searun
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I mis-read the slide....still stand by my comments regarding the work necessary to effectively deal with recovering these fish.
Rock slide in Fraser River, B.C., may hinder salmon passage
- Thread starter wildmanyeah
- Start date
cohochinook
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know if there actually is any kind of recovery plan from DFO on these stocks? I know a lot of work is going into mitigating the slide, but that doesn't help with the recovery if there's still little to no fish coming back?
With regards to 2019 Fraser Sockeye (all run timing groups) that is false. Look no further than the Late Run escapements which primarily spawned downstream of the slide. Late Run in 2019 was lowest on record for any year. The slide is a big factor that can have long lasting impacts if the discharge thresholds don’t increase, but things were bad before the slide happened or even if the slide never happened. Unfortunately the slide will likely be an ongoing issue for some time.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
I was only talking about the 5-2 Chinook and I was only comparing it to the last couple of years not it’s brood.
Sockeye was the worst return on record and the slide on top of that.
Stuart sockeye wiped out sad but not surprising.
Sockeye was the worst return on record and the slide on top of that.
Stuart sockeye wiped out sad but not surprising.
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While I agree with your pointing the finger more at the doom that was happening independently of the slide I don’t believe we should take the foot off the pedal with addressing the passage issue at the slide. One year of bad escapement is not great but 2 years in a row could be a nail in the coffin for those Upper Fraser Chinook stocks and Early Stuart Sockeye. For Fraser Sockeye, the Summer Run timing group, specifically Chilko can make of a majority of the forecasted return on most years. Many Summer Fraser Sockeye CUs spawn upstream of the slide and we have very good evidence that Sockeye are not migrating past the slide when discharges go above 1800 cms. Actually, migration conditions (water temperature and discharge) in the Fraser, while not optimal were better than previous years.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
A notice motion was put forward today by conservative Ed Fast to investigate the state of decline of pacific salmon and big bar slide. Including calling on witnesses from dfo and stake holders.
Also a motion on seal predation in Atlantic Ocean and expanding seal market.
Also a motion on seafood labeling.
This was the first meeting of the fopo committee.
https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/fopo
Also a motion on seal predation in Atlantic Ocean and expanding seal market.
Also a motion on seafood labeling.
This was the first meeting of the fopo committee.
https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/fopo
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littlechucky
Crew Member
searun
Well-Known Member
Agreed, just think we are overly focusing our attention on one factor, when there are many more that have been at play for a very long time and not addressed. Maybe I have more confidence in finding a technical solution to fish passage than is realistic....Thus I'm more concerned about addressing the other more significant factors in the decline of Stream-Type Chinook.
uclueletcharters
Well-Known Member
I'm sure this isn't the first landslide on the Fraser over the last hundred years with minimal impact on spawning salmon migration up stream. I'm thankful for the efforts used to take salmon above the slide to continue on but like others have said salmon swim up decent size falls, there's vids online of them shooting up what appeared to be what I thought was impossible with no problem at all. There's a lot of water there I bet the line share swam past that spot with out the help of helicopters. Not to mention over time that amount of water will erode channels making that easier over time.
On a random note - the biggest threat to salmon stocks is nets both in the ocean and on rivers they are far to effective. 10 Chinook per year per angler is not a stock killer lets be realistic. Continue to increase enhancement through restoring streams, rearing channels and properly funding the hatcheries where so many folks volunteer their time, close rivers down when salmon spawn 100%, get rid of the net salmon fisheries and the stocks will rebound guaranteed in 4-6 years.
On a random note - the biggest threat to salmon stocks is nets both in the ocean and on rivers they are far to effective. 10 Chinook per year per angler is not a stock killer lets be realistic. Continue to increase enhancement through restoring streams, rearing channels and properly funding the hatcheries where so many folks volunteer their time, close rivers down when salmon spawn 100%, get rid of the net salmon fisheries and the stocks will rebound guaranteed in 4-6 years.
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This waterfall was pretty significant though. With some of the footage shown with the drone the drop doesn’t look too bad but when you put some scale to it then it’s a whole different picture. Hydroacoustic monitoring (Big Bar, Churn Creek, Chilko, Quesnel and Stellako) overlaid with Fraser River discharge has shown very good evidence that fish passage past the slide is dependent on certain threshold water discharges which are not the same for each Pacific Salmon species that migrates past Big Bar. For Fraser Sockeye CUs that spawn upstream of the slide the threshold discharge was approximately 1800 cms.
