cohochinook
Well-Known Member
Big Bar update that includes some details on recovery plan for salmon stocks from DFO.
Rock slide in Fraser River, B.C., may hinder salmon passage
- Thread starter wildmanyeah
- Start date
I echo what GLG said. It was a much different picture back then. To set up that infrastructure is no little feat. It’s more than just a pump shooting fish. With water levels the way they were and access to that area it was not a good option at the time. However since then they have made that area more accessible and safe.
It’s because of the high water levels right now. I can assure you it’s not because there are other motives. You can operate ARIS and DIDSON sonars in light to even moderate turbid conditions because it uses sound so having some turbidity is no big deal, BUT excessive sediment load can overwhelm the lens cover and basically block the lens and prevent the focusing mechanisms from moving the lens. This accumulation can take less than a day in these conditions. Typically we would clean them once or twice during any other project in other tributaries of the Fraser (i.e. Quesnel), but the Fraser especially at this time of the year is a different beast. Crews go to the sites daily (takes a few hours to access) and clean the sonars daily, but there is only so much they can do when the river conditions are like this. They can’t be there 24 hours a day to clean and move the sonar. The river levels can fluctuate quite variably. Debris and high water at this time can easily take out the partial weirs and leave the sonar hanging in the current only held by the sonar cable. These sonars are $100,000 so although we want to obtain data we don’t want to the crews to spend their time recovering thousands of dollars equipment from the river. In addition, these high water conditions can be unsafe for crews to be operating jet boats so we don’t want them on recovery missions that can put themselves at risk of injury or death.Surely there is areas that sonar can be done. Especially since they had sonar running the last week of June when the water was higher and more turbid.
With areas of calmer water that are directly upstream and all the way to PG.
Saw another part in that video that says only 6000 Chinook migrate past the slide in July?
Much easier to have no data and keep the ocean closed to protect these early chinook that dont get encountered until the FN openings in the Fraser!
It is true sonar was operating in late June, but that was before the high water event and the big blowout of Churn Creek that followed. Following the blowout, the conference at Churn was unrecognizable from what it was during initial installation. There are a lot of considerations that go into sonar site selection. More than what I can get into reasonable here. I need to get to bed too lol. There are physical and biological considerations. Access can be a big consideration. The Fraser upstream of Hope has its challenges. Calmer waters might seem like better areas for sonar but given the width of the Fraser River you could have more migration further away from the banks and not as vulnerable to detection from the sonars. You might be able to see them at 60m but the image quality and resolution will be greatly impacted. It’s more advantageous to select areas where migration is more shore oriented where salmon avoid the faster, turbulent current for more calmer seams closer to the banks - more vulnerable to sonar detection with better resolution for counting.
There is another thing that came to mind during my restless sleep last night that I forgot to mention. Similar to last year, the counts from the Churn Creek sonar site are going to be compared to sonars located in terminal areas like Chilko and the Stellako. Chilko Sockeye can represent more than half the summer run escapement so if the sonar on the Fraser mainstream is located upstream of the Chilcotin confluence that would provide represent a big data gap - making that site not very useful. You also run the risk of having more salmon dropping out (i.e. mortality, spawning in another tributary) and not being counted the further upstream you go from the slide. So there may well be really good sites that are better than Churn further upstream, but sites can become less informative the further away from the slide along the mainstem of the Fraser. Churn is about 40km upstream but represented the best location at the time incorporating a bunch of considerations.
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
June 5 2020
Ongoing onsite operations
This week, river levels subsided and allowed prime contractor, Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit), to advance work at the Big Bar landslide site. However, weather conditions continue to challenge the crews onsite.
Kiewit’s focus at the West Beach concentrated on the installation of the Whooshh Passage Portal™ and building the infrastructure required for its operation. Crews completed the platform on which the Whooshh™ system is to be mounted. Work continues on anchoring the hanger system for the high tension cables that will support the transport tubes.
Other related efforts this week included:
As of June 3, the French Bar Creek Fish Holding Facility is fully operational. It will support emergency conservation enhancement efforts. Fish selected for the enhancement program will be genetically tested and then transported to one of several hatcheries. The genetic testing identifies the stock or origin of each salmon.
Finally, regarding the arrival of salmon at the site, only two chinook have been observed to date.
Installing a Whooshh Passage Portal™ component inside the concrete fish ladder.
Continuing this week, mounting of the tube hangers that will carry the fish over the slide site.
Aerial overview of the West Beach from this week, including the concrete fish ladder.
Aerial view of the French Bar Creek site.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
June 5 2020
Ongoing onsite operations
This week, river levels subsided and allowed prime contractor, Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit), to advance work at the Big Bar landslide site. However, weather conditions continue to challenge the crews onsite.
Kiewit’s focus at the West Beach concentrated on the installation of the Whooshh Passage Portal™ and building the infrastructure required for its operation. Crews completed the platform on which the Whooshh™ system is to be mounted. Work continues on anchoring the hanger system for the high tension cables that will support the transport tubes.
Other related efforts this week included:
- scaling the rock face to mount the variable-height Whooshh™ tube release system
- fitting the water pipe system to supply the Whooshh™ and concrete fish ladder
- installing electrical control components
- fabricating and building a system of catwalks within the upper section of the concrete fish ladder
- set-up and testing of the water pumps
As of June 3, the French Bar Creek Fish Holding Facility is fully operational. It will support emergency conservation enhancement efforts. Fish selected for the enhancement program will be genetically tested and then transported to one of several hatcheries. The genetic testing identifies the stock or origin of each salmon.
Finally, regarding the arrival of salmon at the site, only two chinook have been observed to date.
Installing a Whooshh Passage Portal™ component inside the concrete fish ladder.
