Appendix - 124500 - Helps Creek
Site Location
PSCIS crossing 124500 is located approximately 5km south of Telkwa adjacent to the W Diamond Ramch on Helps Creek and Lawson Road. The culvert is located approximately 1.7km upstream from the confluence with the Bulkley River. Lawson Road is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Background
At crossing 124500, Helps Creek is a fourth order stream with an upstream watershed area of approximately 41.4km2. The elevation of the watershed ranges from a maximum of 1350m to 530m at PSCIS crossing 124500. Upstream of Lawson Road, longnose sucker, longnose dace, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and dolly varden have been previously recorded as present and coho, steelhead, rainbow trout and burbot have been observed below the crossing (MoE 2020a). A backwatered and passable rail stream crossing consisting of three round culverts (PSCIS 197666) is located under the railway approximately 1.2km downstream. There is one major tributary to Helps Creek that intersects the mainstem of the creek approximately 1.7km upstream of Lawson Road. There are several stream crossing structures documented on this tributary with the first of which located 4.7km upstream of Lawson Road. The adjacent landowner anecdotally reported a drop in numbers of fry/parr in stream over last 20 years and also mentioned that - at some points in time in the past - there were large numbers of adult lamprey present within the downstream railway crossing. At the time of the survey a staff gauge was present just upstream of crossing 124500 on Lawson Road.
PSCIS stream crossing 124500 was ranked as a high priority for follow up by Irvine (2018). The site was assessed by Smith (2018) in 2017 with maintenance to clear the inlet of debris recommended and replacement of the crossing assessed as a low priority.
Following the 2020 assessment, planning began to replace crossing 124500 with preliminary designs commissioned from the Canadian Wildlife Federation in collaboration with the MoTI. To assess the severity of impacts of the culvert on fisheries values in the stream and inform baseline monitoring before a potential replacement, the site was electrofished in the summer of 2023 to provide insight into fish community composition and density. Results from 2023 have been incorperated into an updated version of this report.
A map of the watershed is provided in map attachment 093L.118.
Stream Characteristics at Crossing
At the time of the survey, the culvert under Lawson Road was un-embedded, non-backwatered and ranked as a barrier to upstream fish passage according to the provincial protocol (MoE 2011). The pipe was 1.5m in diameter with a length of 14m, a culvert slope of 1%, a stream width ratio of 2.4 and an outlet drop of 0m (Table 5.24). Water temperature was 10\(^\circ\)C, pH was 7.6 and conductivity was 236uS/cm. There was a beaver grate on the inlet of the culvert.
Stream Characteristics Downstream
The stream was surveyed downstream from the culvert for 415m beginning at the culvert location with a short survey conducted adjacent to the downstream railway (Figures 5.29 - 5.30). Total cover amount was rated as abundant with overhanging vegetation dominant. Cover was also present as small woody debris, large woody debris, undercut banks, deep pools, and instream vegetation (Table 5.26). The average channel width was 3.6m, the average wetted width was 2.3m and the average gradient was 2.5%. The dominant substrate was gravels with fines subdominant. Within the area surveyed, the channel flowed through an agricultural field with minimal riparian buffer present. The habitat was rated as high value with gravels present suitable for resident, fluvial and anadromous salmonid spawning throughout. At the railway culverts located 1.3km downstream of Lawson Road, the habitat transitioned to wetland type habitat with low velocities likely influenced by beaver (Table 5.25). The landowners of the adjacent property noted that they had seen large numbers of lamprey in the railway culverts in the past and that they suspected negative impacts on the lamprey from dredging by CN Rail.
Stream Characteristics Upstream
The stream was surveyed immediately upstream of crossing 124500 for approximately 200m, then an adjacent road was walked to access the stream 1100m upstream of the crossing within an area comprised of swamp (Figures 5.31 - 5.32). Within the area immediately upstream of Lawson Road, the stream had multiple braided channels flowing within beaver influenced wetland areas. The area surveyed had a total cover amount rated as moderate with small woody debris dominant. Cover was also present as large woody debris, undercut banks, deep pools, overhanging vegetation, and instream vegetation (Table 5.26). The average channel width was 4.8m, the average wetted width was 4.1m and the average gradient was 0.7%. The dominant substrate was fines with gravels subdominant. At the top end of the site, the beaver ponds had wetted widths of approximately 12-14m wide and estimated depths of 1m. Habitat value was rated as moderate for salmonid rearing with habitat noted as suitable for coho and cuthrout rearing.
Table 5.27 presents preliminary fish passage modelling data for crossing 124500 with spawning and rearing habitat estimated for chinook, coho, sockeye and steelhead. Modelled estimates of the total length of salmon or steelhead habitat upstream of the crossing before potential barriers are 6.7km of potential spawning habitat and 10.2km of potential rearing habitat.
Fish Sampling
As noted above, to assess the severity of impacts of the culvert on fisheries values in the stream and inform baseline monitoring, the site was revisited on September 15, 2023 with electrofishing conducted upstream and downstream of the crossing. Results are summarized in Tables 5.28 - 5.29 and Figure 5.28.
A total of 17 fish were captured upstream, including coho, longnose dace and suckers. Downstream, 32 fish were captured including coho, rainbow trout, longnose dace, suckers and lamprey (Figures 5.33 - 5.34). All coho and rainbow captured with a fork length greater than 60mm were tagged with Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags) with data stored here.
Structure Remediation and Cost Estimate
Replacement of PSCIS crossing 124500 with a bridge (10m span) is recommended. The cost of the work is estimated at $1,000,000 for a cost benefit of 9 linear m/$1000 and 43.2m2/$1000.
Conclusion
A conservative estimate of mainstem and major tributary habitat upstream of crossing 124500 on Lawson Road is 9km. Habitat in the areas surveyed was rated as moderate value for salmonid rearing with habitat noted as particularly suitable for coho and cutthroat. the crossing is likely passable to upstream migrating adult salmonids during moderate flows as no outlet drop was present and because low gradient habitat was not expected to result in overly high flow velocities. During low flow periods, water depths in the culverts may be an impediment to upstream passage for large adult fish but this is unconfirmed. Lawson Road is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the crossing was ranked as a moderate priority for proceeding to design for replacement.
Although classified as a “barrier” according to the provincial metric, the presence of coho fry and parr upstream of Lawson Road in areas surveyed with electrofishing in 2023 demonstrated that some or all life stages of coho were able to ascend above the crossing in 2022 and/or 2023. Although, this indicates that PSCIS crossing 124500 was not blocking upstream migration for these species during the years preceding the sampling event, it may still be hindering connectivity at some times of year and for some species and life stages of fish present in the watershed including lamprey.
| Location and Stream Data |
|
Crossing Characteristics | – |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 2020-08-31 | Crossing Sub Type | Round Culvert |
| PSCIS ID | 124500 | Diameter (m) | 1.5 |
| External ID | – | Length (m) | 14 |
| Crew | KP, AI | Embedded | No |
| UTM Zone | 9 | Depth Embedded (m) | – |
| Easting | 627552 | Resemble Channel | No |
| Northing | 6058697 | Backwatered | No |
| Stream | Helps Creek | Percent Backwatered | – |
| Road | Lawson Road | Fill Depth (m) | 0.8 |
| Road Tenure | MoTi local | Outlet Drop (m) | 0 |
| Channel Width (m) | 3.6 | Outlet Pool Depth (m) | 1.3 |
| Stream Slope (%) | 2.5 | Inlet Drop | No |
| Beaver Activity | Yes | Slope (%) | 1 |
| Habitat Value | Medium | Valley Fill | Deep Fill |
| Final score | 21 | Barrier Result | Barrier |
| Fix type | Replace with New Open Bottom Structure | Fix Span / Diameter | 10 |
Photos: From top left clockwise: Road/Site Card, Barrel, Outlet, Downstream, Upstream, Inlet.
|
|||
| Comments: Wetland type habitat upstream with stream channel containing abundant gravels downstream. |
| Location and Stream Data |
|
Crossing Characteristics | – |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 2020-08-29 | Crossing Sub Type | Round Culvert |
| PSCIS ID | 197666 | Diameter (m) | 2 |
| External ID | 2020083101 | Length (m) | 22 |
| Crew | AI, KP | Embedded | Yes |
| UTM Zone | 9 | Depth Embedded (m) | 0.15 |
| Easting | 628108 | Resemble Channel | Yes |
| Northing | 6059632 | Backwatered | Yes |
| Stream | Helps Creek | Percent Backwatered | 100 |
| Road | CN Railway | Fill Depth (m) | 1 |
| Road Tenure | Canadian National | Outlet Drop (m) | 0 |
| Channel Width (m) | 6 | Outlet Pool Depth (m) | 0.3 |
| Stream Slope (%) | 0 | Inlet Drop | No |
| Beaver Activity | Yes | Slope (%) | 0 |
| Habitat Value | High | Valley Fill | Deep Fill |
| Final score | 14 | Barrier Result | Passable |
| Fix type | – | Fix Span / Diameter | – |
Photos: From top left clockwise: Road/Site Card, Barrel, Outlet, Downstream, Upstream, Inlet.
|
|||
| Comments: Passable and fully backwatered structure. Landowner reports that lamprey (~40cm x 20) at crossing inside of the culvert in the past. |
| Site | Location | Length Surveyed (m) | Channel Width (m) | Wetted Width (m) | Pool Depth (m) | Gradient (%) | Total Cover | Habitat Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 124500 | Upstream | 1100 | 4.8 | 4.1 | – | 0.7 | moderate | moderate |
| 124500 | Downstream | 415 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 2.5 | abundant | high |
| Habitat | Potential | Remediation Gain | Remediation Gain (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon Network (km) | 33.5 | 12.1 | 36 |
| Salmon Lake Reservoir (ha) | 4.2 | 4.1 | 98 |
| Salmon Wetland (ha) | 113.4 | 113.4 | 100 |
| Steelhead Network (km) | 36.6 | 12.5 | 34 |
| Steelhead Lake Reservoir (ha) | 4.2 | 4.1 | 98 |
| Steelhead Wetland (ha) | 113.4 | 113.4 | 100 |
| CH Spawning (km) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 100 |
| CH Rearing (km) | 9.3 | 7.1 | 76 |
| CO Spawning (km) | 8.8 | 6.7 | 76 |
| CO Rearing (km) | 11.2 | 9.0 | 80 |
| CO Rearing (ha) | 66.8 | – | – |
| SK Spawning (km) | 0.0 | 0.0 | – |
| SK Rearing (km) | 0.0 | 0.0 | – |
| SK Rearing (ha) | – | – | – |
| ST Spawning (km) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 100 |
| ST Rearing (km) | 12.1 | 8.3 | 69 |
| All Spawning (km) | 8.8 | 6.7 | 76 |
| All Rearing (km) | 14.0 | 10.2 | 73 |
| All Spawning and Rearing (km) | 14.0 | 10.2 | 73 |
| * Model data is preliminary and subject to adjustments including incorporating area based estimates. | |||
| † Modelled rearing habitat estimates include linear lengths of centrelines within wetlands for coho and within lakes >100ha (multiplied by 1.5) for sockeye. | |||
| ‡ Remediation Gain is an estimate of the amount of habitat to be gained by providing access above the crossing. This assumes that all upstream habitat is currently unavailable and that all modelled unassessed crossings located upstream would prevent further passage. |
| site | passes | ef_length_m | ef_width_m | area_m2 | enclosure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 124500_ds_ef1 | 1 | 12 | 2.70 | 32.4 | Open |
| 124500_ds_ef2 | 1 | 13 | 2.53 | 32.9 | Open |
| 124500_ds_ef3 | 1 | 16 | 1.98 | 31.7 | Open |
| 124500_us_ef1 | 1 | 7 | 2.87 | 20.1 | Open |
| 124500_us_ef2 | 1 | 3 | 4.23 | 12.7 | Open |
| 124500_us_ef3 | 1 | 11 | 2.00 | 22.0 | Open |
| local_name | species_code | life_stage | catch | density_100m2 | nfc_pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 124500_ds_ef1 | CO | fry | 1 | 3.1 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef1 | CO | parr | 9 | 27.8 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef1 | LNC | – | 8 | 24.7 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef1 | RB | juvenile | 2 | 6.2 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef1 | SU | – | 3 | 9.3 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef2 | CO | parr | 4 | 12.2 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef3 | CO | parr | 2 | 6.3 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef3 | L | – | 1 | 3.2 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef3 | LNC | – | 1 | 3.2 | FALSE |
| 124500_ds_ef3 | SU | – | 1 | 3.2 | FALSE |
| 124500_us_ef1 | CO | parr | 4 | 19.9 | FALSE |
| 124500_us_ef1 | LNC | – | 1 | 5.0 | FALSE |
| 124500_us_ef1 | SU | – | 1 | 5.0 | FALSE |
| 124500_us_ef2 | CO | parr | 3 | 23.6 | FALSE |
| 124500_us_ef2 | LNC | – | 7 | 55.1 | FALSE |
| 124500_us_ef3 | NFC | – | 0 | 0.0 | TRUE |
|
* nfc_pass FALSE means fish were captured in final pass indicating more fish of this species/lifestage may have remained in site. Mark-recaptured required to reduce uncertainties. |
Figure 5.28: Densites of fish (fish/100m2) captured upstream and downstream of PSCIS crossing 124500.
Figure 5.29: Habitat downstream of PSCIS crossing 124500.
Figure 5.30: Habitat downstream of crossing 124500 below the railway culverts.
Figure 5.31: Habitat upstream of PSCIS crossing 124500.
Figure 5.32: Habitat upstream of PSCIS crossing 124500.
Figure 5.33: Coho captured upstream of crossing 124500.
Figure 5.34: Coho captured upstream of crossing 124500.