Crossing 125175 - Chuchinka-Missinka FSR - Trib to Missinka River

Site Location

Crossing 125175 is located on an unnamed tributary to the Missinka River near the 7.5km mark of the Chuchinka-Missinka FSR. The culvert is located approximately 2.4km and 1.7km east of crossings 125180 and 125179 respectively which also were surveyed with habitat confirmation assessments. The stream empties into the Missinka River 0.5km downstream of the crossing (Table 1). At the time of the field surveys, there was very little traffic on the FSR, the road was in disrepair and there appeared to be no active logging in the immediate area.


Background Information

At the crossing location, the unnamed tributary to the Missinka River is a 2nd order stream with a watershed area upstream of the road of approximately 1.2km2. The elevation of the watershed ranges from a maximum of 1400m to 800m at the culvert. One crossing is modeled as present on a tributary (16602407) at a location approximately 1km upstream of crossing 125175.


Provincial records indicate that in 1998 there were Rainbow Trout captured in multiple locations upstream of the crossing (MoE 2019; Triton Environmental Consultants Ltd. 1999). Hagen et al. (2015) have identified the Missinka River watershed as containing critical spawning habitat for large body adult Bull Trout with potentially less than 50 spawners utilizing the watershed. Additionally, they note that critical juvenile Bull Trout rearing habitat is also present. The Missinka River watershed is also utilized by a possibly genetically distinct, self-sustaining Arctic Grayling population with the mainstem of the river providing critical habitat for fry and adult life stages (Shrimpton, Roberts, and Clarke 2012; Hagen et al. 2015).


In 2018, the Missinka River watershed was designated as a fisheries sensitive watershed under the authority of the Forest and Range Practices Act due to significant downstream fisheries values and watershed sensitivity (Beaudry 2013). Special management is required in the crossing’s watershed to protect habitat for Bull Trout and Arctic Grayling and includes measures (among others) to limit equivalent clearcut area, reduce impacts to natural stream channel morphology, retain old growth attributes and maintain fish habitat/movement (Forest and Range Practices Act 2018).


Following office review, PSCIS stream crossing 125175 was ranked as a high priority for follow up with habitat confirmation due to the potential for rehabilitation of the crossing to provide access to instream (2.3km) habitat with a relatively large channel size (2.9m) and Rainbow Trout documented upstream (Table 2). Of note, Hooft (2014) had prioritized this crossing for rehabilitation ranking it 12th of 18 priorities identified. The habitat confirmation was completed on August 29, 2019. A map of the watershed including areas surveyed is provided in Attachment 1 – Map 093I116.


Stream Characteristics at Crossing

At the time of the survey, the un-embedded culvert and un-backwatered double pipe structure (1.2m diameter each) was considered a barrier to upstream fish passage with a length of 15m, a culvert slope of 4% and an outlet drop of 0.1m (Table 3, Figure 1). Water temperature was 7\(^\circ\)C, pH was 7.8 and conductivity was 43uS/cm.


Stream Characteristics Downstream

The stream was surveyed downstream from the culvert for 400m. The channel contained abundant gravels suitable for spawning. Overall, total cover amount was rated as moderate with overhanging vegetation dominant and small woody debris and undercut banks also available (Figures 2 - 3). The average channel width was 2.8m, the average wetted width was 2.4m and the average gradient was 4.2% (Table 4). Habitat value downstream of the crossing was rated as high due to extensive sections of gravels suitable for salmonid spawning.


Stream Characteristics Upstream

The stream was surveyed upstream from the culvert for 565m. The average channel width was 2.5m, the average wetted width was 2m and the average gradient was 9% (Table 4, Figure 4). Riparian vegetation was comprised of a young coniferous forest and instream cover quantity was rated as moderate. The dominant form of cover was overhanging vegetation with small woody debris and undercut banks also available. Approximately 300m upstream of the crossing the stream split into three small tributaries with the western most tributary containing the greatest quantity of flow (Figure 5). Although there were extensive sections of gravels present suitable for resident salmonid spawning above the split, there was a lack of pool habitat suitable for overwintering and rearing. Modeled crossing 16602407, located upstream of the crossing 125175 approximately 1km on the eastern most tributary, could not be inventoried as the road to the location was overgrown and not passable by ATV. Habitat value upstream of the crossing was rated as medium due to the presence of suitable spawning habitat.