Continuing this week, mounting of the tube hangers that will carry the fish over the slide site.
Aerial overview of the West Beach from this week, including the concrete fish ladder.
Aerial view of the French Bar Creek site.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
donnie d
Well-Known Member
When does natural passage of Chinook occur? What about Sockeye?
Water trending down almost to early May flow.
https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html?stn=08MD013
Water trending down almost to early May flow.
https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html?stn=08MD013
Middle of March is when you would start to see your first Chinook at the slide site, if not earlier. Keep in mind most years FN start to get their openings in early to mid February on the Fraser.
Your first early stuart sockeye would be historically be starting to show any day now.
Of course the water is dropping weather has been cold and raining. Preserving some of the snowpack for a later freshet.
Still waiting to hear of the sonar counts!
Your first early stuart sockeye would be historically be starting to show any day now.
Of course the water is dropping weather has been cold and raining. Preserving some of the snowpack for a later freshet.
Still waiting to hear of the sonar counts!
donnie d
Well-Known Member
What water level does natural passage occur at that site with their improvements I wonder. Last August/September was between 1200 - 2500 m3, and passage was occurring...with the improvements I would hope that the fish can pass with higher volume...because as you say, a later freshet is going to push elevated volumes for longer into the summer. Cooler water should help on the other hand.
That's absolute BS. Only 30 fish counted?
Their sonar is not working or they are lying about the numbers. It's almost mid June, there is easily a couple hundred fish showing at the slide site everyday.
Probably more of a reason to keep the sports guys off the water....
Their sonar is not working or they are lying about the numbers. It's almost mid June, there is easily a couple hundred fish showing at the slide site everyday.
Probably more of a reason to keep the sports guys off the water....
donnie d
Well-Known Member
Not sure what they have to gain from lying...the ballooning spend on this (which everyone knew would be orders of magnitude more than the initial budget) would lead to questions over the value of their spend.
what are the chances quite a few fish have been making it past the slide on their own?? Or Maybe they’re undetected and holding below the slide and not using the constructed passage way?
sure hope the 30 fish is wrong too.
what are the chances quite a few fish have been making it past the slide on their own?? Or Maybe they’re undetected and holding below the slide and not using the constructed passage way?
sure hope the 30 fish is wrong too.
zurk
Well-Known Member
a bunch of rocks slid into a river. wtf. do they really need $100m and 2 years to move them out ? blow the slide area up with a bunch of airforce bunker buster bombs and job done. at least it would be target practice for those poor sods freezing their butts off in cold lake.
The idea of indiscriminate blasting away at this slide area was put to rest earlier as the area was considered too unstable and could lead to worse problems.
I'm looking forward to seeing updated sonar counts, both above and below the slide, and I have no problem believing 30 is all they counted.
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
June 19 2020
Ongoing onsite operations
High winds and rain persisted throughout last week, forcing the rescheduling of some work onsite. Despite the conditions, the installation of the Whooshh Passage Portal is nearing completion at the West Beach.
Testing and preparation is underway for the full operation of the Whooshh system, including:
To date, 41 fish have been successfully radio tagged. The sonar downstream of the Big Bar ferry has only detected small numbers of chinook in the vicinity of the slide. No salmon have been detected upstream of the slide, at the Churn sonar station.
In an effort to significantly increase the understanding of fish movement and behaviour near the slide site, the monitoring team is exploring options to improve data and information collection in the vicinity. Accordingly, they installed a second sonar on the west bank of the Fraser River to better understand fish entry into the slide area. As well, First Nations fish technicians are assembling a fish wheel downstream of the Big Bar ferry to provide an additional fish-capture system. This method will allow the team to capture and radio tag fish in the slide area.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
This week included the testing of water pumps for the concrete fish ladder and Whooshh Passage Portal.
A close-up of hanger F1 with the termination hanger in the background, marking where the fish transport tubes will release fish back to the Fraser River.
Aerial view of the concrete fish ladder and Whooshh Passage Portal, where preparation work continues for activation.
https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
June 19 2020
Ongoing onsite operations
High winds and rain persisted throughout last week, forcing the rescheduling of some work onsite. Despite the conditions, the installation of the Whooshh Passage Portal is nearing completion at the West Beach.
Testing and preparation is underway for the full operation of the Whooshh system, including:
- installation of vertical sliding panels within the concrete fish ladder to separate and isolate fish for transport
- pouring cement to provide a durable floor within the holding and turning pools of the ladder
- connecting the last of the first phase Whooshh modules
- mounting the remaining hanger braces for the fish transport tubes
- running the tube suspension cables from the Whooshh platform to the hanger braces
- suspending the first tubes in their hangers
- testing the concrete fish ladder and Whooshh system’s water pumps
To date, 41 fish have been successfully radio tagged. The sonar downstream of the Big Bar ferry has only detected small numbers of chinook in the vicinity of the slide. No salmon have been detected upstream of the slide, at the Churn sonar station.
In an effort to significantly increase the understanding of fish movement and behaviour near the slide site, the monitoring team is exploring options to improve data and information collection in the vicinity. Accordingly, they installed a second sonar on the west bank of the Fraser River to better understand fish entry into the slide area. As well, First Nations fish technicians are assembling a fish wheel downstream of the Big Bar ferry to provide an additional fish-capture system. This method will allow the team to capture and radio tag fish in the slide area.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
This week included the testing of water pumps for the concrete fish ladder and Whooshh Passage Portal.
A close-up of hanger F1 with the termination hanger in the background, marking where the fish transport tubes will release fish back to the Fraser River.
Aerial view of the concrete fish ladder and Whooshh Passage Portal, where preparation work continues for activation.
https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
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