patterns of
survival and growth in the context environmental conditions that have
supported survival and good growth. Results will allow the Recovery Team and
FFSBC to calibrate future release of juveniles by understanding trends in
growth and survival as they relate to biotic and abiotic conditions in the
Nechako River. Results will also enable better planning of habitat
restoration measures in the spawning reach at Vanderhoof aimed at enabling
natural recruitment.

Funding: $19,900.00
Budget: $39,800.00
Proponent: Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative