Rock slide in Fraser River, B.C., may hinder salmon passage
- Thread starter wildmanyeah
- Start date
Is there a link for checking these flows?
Thanks
donnie d
Well-Known Member
Try this
Disclaimer for Hydrometric Information - Water Level and Flow - Environment Canada
If that doesn’t work just go to the water office main site and find from there Big Bar creek is the station
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
So is the far right number all salmon or just tagged ones? If that is All salmon combined sure seems like a very very low number.
If that is the number DFO sticks with and claims to be accurate they should surely shut down any Gill net fishery on the Fraser this year otherwise don’t waste taxpayers money on slide remediation just let nature take its course.
That number is all that have counted by sonar. It is a very, very low number and is why this is the biggest issue facing upper Fraser chinooks. It’s
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
June 28 20212021 Fraser salmon migration season underway
Monitoring crews at Big Bar are detecting small numbers of fish arriving at the slide site, marking the start of the 2021 Fraser salmon migration season. The Chinook are migrating through the area on their own using the “nature-like” fishway. Increasing numbers of returning fish are expected as the season progresses.Summer operations are in full swing, with a focus on preparations for the earlier timed Early Stuart sockeye expected to arrive in the upcoming weeks. Crews removed debris in the concrete fish ladder from last week's high water and a log caught in the pump tiebacks.
The fisheries crew is conducting trial runs of “trap and transport” procedures using both the 40-tonne transport trucks from West Beach, as well as the 3-tonne trucks from the fish wheel and Beach 1 operations. Systems are now ready to move fish if and when salmon cannot get past the slide site on their own. The first Chinook was successfully transported past the slide and released at French Bar Creek on June 18.
While summer has officially started, the site saw significant rainfall recently, prompting a temporary pause of additional assessments of the south cliff face to determine slope stability.
Salmon counts available online
Daily counts of fish detected at, below, and above the slide site are now available on the DFO website, including the number of fish radio tagged and those moved as part of “trap and transport” operations this year. As of June 25, 246 fish have been detected 40 km upstream of the slide site, indicating that fish are moving past the slide site without assistance during moderate flows.Several factors impact migration timing, including flow levels, water temperature and weather. In 2021, migration timing is expected to vary greatly during periods of moderate and high flows.
To minimize handling and risk to fish health, salmon will be transported by truck only when it is determined by monitoring data that they cannot migrate past the slide site on their own.
Marking two years of partnerships and progress
June 23, 2021, marked two years since DFO was first informed of the landslide. Since 2019, First Nations governments, the Province of British Columbia and DFO have undertaken extraordinary measures to restore natural fish passage at Big Bar to avoid the extirpation of at-risk salmon populations.Despite the challenging working conditions, response efforts have ranged from transporting fish by helicopter in 2019, to blasting and rock removal in 2020, to implementing engineering solutions in 2021.
We continue to build on our experiences in 2019 and 2020, and are progressively working to ensure a higher rate of survival for the migrating Fraser salmon, including targeted efforts towards preserving the genetic diversity of these salmon populations in the short-term.
As operations ramp up this summer season, we would like to acknowledge the continued commitment and support of First Nations leadership, communities, our First Nations technical partners on the ground and volunteers as we together coordinate fish transport, enhancement and monitoring programs while pursuing a long-term solution to restore sustainable fish passage at Big Bar and help salmon return home to spawn.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
June 17, 2021 - Aerial view of the concrete fish ladder and “nature-like” fishway. Click to enlarge.
Crews tested the 40-tonne fish transport truck under the dewatering flume at the concrete fish ladder. Click to enlarge.
Crews tested the new discharge pumps, which flush water directly into the concrete fish ladder. Click to enlarge.
Aerial view of the French Bar Creek release site, where Kiewit and DFO crews trialed truck transport procedures. Click to enlarge.
First Chinook transported and released during a test run on June 18. Photo: Jayden Gross. Click to enlarge.
Radio tagging operations are underway in Lillooet. Click to enlarge.https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
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wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
July 12 2021On this page
- Crews overcome a raft of environmental challenges
- Environmental impact on migrating fish
- Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Crews overcome a raft of environmental challenges
From record-breaking heat and raging wildfires to high water and heavy rain, the Big Bar response has been battling tough conditions over the last two weeks.McKay Creek wildfire
On June 29, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) alerted crews to the McKay Creek wildfire burning 50km south of the Big Bar camp, and quickly moving north. The fire had blocked the West Pavilion Road, the only direct land access route to the landslide site.Due to the remote location and as a safety precaution, all First Nations, DFO staff and Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit) crews were evacuated, crossing the Fraser River by boat and heading to Clinton later that evening. Operations at all locations, including the landslide site and French Bar Creek, were temporarily paused. The initial evacuation alert soon became an order.
When the evacuation order was lifted on July 1, a small crew of essential workers returned to the site to better protect the camp from the McKay Creek fire, relocating fuel and equipment, and mobilizing pumps, hoses and water trucks. With the return of high water, crews also worked to protect the concrete fish ladder from river debris.
Beginning July 5, teams were remobilized at the West Beach work site to assess the damage from high water and begin repairs in advance of the sockeye arrival in the coming weeks. As of July 7, the Big Bar response team is also monitoring wildfire activity on the east side of the Fraser River, which has closed Jesmond Road, one of two access routes to Clinton. The camp remains in a restricted area due to the wildfire and cannot be utilized.
The Big Bar response team would like to especially thank staff from BCWS, Kiewit, Prime Quality Construction and the Gitksan Watershed Authorities for supporting the swift evacuation of the Big Bar area as the McKay Creek fire came within 7.5km of the camp.
Before the wildfire, crews had successfully completed the first tests of the fish transport system using the concrete fish ladder and the new fish transport trucks. Kiewit also worked on additional rock stabilization.
Spiking temperatures
As the rest of the province experienced an unprecedented heat wave, temperatures at the slide site reached over 50°C in the shade. To ensure the health and safety of team members, operations, shifts and breaks were adjusted to ensure crews were managing the extreme heat.Thunderstorms, heavy rainfall
On July 1, heavy rain forced mud and debris onto one section of the Chinook Main road, a critical route for “trap and transport” operations. All fish transport to French Bar Creek are paused until the Province’s engineering team completes the necessary repairs in the coming days.Environmental impact on migrating fish
Fish monitoring efforts at Big Bar are key to understanding the response of salmon populations to in-river passage conditions, passage improvement efforts to date, as well as the local and regional effects of climate change. Monitoring also helps assess their distribution, productivity and growth.During the most recent runs of Fraser salmon, impacts associated with climate change have been observed in their ecosystems. These effects at Big Bar include warmer temperatures, more frequent heatwaves, extreme rainfall and rapid snowmelt causing high river flows.
As a result of this past week’s extreme weather, Big Bar crews are even more mindful of assessing the health of migrating salmon.
During the recent heatwave, the Fraser River reached water temperatures of almost 18°C. Studies have shown that salmon get stressed when exposed to water temperatures over 19°C, , which in turn impacts growth and reproduction, and can be lethal to fish. The experience of the adults during migration can have intergenerational effects on their offspring’s survival and development. For example, high stress on female adults can affect their offspring’s swimming performance and predator avoidance behavior. Temperatures over 20°C can cause in-river mortality before the adults reach their spawning grounds.
As water levels drop this week and radio tagging activities resume, fisheries technicians are looking for signs of stress in fish. Most recently, Chinook caught at the fish wheel were observed to be in good health – a positive sign that salmon can continue their journey past the slide site.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Smoke from the McKay Creek fire, north of Lillooet. Click to enlarge.
McKay Creek wildfire. Click to enlarge.
Crews returned to the slide site to prepare for high water levels, including making adjustments to fish ladder equipment to protect against damage. Click to enlarge.
Gear was moved to the west side of the Fraser River in response to the wildfire evacuation order. Click to enlarge.
Radio tagging activities resumed in Lillooet after the evacuation alert was lifted; radio-tagged Chinook on July 7, 2021. Click to enlarge.Additional images of the work underway as part of our response efforts can be seen on the Government of BC’s Flickr channel.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
July 27 2021On this page
- Wildfire update
- Monitoring program update
- Enhancement program update
- Ongoing site operations
- Next steps for the Big Bar landslide response
Wildfire update
Since our last update, and until July 20, the Mckay Creek wildfire was exhibiting normal fire behavior, and crews were able to safely access the Big Bar slide area to continue operations. Crews have been monitoring the Flat Lake, Churn Creek and Chasm wildfires, which all had the potential to impact the site, site access, or crew accommodation.On July 21, the Mckay Creek wildfire evacuation order was issued for an area encompassing all Big Bar Landslide response operations and the Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit) camp at kilometre 96. All crews have evacuated safely. As of July 22, crews were awaiting updates from BC Wildfire Service on the status of the evacuation order. Aspects of the program that are outside of the area covered by evacuation order continue.
