• 6900 smolts / 897 adults (based on Tredger 1986/Ptolemy 2002 (low end - combined runs)
• Conservation Concern Level @ 30% of capacity is 269 adults

Existing Habitat:
watershed area (km2):	639.1		Comments
mean annual discharge (m3/s):	29.4		Shortage of rearing habitat complexity (large woody debris) and over-wintering refugia following several decades of logging and stream channel instability. Approx. 30%+ of the watershed's old growth has been harvested. Sand is infilling channel. There is a barrier on the Adam about I km upstream from the confluence with the Eve. Channel widening and bedload instability are extensive processes. Baseflow alkalinity low at 17 mg/L and predicted capacity per steelhead size class is 150 g/Unit.
Summer Base Flow (%mad):	~14
accessible length (km):	35
productivity:	low

HABITAT RESTORATION TO DATE

• Eve River was the focus of a small scale WRP habitat restoration project which started in 1997 - placement of LWD into side channels, ponds and tributaries to the Eve mainstem.

SPECIAL HABITAT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

• Improve logging practices and review rate of cut issue for this watershed
• Monitor/prevent establishment of feral Atlantic salmon runs by escapes from nearby marine fish farms.

STEELHEAD OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

• Increase growth and survival of juvenile steelhead through to the smolt stage in order to maintain healthy returns capable of supporting a catch and release angling opportunity over 5-km fishable length.
• Undertake a comprehensive biophysical inventory/habitat capability assessment to identify potential smolt yields for summer and winter run stocks that focuses on the Eve River, upstream of the Adam confluence, as it is the key steelhead producer. Once completed, this will form the basis for a fisheries and habitat management plan to guide further restoration activities.
• Review and integrate past WRP inventories (1995) to derive capability estimates.

IDENTIFIED RECOVERY OPTIONS

• Conduct annual stream enrichment (started in 2001 - slow release briquette application in the early summer, expansion proposed for future years but no enrichment done in 2002 due to product unavailablity).
• Conduct ongoing stream restoration with emphasis on the Eve (hill slope, riparian, in-stream).

NOTES: Rehabilitation work needs to be continued to provide stable juvenile cover in less flood-prone areas off the mainstem. Small anadromous brown trout population is present. All five salmon species present - likely among the most diverse fish communities on Vancouver Island.

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The Eve River was the focus of past FRBC habitat restoration projects which started in August 1997 (undertaken by the Steelhead Society's Habitat Restoration Corporation). Much of this work involved the placement of large woody debris into side-channels, ponds and a tributary to the Eve mainstem. This was done to provide stable cover and enhanced rearing in less flood-prone areas than the mainstem. Continuing this work is considered vital for steelhead, coho and sea run Dolly Varden whose juveniles spend up to several years in the stream prior to smolting. Lack of rearing habitat complexity and over-wintering refugia have been identified as major fish production constraints, following several decades of logging and stream channel instability. Concurrently, full support must be given to an accelerated program of hillslope and riparian restoration treatments where these are prescribed by Ministry of Forests and forest company officials. In combination with rearing habitat improvements, a nutrient enrichment project should be implemented for key steelhead-producing reaches and tributaries of the Eve River (i.e., possibly including Kunnum, Montague and Tlatlos creeks). The goal would be to increase the growth and survival of juvenile steelhead (and other species) through to the smolt stage. This would be very similar to the past fertilization project on the Adam River, upstream of the anadromous fish barrier. However, for an Eve fertilization project to be cost-effective, a new solid (slow-release) fertilizer must be available for helicopter application.

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Forest harvesting continues to be the most serious concern for steelhead habitat protection in the Adam-Eve watershed. More frequent monitoring of forest company compliance with FPC regulations is essential, as is a review of the rate of cut and stream hydrology relationships given that about 30% of the watershed's old growth has been harvested (R. Abrams in Zaldokas 1998).

