Rivers and streams provide many ecosystem services to society such as freshwater for agriculture and drinking, beauty and recreational values, and, most importantly, they are critical habitats for many spawning and rearing aquatic species that are important to Indigenous Peoples. Streams that run through urban and agricultural areas often become degraded through overuse and over-development along their banks.
Penelakut stewardship staff inspecting a turbid Bonsall Creek
Riverscape assessment is a process to catalogue the current state of a stream and to identify what and where problem areas are so that land managers can take steps to fix those problems.
Possible didymo algae, an invasive species
In partnership with Halalt First Nation and the Nature Trust of BC, Penelakut technicians are collecting data on Bonsall Creek’s physical and ecological state. In other words, by understanding Bonsall Creek better, we can understand where barriers to fish passage or impacts to biodiversity exist. We then focus our efforts on rehabilitating those areas. This makes the project measurable, actionable, and responsible.
| Physical | Ecological | Rehab |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Species Presence | Remove excess sediment |
| Gradient | Biodiversity | Clear invasive species |
| Substrate | Spawning | Plant beneficial vegetation |
| Water Level | Migration Timing | Install large woody debris |
Bonsall Creek Estuary