Crews remain in daily communication with the BC Wildfire Service members assigned to the Mckay Creek wildfire to monitor any changes and ensure the safety of everyone on site.
Monitoring program update
At this time, salmon—including Early Stuart sockeye—are finding natural passage and migrating past the Big Bar landslide site. This is a direct result of the improvements made to the “nature‑like” fishway this past winter. In addition to natural migration, technical experts have confirmed that the migration is occurring through a broader range of river flows. River conditions are also more favourable in 2021 in comparison to the extreme high water conditions witnessed in 2020. As of July 21, 2021, 55,563 fish have been detected upstream of the slide site at the Churn Creek sonar station.The total number of salmon tagged as of July 21, 2021 is 260, of which 208 are Chinook and 52 are sockeye.
“Trap and transport” crews are standing by, ready to move fish by truck if required.
Enhancement program update
As part of the Big Bar emergency enhancement program, the first 476 Early Stuart sockeye collected from the Lillooet and Big Bar fish wheel sites were transported to the Cultus Lake Research Laboratory between July 12 and 23, 2021. These salmon are being collected as broodstock to support impacted populations. The adult sockeye will be spawned at various facilities and their fertilized eggs incubated. Once the eggs hatch, the fry will be reared for varying lengths of time before being released back into their natal streams.The program’s target is to collect 803 Early Stuart sockeye while the collection of Chinook broodstock from natal streams is set to begin on July 26.
Ongoing site operations
Last week, crews continued to work on maintenance of the fish ladder. Crews also completed an inspection of the system’s pumps by removing them from the water and replacing a damaged pump.The West Pavilion Road re-opened on July 13 for heavy equipment hauling, but was closed again on July 21 due to the evacuation order for the Mckay Creek fire. Crews also worked on revising their fire prevention plan and lightning monitoring procedures.
Next steps for the Big Bar landslide response
Summary
Ever-evolving site conditions have impacted the safe and timely implementation of the permanent concrete fishway at Big Bar. As a result, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is suspending further construction on that structure, and the contract with Kiewit will be terminated following the completion of summer site operations and Kiewit’s demobilization. The tripartite remediation team (Indigenous, federal and provincial representatives), is pursuing a structured analysis to review options and establish a long-term solution to safely restore natural fish passage through the area.Background
Following an analysis in mid-2020, a permanent fishway was identified as the most certain and reliable option to restore natural fish passage in advance of the 2022 salmon migration season. Between February and March 2021, multiple rock fall incidents and extreme weather impacted crew safety and forced a halt to work on the permanent fishway construction. The prime contractor, Kiewit, immediately undertook further slope stability assessments, which determined that installation of a permanent fishway, as originally designed, was not possible by May 2022. The completion of the structure and the construction costs cannot be adequately estimated due to slope stability issues and the challenges posed by inclement weather and unsafe site conditions.Therefore, DFO will suspend the installation of the permanent fishway and conclude the contract with Kiewit. With the support of First Nations partners and the Province of British Columbia, DFO is undertaking an analysis to explore alternatives and develop a suitable long‑term solution to address the complex challenge of safely restoring fish passage at Big Bar.
The analysis will allow DFO and its partners adequate time to study existing and incoming data—including input from First Nations partners and third-party consultants—and consider the performance of the “nature-like” fishway. Together with First Nations and the Province, DFO and Public Services and Procurement Canada will continue to coordinate short-term enhancement, monitoring, and fish transport programs while pursuing a long‑term solution.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Crews remove pumps from the water to inspect them for damage. Click to enlarge.
Flume maintenance. Click to enlarge.Additional images of the work underway as part of our response efforts can be seen on the Government of BC’s Flickr channel.
High Time
Crew Member
Because of the delay in start and the time wasted with ineffective measures before deciding to build a proper concrete fish ladder, the last of the four cycle years of Fraser Sockeye in 2022, that spawn above the slide, will have to run the gauntlet as well,and be pushed further down the road towards possible extinction. Nice work DFO....
