the salmon river watershed - Learning Centre

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LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: POPULATION GROWTH IN SALMON RIVER WATERSHED COMPARED TO OTHER REGIONS.............................................................................................................6 TABLE 2: SOCIO - ECONOMIC PROFILE: 1991....................................................................................8 TABLE 3: SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE: 1981....................................................................................10 TABLE 4: LABOUR FORCE BY SECTOR IN SALMON RIVER WATERSHED: 1981-91.......................12 TABLE 5: FARM CLASSIFIED BY PRODUCT TYPE.............................................................................29 TABLE 6: AGRICULTURAL USE CHARACTERISTICS.........................................................................29 TABLE 7: FARM SIZE CHANGE...........................................................................................................30 TABLE 8: THE MONTREAL PROCESS: CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE FORESTS...................................................................................................43 TABLE 9: FISH SPECIES PRESENT IN THE SALMON RIVER............................................................52 TABLE 10: ANNUAL SALMON ESCAPEMENT ESTIMATES FOR THE SALMON RIVER, 1953-1994................................................................................................59 TABLE 11 : LIFE HISTORY TIMING (SEASONALITY) OF SALMONID SPECIES IN THE SALMON RIVER..........................................................................................................60 TABLE 12: BIRD SPECIES OCCURRENCE AND HABITAT UTILIZATION IN THE SALMON RIVER WATERSHED, INCLUDING THE SALMON RIVER DELTA.................................................73 TABLE 13: MAMMAL SPECIES OCCURRENCE AND HABITAT UTILIZATION IN THE SALMON RIVER WATERSHED...................................................................................84 TABLE 14: AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE SPECIES OCCURRENCE AND HABITAT UTILIZATION IN THE SALMON RIVER WATERSHED...........................................................................................89 TABLE 15: WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR SALMON RIVER........................................................105 TABLE 16: SUMMARY OF SELECTED PARAMETERS FOR SALMON RIVER WATER QUALITY DATA ...................................................................................................107 iii
1.0 INTRODUCTION This report was commissioned in June 1995 by the Salmon River Watershed Roundtable (SRWR) to assist the Roundtable and citizens of the watershed in preparing a long-term management plan for the watershed. The SRWR is working with government agencies, landowners, First Nations, business and citizens to restore and maintain the social, environmental and economic health of the watershed in sustainable ways. The SRWR has undertaken a series of community meetings throughout the watershed to identify key problems, to develop a common vision and an overall management plan. A watershed-wide workshop was held in December 1995 that provided the basis for enabling citizens and other interests to work jointly on developing strategic directions for the future of the Salmon River watershed. This report is an overview of conditions, issues and trends in the watershed which will assist the Roundtable in understanding the economic, social and environmental characteristics of the Salmon River watershed. It is not a comprehensive study, but takes a broad view. It is based on information that was readily available within a relatively short period of time. A summary public report, was also prepared in November 1995 for use by the SRWR in their community meetings and watershed-wide workshop. Background The Salmon River is located within the interior plateau of south central British Columbia. Its headwaters originate in the vicinity of Tahaetkun and Bouleau Mountains, south of Westwold and northeast of Merritt. From its headwaters, the river flows westward to Salmon Lake and then flows in a northeasterly direction to Salmon Arm Bay of Shuswap Lake. The Salmon River is considered a tributary of the South Thompson River as Shuswap Lake drains into the South Thompson. The Salmon River is approximately 110 km in length and it drains about 1510 sq. km in total. The watershed contains a diversity of landscapes which provide the basis for a variety of land and resource uses such as agriculture in the valley bottoms and lower plateau areas and forest harvesting. Numerous lakes and streams are habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife. The mix of different forest types and ages provide important habitat for wildlife. The watershed provides many opportunities for outdoor recreation activities. Despite the relative abundance of natural resources there are serious questions regarding the sustainability of the watershed. Based on the information available, two areas are of particular concern: forestry and water supply. The current levels of harvesting in the Timber Supply Areas (TSA) within the Salmon River watershed are not sustainable over the longer term. In the Okanagan TSA which covers the majority of the watershed, the current level of harvesting can be maintained for 20 years. After that, it must be reduced by 10 percent per decade, until the long term harvest level is reached in 40 years. In the Merritt TSA, the downfall is expected in 110 years. Water supply in the Salmon River at certain times of the year cannot sustain fish populations as well as meet agricultural irrigation needs. The provincial government has attempted to control water demand by restricting the issuance of new water licences for surface water withdrawals from the Salmon River. However, with no method to regulate groundwater withdrawal, new wells sunk near the Salmon River are likely to impact available water supply in the river. 1
Page 2 and 3: DISCLAIMER This report was prepared
Page 4 and 5: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION.
