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The Story
The lower Stave River is regarded as one of the most productive salmon habitats in BC, with up to 500,000 chum salmon spawning in its gravel channels, alongside coho, pink, and chinook. Located within the traditional territory of the Kwantlen First Nation, the lower Stave also contains numerous archaeological sites and artifacts of cultural and historical significance.
The lower Stave River, between the Ruskin Dam and the Fraser River, consists of numerous channels and gravel bars, with predominantly deciduous vegetation growing on established bars and riverbanks. There are numerous off-channel habitats, including beaver ponds, wetlands, alcoves, floodplains, side-channels and tributaries. The entire estuary, influenced by ocean tides, is critical not only for spawning and overwintering salmon, but also for waterfowl, mammals and migratory birds.
This tidal freshwater estuary has been heavily altered by human activities, beginning in the early 1900’s with logging and sawmills, and the Stave Falls and Ruskin dams, which cut off the lower Stave River from the upper regions. The Ruskin Dam also impacted the habitat and hydrology of the lower Stave by reducing gravel deposition in spawning channels, altering water and erosion patterns, and washing spawning gravel further downstream during periodic dam spillway releases. Erosion also threatens important archaeological sites.
Objectives
Improving salmon spawning, rearing, and overwintering habitat and overall biodiversity in the Stave River watershed. That includes: restoring off-channel and mainstem river habitats; improving floodplain ecology through contouring; removing invasive plants; repairing failing infrastructure impeding fish passage; reducing erosion and loss of cultural values; and enhancing habitat features for other species-at-risk, including purple martins, western painted turtles, Sandhill cranes, and red-legged frogs.
The numbers and letters indicate various work in the project area.
The Work: Site 1
With the Ruskin Dam blocking gravel from moving downstream, and periodic dam releases washing existing gravel further downstream, gravel has been added to the system every 10-20 years to conserve critical spawning grounds. The most recent gravel restoration was completed from 2006-2008.
Site 1a – Regrading and recontouring gravel bars and benches (2006-2008), creating 60,000 m2 of spawning habitat. Also constructed three deep water trenches perpendicular to flows to provide resting areas for steelhead and other salmonids.
The Work: Site 2
Extensive restoration work was done on the northeast section of the lower Stave River between 2008 and 2015, focused on conserving recreational values, protecting archaeological sites, and creating and enhancing rearing and spawning habitat.
Site 2a – Bank stabilization and protection. Located in the unceded traditional territory of Kwantlen First Nation, the lower Stave River contains numerous archaeological sites and artifacts of cultural significance threatened by bank erosion. On-site gravel was used to protect the bank from further erosion.
Site 2b – An off-channel spillway and spawning channel on the east bank was enhanced and re-watered to create rearing and spawning habitat and to reduce overall erosion and spawning gravel displacement by spreading out the flows in the mainstem of Stave River, below Ruskin Dam. This piece of the project resulted in over 7,000 m2 of redeveloped spawning habitat. An additional 3,600 m2 of spawning gravel was added to the off-channel spillway near the boat launch. Indigenous plants were planted to help prevent erosion.
Site 2c – Ruskin picnic site. Adjacent to the spillway and spawning channel, the Ruskin picnic site was enhanced in 2008 to maintain recreational values. That included a new footbridge, and truckloads of sand to create a beach by the boat launch.
Site 2d – Ruskin Island. This work in 2013 focused on creating and improving overwintering and rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. An archaeological assessment was completed with Kwantlen First Nation to ensure cultural values were maintained. A new intake was built to re-water existing off-channel habitat. Large wood and root wads were added, as well as low sedge benches. FVWC crews planted 13,000 plants. A larger intake was installed in 2015.
The Work: Site 3
Restoration and enhancement of rearing and spawning habitat, focused on a west bank side-channel and a tributary called Thompson Creek.
Site 3a – Restoration of the West Bank Side Channel. Experiencing low flows due to a failing intake, the side-channel was restored to enhance spawning and rearing habitat for chum and coho salmon. A failing intake was replaced in 2010.
Site 3b – Thompson Creek enhancement. This small tributary is important rearing and spawning habitat. The creek was realigned to create additional riparian habitat, and to re-water the west bank side-channel. Large wood and root wads were added to improve habitat complexity. Invasive blackberry was removed and those areas replanted in 2011. A failing fish ladder was replaced in 2019.
The Work: Site 4
Located on Kwantlen First Nation IR #3, between the Stave River and Silvermere Lake, this area is a hotspot for archeological sites and artifacts. Prior to restoration, the rearing channels were heavily impacted by invasive reed-canary grass that reduced water flow and habitat value. These channels are in a fresh water tidal estuary which are diverse habitats important for a range of plant communities, fish, and other wildlife.
Work included an Archaeological Impact Assessment that discovered five archaeological sites, highlighting the cultural importance of the site. A vegetation survey found reed canary grass but also indigenous species like hardhack, tufted hair grass, various sedges, and a rare species called false pimpernel. Nesting habitat of the western painted turtle was also identified, as was great blue heron habitat.
Over 7000 m2 of off-channel habitat was created in 2016. Materials from digging channels were used to form higher ground to be replanted. Aquatic benches were built to accommodate sedges and reeds. Over 6000 plants were planted, including wapato, sweet gale and Nootka rose. Bio-engineering was done with local willow and black cottonwood.
The Work: Site 5
Spanning Ducks Unlimited and Kwantlen First Nation properties, between Silvermere Lake and Highway #7, this restoration focused on off-channel habitat for rearing and overwintering for juvenile salmon, and spawning for adults. Work in 2014-2015 involved the re-grading and contouring off-channel habitat, as well as enhancement of spawning channels. Large wood was added for complexity. Over 20,000 indigenous trees and shrubs were planted. The site was monitored for water quality, and to measure impacts on the numbers of salmon spawning, rearing, and overwintering.
Funders & Partners