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
August 9 2021On this page
- Wildfires continue to challenge crews
- Monitoring program
- Enhancement program
- Long-haul transport pilot proving successful
- Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Wildfires continue to challenge crews
The area surrounding Big Bar remains under an evacuation alert from nearby wildfires as crews prepare for the demobilization of the job site.As of August 3, the Mckay Creek wildfire grew to the west and north, jumping the West Pavilion Road in multiple locations and severing the only direct land access route to the slide site. As of July 30, the Flat Lake wildfire burning east of the Fraser River shut down the Big Bar Road, leaving crews with only the Jesmond Road to access Clinton.
Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit) and DFO are in daily contact with the BC Wildfire Service, ensuring operations are adjusted to safeguard the health and safety of crews. Despite the fires and the ongoing hot weather, crews are continuing to demobilize, readying equipment for shipment and decommissioning the camp.
Monitoring program
On July 29, the “trap and transport” operations concluded as water levels continued to drop and fish are migrating past the slide site without assistance. To date, 19 Chinook and 36 sockeye were moved by truck to test the system’s operation. However, this system was not needed this year as salmon were able to pass the slide volitionally.As of August 7, more than 109,000 fish have been detected upstream of the slide site at the Churn Creek sonar station.
Enhancement program
Using fish wheels, First Nations crews have captured 731 Early Stuart sockeye at the slide site and at Lillooet to support the Big Bar emergency conservation enhancement program. Another 33 sockeye were captured in the lower Fraser River at the Matsqui fish wheel in Glen Valley. All 764 sockeye are being held at Cultus Lake Laboratory where spawning will begin next week. At this time the program has achieved 95% of its brood capture target.On July 30, the natal stream capture of Chinook began with technicians from the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance and the Tŝilhqot'in National Government collecting four females and six males from a remote section of the Upper Chilcotin. These fish have been transported to the Quesnel River Research Centre where they will be held until ready for spawning. The team will continue collecting Chinook from other key populations in the coming weeks.
Long-haul transport pilot proving successful
Since 2019, the Big Bar team has been continuously reviewing its past operations while simultaneously exploring other opportunities to innovate and improve its approach.For the past three years, the team has focused on short-haul transport to move fish past Big Bar. This method involves collecting fish at the slide site and moving them to French Bar Creek, where they are then released back into the Fraser River.
This season, the team is trialing a long-haul alternative by moving early arriving salmon much further and much closer to their final destination (or natal stream). The test saw the collection of 60 Early Stuart sockeye using the Big Bar fish wheel. The fish were then transported north by truck and released back into the Fraser River just south of the Nechako confluence. Technicians tagged these fish and applied accelerometers to 10 salmon to better understand their movement and energy expenditure during the long journey.
As of July 30, early results indicate that eight of the 10 fish with accelerometers and more than 50% of the radio tagged fish were detected at Fort St James, proving that fish can be moved long-distance without disrupting their migration. Monitoring of these fish will continue through to the spawning grounds to fully assess the trial’s success.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Aerial view of the concrete fish ladder. Click to enlarge.
Truck loaded up with materials to be transported to Lillooet as part of demobilization. Click to enlarge.
Air quality is poor due to heavy smoke at and around the site. Click to enlarge.
Mckay Creek wildfire burning close to the West Pavilion Road. Photo by BC Wildfire Service. Click to enlarge.wildmanyeah
Crew Member
interesting
Very interesting! It's good to see some different ideas being monitored, kudos to all those involved!
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
August 23 2021On this page
- Fish attaining natural passage in the thousands
- Enhancement program
- Onsite operations
- Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Fish attaining natural passage in the thousands
Increasing numbers of salmon are successfully migrating past the Big Bar landslide site without assistance this year. As of August 21, more than 308,000 salmon have moved past the slide site. Based on data from the Churn Creek sonar station, the vast majority of these fish are sockeye.By the end of last week, over 55,000 sockeye were arriving each day at the slide site, including summer-time runs destined for the Chilko, Quesnel, Stellako and Stuart River watersheds. A number of smaller runs are co-migrating through the area. Over the next month, monitoring crews will apply 100 radio tags each week to the sockeye to track their movements. At the same time, further analysis is underway to determine the river volumes at which these fish can naturally pass by Big Bar and if the current large numbers can move through the canyon quickly and without delay.