At discharges above that, the slide likely imposed an impassable barrier to their upstream migration. You can see it in the sonar counts above the slide including those in the terminal areas where arrival timing was up to 3 weeks later in some cases. So while I acknowledge the determination of these fish to migrate over significant obstacles the hydroacoustic and hydrological data was pretty revealing. You are correct that most fish found their way past the slide vs helicopter transport, but that was only when river discharges dropped to favourable levels. Helicopter transport was analogous to using a child’s Lion King bandaid to stop major hemorrhaging. I mean look no further than the Early Stuart Sockeye escapement. Considering the number of total number of Sockeye transported past the slide (51K) only 89 are estimated to have escaped to Early Stuart streams. Bowron even less.
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
February 21, 2020
Successful initial blasting of the Big Bar landslide East Toe
The Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and First Nations continue to work in partnership to oversee progress at the Big Bar landslide site.
This week, Peter Kiewit & Sons successfully carried out a planned blast at the East Toe. Kiewit also made solid progress on the construction of an overland road for heavy equipment, on the installation of a highline to facilitate site access and on rock fall prevention.
The East Toe blast, which took place on February 18, removed a large portion of bedrock extending into the river at the site of the slide. The result is a widened channel and more flow directed toward the east river bank. Acoustic monitoring downstream of the slide did not detect any fish in the area before the blast and no fish mortality was detected.
Drilling on the East Toe will now resume in preparation for a second blast in early March, depending on the weather. Scaling, rock fall protection measures and daily geotechnical monitoring continues to occur as worker safety is always of utmost importance.
A flurry of activity on the overland access route construction including drilling, rock bolting, excavation and a bulldozer pushing embankment towards the West Beach.
The East Toe as seen before (left) and after (right) the initial blasting, which occurred on February 18.
An aerial shot looking north of the Big Bar landslide site before the East Toe blasting this week.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacifi...lide-eboulement/bulletins/2020-02-21-eng.html
DFO Main Page Link
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
February 21, 2020
Successful initial blasting of the Big Bar landslide East Toe
The Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and First Nations continue to work in partnership to oversee progress at the Big Bar landslide site.
This week, Peter Kiewit & Sons successfully carried out a planned blast at the East Toe. Kiewit also made solid progress on the construction of an overland road for heavy equipment, on the installation of a highline to facilitate site access and on rock fall prevention.
The East Toe blast, which took place on February 18, removed a large portion of bedrock extending into the river at the site of the slide. The result is a widened channel and more flow directed toward the east river bank. Acoustic monitoring downstream of the slide did not detect any fish in the area before the blast and no fish mortality was detected.
Drilling on the East Toe will now resume in preparation for a second blast in early March, depending on the weather. Scaling, rock fall protection measures and daily geotechnical monitoring continues to occur as worker safety is always of utmost importance.
A flurry of activity on the overland access route construction including drilling, rock bolting, excavation and a bulldozer pushing embankment towards the West Beach.
The East Toe as seen before (left) and after (right) the initial blasting, which occurred on February 18.
An aerial shot looking north of the Big Bar landslide site before the East Toe blasting this week.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacifi...lide-eboulement/bulletins/2020-02-21-eng.html
DFO Main Page Link
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
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SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
Sounds like setting up for a second blast shortly and things are on plan. Good news.
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
February 28, 2020
Ongoing progress at the Big Bar landslide site
Following the initial blasting on the East Toe last week on February 18, crews have began preparing for a second blast, to occur in March.
Despite continued high winds, work has continued on several aspects of the project including:
Initial blasting of the East Toe, which occurred last week.
Georadar monitoring equipment to measure slope grade and monitor slope movement.
Crews continue to scale the Overland Access.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
February 28, 2020
Ongoing progress at the Big Bar landslide site
Following the initial blasting on the East Toe last week on February 18, crews have began preparing for a second blast, to occur in March.