Page 8 and 9: There has also been a dramatic loss
Page 10 and 11: 2.0 CURRENT STATUS AND TRENDS 2.1 S
Page 12 and 13: It appears that much of the populat
Page 14 and 15: Family Characteristics TABLE 2 (con
Page 16 and 17: Family Characteristics TABLE 3 (con
Page 18 and 19: watershed, particularly Westwold. T
Page 20 and 21: Approximately 11% of families in th
Page 22 and 23: First Nations Profile 12 1991 Censu
Page 24 and 25: younger people. Economic restructur
Page 26 and 27: First Nations also administer sever
Page 29 and 30: A report by the Fraser River Enviro
Page 31 and 32: which may arise from an ongoing dem
Page 33 and 34: Oqqqo-o U,q. o Lo*. mmc J. :.0 ,,.,
Page 35 and 36: Farm Size Change The interpretation
Page 37 and 38: The trend appears to be to firmly m
Page 39 and 40: Grazing Lands The drier biogeoclima
Page 41 and 42: • Total area logged 600.5 sq km (
Page 43 and 44: Anticipated Trends The Salmon River
Page 45 and 46: environmental values of the area an
Page 47 and 48: Indicators initiative, a product of
Page 49 and 50: The extensive marshes of Salmon Arm
Page 51 and 52: Blackwell Lake has been proposed as
Page 53 and 54: * * al .= c Q0 ‘-’”’””-
Page 55 and 56: .+ U_
Page 57 and 58:
A study by Whelen et. al. (1982) li
Page 59 and 60:
FIGURE 8: SALMON RIVER -DRY REACH N
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I , I , I I I I 1 LL..@KM”’ -h
Page 63 and 64:
FIGURE 11: ESCAPEMENT ESTIMATES FOR
Page 65 and 66:
Seasonality Information regarding u
Page 67 and 68:
areas can be put into perspective,
Page 69 and 70:
Miles (1995) infers from Ralph (197
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A total of 11,000 ha of wetland are
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The task of managing the multitude
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.“ &l u
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2.3.3 Wildlife Resources, Populatio
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BIRD SPECIES DIVING DUCKS Canvasbac
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BIRD SPECIES GULLS & TERNS Franklin
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I m c? .- 3 + + .
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FREQUENCY BIRD SPECIES OFOCCURRENCE
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The occurrence of other rare, endan
Page 89 and 90:
TABLE 13: MAMMAL SPECIES OCCURRENCE
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a) Cn c o u -41 g 1111 g 1111: [111
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Riparian zones and wetland complexe
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Environmentally Sensitive Habitats
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Old-Growth Forests Although lodgepo
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ural areas encroach on wildlife suc
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1. Salmon Arm Valley 2. Salmon Vall
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Two isolated aquifers have been ide
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0 0@l o w o 0 o 0- i di : I i : I .
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FIGURE 17: Mean monthly discharge f
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• channel destabilization includi
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Iron, Total 0.3 mg/L 1,2 106 report
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• Salmon River water is “hard
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3.0 SUMMARY OF MAJOR TRENDS The Sal
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where there are over 30 different a
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4.0 KEY PROBLEMS IN THE WATERSHED T
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Identifying and protecting importan
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5.0 MOVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY B
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Actions: Water POSSIBLE ACTIONS ADV
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Actions: Ecosystem Health POSSIBLE
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Actions: Sense of Community POSSIBL
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harvesting practices are implemente
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Christiansen, Neils and Todd Romain
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Romaine, Todd. 1995. Resident Surve
Page 137 and 138:
Kime, Frank. President, Salmon Arm
Page 139:
APPENDIX A: Enumeration Areas Chose
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