On August 16, the first pink salmon of the season was observed near Lillooet. Pinks migrate every second year on odd-numbered years, so 2021, 2023, etc. Up to 20% of the Fraser’s pink salmon run migrate past the Big Bar slide site to spawn upstream.
Enhancement program
At DFO’s Cultus Lake Laboratory, Early Stuart sockeye spawning is underway through the end of August, as part of the Big Bar Emergency Conservation Enhancement Program. Reports indicate that the adult fish are in good shape and the egg quality has been very high. A portion of the eggs and milt collected has been transported to the Takla First Nation Hatchery, where they will be used to produce approximately 100,000 fry. These fry will be released into their natal streams in 2022.The 2021 enhancement program is targeting up to 13 Chinook streams above Big Bar, and two sockeye streams. First Nations fisheries technicians from throughout B.C., local volunteers and DFO staff are currently collecting broodstock from at-risk populations in the mid and upper Fraser regions. Chinook broodstock capture programs are planned around the different run and spawn timings in various parts of the watershed. The earliest timed Chinook return to the Upper Chilcotin, Torpy and Swift rivers, as well as the tributaries within the McGregor watershed. Fish from these systems are being spawned and the eggs are being moved to the Spruce City Wildlife Association Hatchery, Quesnel River Research Centre and DFO’s Chehalis River Hatchery. Other adult capture programs are active in the Chilako, Endako, Willow and Blackwater systems, with more to follow once those are completed.
To build a more robust enhancement program, milt from Chinook males is being frozen and preserved for future spawning to maintain and increase genetic diversity in key populations.
Onsite operations
Crews are gradually demobilizing the Big Bar work site, while the area remains under an evacuation alert due to surrounding wildfires.The Mckay Creek wildfire has cut access to the West Pavilion Road since July 31. The closure has slowed the transportation of equipment from KM96 to Lillooet and prevented the demobilization of the camp. Primary contractor Peter Kiewit Sons ULC is in daily contact with BC Wildfire Service staff to help guide Kiewit’s operations.
Weather conditions at the Big Bar slide site continue to be hot and humid with the occasional heavy rainfall. Clean-up and environmental monitoring is ongoing during this phase of operations.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
A DFO fisheries technician applies a radio tag to a sockeye collected by the fishwheel operated by the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance near Lillooet. Click to enlarge.
A crane is disassembled in preparation for transport from the slide site. Click to enlarge.
Crews “walk” the crane away from the slide site toward KM96. Click to enlarge.
Demobilization of the maintenance shop continues as roof panels are removed. Click to enlarge.Additional images of the work underway as part of our response efforts can be seen on the Government of BC’s Flickr channel.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Salmon counts at the Big Bar landslide site | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Salmon counts at the Big Bar landslide site
Over a million fish counted past big bar so far
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Low water levels and “nature-like” fishway continue to support fish migration at Big Bar
On September 1, more than 108,000 salmon were detected at the Churn Creek sonar station, located 40 km upstream of the Big Bar landslide site, marking the largest single-day arrival to date. Low water levels and improvements to the “nature-like” fishway are allowing larger numbers of fish to migrate past the slide site.As of September 5, more than 1.45 million salmon have been detected upstream of the Big Bar landslide. Pink salmon are expected to arrive at the slide site in the coming week.
2021 – It’s a “pink” year
The odd-year Fraser River pink salmon run is the largest of the pink salmon runs in British Columbia, and these fish are currently being observed in small numbers downstream of the Big Bar site in Lillooet. Even-year returns of the Fraser pink salmon occur in other watersheds.Pink salmon last passed through the slide site in 2019, during the emergency response phase of the project. Unlike Chinook, coho and sockeye, pink salmon follow a two-year life cycle. The adults spawn in the fall, with fry emerging the following spring. Those fry immediately migrate to the ocean. The adults return in the following year to spawn again.
The yearly salmon migration through Big Bar typically begins with the early-timed Chinook run from mid-June to early September, followed by sockeye from July to late September. The pink salmon return typically starts in late August and lasts through September in odd years only (2021, 2023, 2025, etc.), followed by annual runs of Interior Fraser coho from mid-September to early November.
As of September 1, 22 radio tags have been applied to pink salmon captured by the Lillooet fish wheel. These tags will be monitored to determine when the fish continue towards the slide site and whether they are entering other tributaries. Approximately 20% of the Fraser pink salmon return migrates past Big Bar to spawn upstream.