Despite continued high winds, work has continued on several aspects of the project including:
- clean-up of debris from the initial blast;
- installation of additional mesh in high rock fall potential areas as identified by drone inspection;
- scaling work on the West face;
- final blasting on the overland access and hand scaling along the route;
- and archaeology work in preparation for additional excavation.
Initial blasting of the East Toe, which occurred last week.
Georadar monitoring equipment to measure slope grade and monitor slope movement.
Crews continue to scale the Overland Access.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
This is worth a listen to fopo committee members trying to get the fisheries minister to give a 2H interview on camera for the committee briefing about the slide.
https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/e...200225/-1/32763?Language=English&Stream=Video
Lots going down here that’s interesting.
Also interesting they want look into Atlantic canada herring. Lots of herring used as bait in crab fisheries but they are running out of herring. Want to use Asian carp as bait or seals.
https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/e...200225/-1/32763?Language=English&Stream=Video
Lots going down here that’s interesting.
Also interesting they want look into Atlantic canada herring. Lots of herring used as bait in crab fisheries but they are running out of herring. Want to use Asian carp as bait or seals.
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There is still so much more blasting that needs to be done. We are less than a month away from the water starting to freshet.
Keep in mind the water will be rising 40 ft up the wall of the canyon there in weeks to come! That is the lowest of the Fraser flows right now.
Keep in mind the water will be rising 40 ft up the wall of the canyon there in weeks to come! That is the lowest of the Fraser flows right now.
They should hopefully get on with it then. Give it your best shot now before it doesn't matter anymore.
GLG
Well-Known Member
Big Bar landslide response information bulletin
March 6, 2020
On site, in-river work has begun
Crews have completed the Overland Access Road down to the west beach, allowing heavy equipment to reach the river. This has enabled crews to construct “fingers” out to the large boulders in the river, allowing drilling equipment to better access these boulders. Lighter drilling equipment has been removed from the East Toe while the in-river work is underway, and it is expected that a track drill will be deployed to the East Toe to complete drilling for a second blast. In-river drilling, blasting and excavation is expected to continue until at least mid-March.
High Bar and Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nations Visit Big Bar Site
On February 27, leadership from High Bar First Nation (HBFN) and Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (SXFN) visited the Big Bar site to view the work in progress and learn more about planned work ahead of the spring freshet. After a helicopter fly-over of the site, participants boarded river boats to view the slide site up close, see where the East Toe blasting occurred and witness progress on the access road to the slide site on the west bank. DFO, PSPC and Provincial staff described upcoming activities and objectives in the context of removal of key boulders and slide features now exposed by low water.
Following the river boat tour, participants drove to the top of the Overland Access to view the advancing work front, and then down to the Salmon Trail to where archaeology assessments are currently underway and where archeologist, Kim Christenson provided an update on the archeological activities.
An aerial shot of the slide site showing current river flow post-blasting on March 5, 2020.
CATs work on building access to the West Bank .
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
March 6, 2020
On site, in-river work has begun
Crews have completed the Overland Access Road down to the west beach, allowing heavy equipment to reach the river. This has enabled crews to construct “fingers” out to the large boulders in the river, allowing drilling equipment to better access these boulders. Lighter drilling equipment has been removed from the East Toe while the in-river work is underway, and it is expected that a track drill will be deployed to the East Toe to complete drilling for a second blast. In-river drilling, blasting and excavation is expected to continue until at least mid-March.
High Bar and Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nations Visit Big Bar Site
On February 27, leadership from High Bar First Nation (HBFN) and Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (SXFN) visited the Big Bar site to view the work in progress and learn more about planned work ahead of the spring freshet. After a helicopter fly-over of the site, participants boarded river boats to view the slide site up close, see where the East Toe blasting occurred and witness progress on the access road to the slide site on the west bank. DFO, PSPC and Provincial staff described upcoming activities and objectives in the context of removal of key boulders and slide features now exposed by low water.
Following the river boat tour, participants drove to the top of the Overland Access to view the advancing work front, and then down to the Salmon Trail to where archaeology assessments are currently underway and where archeologist, Kim Christenson provided an update on the archeological activities.
An aerial shot of the slide site showing current river flow post-blasting on March 5, 2020.
CATs work on building access to the West Bank .
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html
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