A local conservation group in Prince George, B.C., has successfully reconnected a small side channel of the Nechako River at Cottonwood Island Park. This initiative aims to prevent fish from being trapped and dying in isolated pools during low water periods. The 1.4-km-long side channel serves as a crucial habitat for various fish species, offering refuge and spawning grounds.
Previously, the side channel would dry up, leaving fish stranded in sediments or vulnerable to predators as water levels receded. Jesi Lauzon, the operations co-ordinator for Spruce City Wildlife Association, highlighted the dire situation where fish faced oxygen depletion and potential freezing during winter. To address this issue, the group used an excavator to reconnect the channel to the Nechako River permanently.
Lauzon’s motivation for the project stemmed from an incident involving her pet basset hound, Daisy, venturing into the drained channel. As a former fisheries biology student at the University of Northern B.C., she saw an opportunity to contribute to aquatic ecosystem conservation. With support from the local non-profit Spruce City Wildlife Association, Lauzon led the restoration project, conducting two years of monitoring to demonstrate the channel’s unsuitability as a winter refuge for salmon.
Volunteers actively participated by setting traps and relocating salmon caught within the channel to safer areas while the restoration project progressed. Lauzon is eager to observe the impact of reconnecting the channel on the diversity and population of fish and wildlife. The collaborative effort involved various community organizations, including the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation’s fisheries team, which planted willow trees along the channel to enhance bank stability and wildlife habitat.
Lauzon expressed gratitude for the collective support received throughout the project, emphasizing the significant contributions from volunteers, businesses, and community organizations.