Enhancement program
A wide variety of technicians have been working diligently over the last several weeks on the Chinook broodstock program. This team includes specialists from Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance, Stswecem'c Xgat'tem, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, Lheidli Tenneh First Nation, Okanagan Nation Alliance, Nak’azdli First Nation, Simpcw First Nation, Spruce City Wildlife Association and DFO. To date, the crews have collected milt from 153 males and eggs from 69 females from 11 of the 13 targeted streams above the slide site. The broodstock collection program is expected to be completed by mid-September.Meanwhile, spawning of the 700 Early Stuart sockeye adults is nearly complete at DFO’s Cultus Lake Laboratory.
Onsite operations
Cooler temperatures have reduced the risk from surrounding wildfires, allowing the demobilization of the camp and the work site to gain pace. However, crews are keeping a close eye on the situation in case the wildfire risk increases again.Materials and equipment are being transported from the slide site to the camp area and then to Lillooet by truck. The West Pavilion Road was closed briefly due to a washout from a mudslide on August 22.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Technicians use nets to collect Chinook broodstock in the Seebach River. Click to enlarge.
First Nations and DFO technicians in the Willow River place a female Chinook in a brood tube while waiting for the salmon to ripen for spawning. Click to enlarge.
Current view of the West Beach at the Big Bar landslide site. Click to enlarge.
Equipment being temporarily stockpiled prior to demobilization as surrounding wildfires and the recent mudslide limited movement of materials. Click to enlarge.
Trailers from the former office area are ready to be transported from the site. Click to enlarge.wildmanyeah
Crew Member
over 1.6miilion salmon past the slide
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
September 21 2021More than 1.8 million salmon have migrated past Big Bar
As of September 18, more than 1.8 million salmon have migrated past Big Bar on their own with peak passage happening on September 4 when 118,000 were recorded heading north.Currently, about 20,000 to 25,000 salmon are migrating past the site each day with the vast majority being pink salmon as the sockeye migration draws to a close.
On September 16, the first coho was captured for radio tagging by a crew at the Lillooet fish wheel, located 75 km downstream of Big Bar.
To date, 130 radio tags have been applied to pink salmon . Initial analysis shows that 20 of those fish have arrived at the Big Bar slide site and 16 have moved past the barrier on their own.
Chinook and Early Stuart sockeye eggs incubating in hatcheries
The Chinook broodstock collection program recently wrapped up with the completion of the natal stream field work. Most stocks have been “spawned”, resulting in more than 335,000 eggs that are currently incubating at DFO’s Chehalis River Hatchery and the University of Northern B.C.’s Quesnel River Research Centre (QRRC). Two more stocks are awaiting maturation and spawning at QRRC. Approximately 1.2 million Early Stuart sockeye eggs are also incubating at DFO’s Shuswap River and Inch Creek hatcheries, as well as at the Takla First Nation’s hatchery facility. Once the eggs hatch the fry will be reared for varying periods before being released into their natal streams in 2022.Demobilization efforts nearing completion
Demobilization activities at Big Bar are nearing completion with prime contractor Peter Kiewit Sons ULC focused on the final removal of trailers and the reclamation of the former camp area. The TC trail, a section of roadway near the razorback, is also being improved to counter erosion from rain run off. These changes are based on recommendations from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.Long-term planning update
Members of the Big Bar Joint Executive Steering Committee have been meeting regularly regarding the structured analysis approach for identifying a long-term fish passage solution at Big Bar. As part of this initiative they are developing a terms of reference, which will be used by the successful contractor to guide the process and identify the best path forward. While this work is underway, the response team is also planning enhancement efforts, monitoring operations and fish transport for the 2022 salmon migration season.Note: To align with the current scale of operations, the Big Bar Information Bulletin will be published the first Monday of each month starting October 2021. The next issue will be available on October 4, 2021.
Current images of work being done at the landslide site
Aerial view of the “nature-like” fishway, captured on September 10, 2021. Click to enlarge.
Pink salmon, captured at the Lillooet fish wheel for radio tagging. Click to enlarge.
Chinook eggs incubating at the Quesnel River Research Centre. Click to enlarge.
A section of roadway being upgraded with erosion control measures. Click to enlarge.
View of the camp with trailers demobilized from the site. Click to enlarge.
The first coho of the season, captured at the Lillooet fishwheel and radio tagged on September 16. Click to enlarge.Similar threads
