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NELSON - Above normal temperatures and substantial amounts of rain have resulted in creek and stream disturbances that negatively impact bull trout and kokanee eggs in spawning channels and creeks throughout the Kootenay region, the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks announced today.
Ministry fisheries biologists fear substantial impacts to bull trout populations due to debris torrents and siltation from the erosion of slopes at creeks and spawning channels. Kokanee and westslope cutthroat trout populations could also be reduced because of the recent heavy rains.
Slope failures and erosion resulted in a major debris torrent on Mobbs Creek, causing a dam at the confluence of the creek with the Lardeau River. This backed the creek up into Trout Lake and heavily silted the spawning grounds at Gerrard. Environment and Forestry staff will be assessing the watershed to determine if any other factors besides prolonged rainfall contributed to this event.
Other streams and spawning channels suffered the same results. For instance, the bridge at Coffee Creek on Highway 31 was washed out, as was a section of Highway 23 north of Nakusp.
The fall flooding could result in reduced fishing limits, closures or restrictions occurring for bull trout populations and possibly for kokanee in the year 2000. The spring enumeration of kokanee fry at spawning channels on Kootenay and Arrow Lakes will assist in determining if regulation changes are required for conservation reasons.
Uploaded: 11/20/1999
Uploaded: 11/20/1999