Conclusion

There is approximately 0.3km of mainstem habitat upstream of crossing 125175 before the stream splits into three small tributaries. Habitat surveyed was rated as medium value for Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout and Burbot with Rainbow Trout presence confirmed 120m upstream of the split within the eastern most tributary (Triton Environmental Consultants Ltd. 1999). The watershed is designated as Fisheries Sensitive with critical habitat for Bull Trout and Arctic Grayling spawning as well as critical rearing habitat for Bull Trout juveniles and Arctic Grayling fry known in the Missinka River system. The forest licensee operating in the area was Sinclar Group Forest Products Ltd. and the road tenure holder was the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development. Overall, the crossing located on the Chuchinka-Missinka FSR was ranked as a moderate priority for rehabilitation.


Table 1: Overview of stream crossing.
Site Stream Road Tenure UTM (10N) Fish Species Habitat Gain (km) Priority
125175 Trib to Missinka River Chuchinka-Missinka FSR FLNRORD 5506 11 0 571772 6051998 RB 0.3 Moderate


Table 2: Field map, Fish Habitat Model outputs, historic PSCIS details and prioritization for follow up with fish habitat confirmation rank/comments.
Map 50k Instream (km) Lake (ha) Wetland (ha) Channel Width (m) Fish Upstream Habitat Value Rank Comments
093I116 2.3
2.9 RB Medium High Larger stream. Potential access at modelled crossing 16602407.


Table 3: Summary of culvert fish passage assessment.
Site Diameter (m) Length (m) Embedded Backwatered Fill Depth (m) Outlet Drop (m) Outlet Pool Depth (m) Stream Width Ratio Barrier Result
125175 1.2 15 no no 1 0.1 0.1 2.3 Barrier


Table 4: Summary of habitat details
Site Location Length Surveyed (m) Channel Width (m) Wetted Width (m) Pool depth (m) Gradient (%) Habitat Value
125175 Upstream 565 2.5 2
9 Medium
125175 Downstream 400 2.8 2.4 0.3 4.2 High


Outlet of PSCIS crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 571772 6051998).

Figure 1: Outlet of PSCIS crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 571772 6051998).


Habitat downstream of PSCIS crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 571716 6051853).

Figure 2: Habitat downstream of PSCIS crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 571716 6051853).


Habitat downstream of PSCIS crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 571603 6051832).

Figure 3: Habitat downstream of PSCIS crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 571603 6051832).


View of habitat upstream of crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 572161 6052205).

Figure 4: View of habitat upstream of crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 572161 6052205).


View of habitat upstream of crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 572059 6052383).

Figure 5: View of habitat upstream of crossing 125175 (UTM: 10N 572059 6052383).


References

Beaudry, Pierre G. 2013. “Assessment and Assignment of Sensitivity Ratings to Sub-Basins of the Missinka Watershed in Parsnp Drainage – Ominieca Region. Contract Number: GS14FWH-006.” Report. P. Beaudry; Associates Ltd. http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/acat/public/viewReport.do?reportId=51631.

Forest and Range Practices Act. 2018. “Order - Fisheries Sensitive Watershed Prince George Forest District.” http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/frpa/fsw/approved.html.

Hagen, John, Susanne Williamson, Mike Stamford, and Ray Pillipow. 2015. “Critical Habitats for Bull Trout and Arctic Grayling Within the Parsnip River and Pack River Watersheds.”

Hooft, Jason. 2014. “Prince George Forest District: Parsnip Watershed 468 Locations Contract: PD14TGB003,” 25.

MoE. 2019. “Known Bc Fish Observations and Bc Fish Distributions.” Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy - Knowledge Management. https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/known-bc-fish-observations-and-bc-fish-distributions.

Shrimpton, J. M., S. L. Roberts, and A. D. Clarke. 2012. “Genetic Analysis of Arctic Grayling Population Structure in the Williston Watershedcfe3011493.Pdf.” http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r38246/Report_311_GR_genetics_2012_1379090176074_c3e946726980918f9466d47b59978ad28ded2b969041dd7fe53b83cfe3011493.pdf.

Triton Environmental Consultants Ltd. 1999. “Reconnaissance (1:20,000) Fish and Fish Habitat Inventory of the Missinka River Watershed WSC: 236-614900.”