Culvert Removal (2021)
This crossing had three undersized and damaged culverts under Kenney Dam Road, which where barriers to fish at high and low water, and periodically washed out depositing sediments downstream into the Nechako River carrying them over potential salmon spawning areas in the Nechako.
It was cost prohibitive to replace/fix at this time. But the loss of habitat above the culvert, in excess of 3km was cut off for fish. Twin Creek is a known Chinook salmon non-natal stream.
In 2021, in partnership with Dennis and June Wood, the culverts were removed at the mouth of Twin Creek and replaced with a bridge.
Using best management practices, the site was isolated, fish were salvaged out of the work area, the undersized culverts were removed, the stream substrate was restored, and a 12m bridge was installed which provides year-round fish passage opportunity.
The increased habitat access because of the bridge installation makes this an important non-natal stream for Chinook salmon fry rearing. Since the replacement, the UNBC eDNA program continues to confirm that Twin Creek is an important non-natal stream adjacent to spawning habitat in the Nechako River. This project replacement opened up several kilometres of pristine rearing habitat.
This project was supported through the Healthy Watersheds Initiative, which is delivered by the Real Estate Foundation of BC and Watersheds BC, with financial support from the Province of British Columbia as part of its $10-billion COVID-19 response.