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• 1,200 winter run and 300 summer run fish (based on Wightman and Craig estimate)
• Conservation Concern Level @ 30% of capacity is 360 adults (WR) and approx 100 adults (SR)

Existing Habitat:
watershed area (km2):	1336.7		Comments
mean annual discharge (m3/s):	63.3		BC Hydro diversion to Campbell system - canal capacity about 42 cms. High logging impacts, BC Hydro Diversion, river over-widened with loss of riparian zone, minimum flows may be inadequate in some years, estuary in very good condition. White River supports summer steelhead, some observed d/s of Island Hwy bridge. 0ver 80 km accessible length is increasing with improved passage. Memekay (major tributary) has 214.4 sq. km and MAD of 9.9 m3/s. Baseflow alkalinity low at 20 mg/L and predicted capacity per steelhead size class is 162 g/Unit
Summer Base Flow (%mad):	17.4
accessible length (km):	80
productivity:	low

SPECIAL HABITAT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

• Determine and provide acceptable conservation flows below BC Hydro diversion.
• Ensure good logging practices are followed.

HABITAT RESTORATION TO DATE - Long-term history including:

• boulder obstruction removal from mainstem canyon and large increase in accessible length;
• habitat complexing with mixed results;
• diversion smolt screening and adult fishway;
• long-term enrichment project since 1990;
• LWD placements at 25 sites in Spirit and Big Tree Creeks (WRP);
• Grilse Creek side-channel/alcove and LWD placements (2000);
• Paterson Creek culvert removals (2001).

STEELHEAD OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

• Return stocks to 800 - 1000 fish under average ocean survivals (13%) & maintain catch and release fishery.
• Review present management plan and update 23-year old habitat capability study.
• Conduct genetic stock identification on the White and Memekay systems in comparison with mainstem stocks.
• Install electronic fish counter in the fishway at the diversion dam (done in 2001, but damaged by floating debris).

IDENTIFIED RECOVERY OPTIONS

• Expand stream enrichment.
• Improve smolt diversion efficiency at BCH diversion canal.
• Excellent potential for more stream restoration on tributaries and upper reaches of mainstem.

NOTES: Salmon River is a success story for stream restoration/ enrichment. Steelhead stocks have fared much better during the downturn in marine survivals than in other north-east coast Island systems.

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Of all the major steelhead-producing streams on Vancouver Island's east coast, the Salmon has the longest history of habitat improvements intended to increase wild smolt production of this species. From the mid-to-late 1970s, a large boulder obstruction was removed in the Salmon river canyon (restoration site 1 on watershed map), as well as impassable log jams from several smaller tributaries. Habitat complexing to improve steelhead rearing was piloted in the mainstem using boulder clusters (most of which failed), and in a small tributary near the community of Sayward (more successful). Most importantly, in 1986 a cooperative project between MWLAP, DFO and BC Hydro resulted in the design and installation of a prototype smolt screen in Hydro's diversion canal, about 50 km upstream of the river's mouth (restoration reach 2 on watershed map) . This was intended to safely bypass migrating steelhead smolts out of the canal and back into the Salmon River (Bomford and Lirette 1988). In 1991, DFO constructed an adult salmon and steelhead fishway at BC Hydro's diversion dam to increase the success of spawning fish accessing the upper watershed. BC Hydro now funds the annual operation of both facilities, with technical supervision by MWLAP's regional fisheries staff. Discussions are now being held regarding the possible development of a new smolt screen, as well as installing an electronic fish counter in the fishway at the diversion dam.

Since 1989, up to 30 km of the mainstem Salmon, including a large headwater tributary (Grilse Creek), have been annually fertilized with liquid 10-34-0 ammonium polyphosphate (restoration reach 3 on watershed map), and more recently with the solid, slow-release Vigoro Magnaphos, 7-40-0 (however, since 1997 the Vigoro product is no longer commercially available). Beginning in 1997, this project expanded to include one section of the south Memekay River and its tributary, Cooper Creek. The objective is to increase the growth and survival of juvenile winter steelhead, and evidence from annual biological sampling suggests this has been successful thus far (Slaney et al. 1994). For 10 years, the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund and Steelhead Society of BC supported Salmon River fertilization, but annual operating costs have now been assumed by Weyerhaeuser Canada Ltd. and BC Hydro, the latter as mitigation related to a diversion dam on the river. Nutrient enrichment is expected to continue indefinitely, or until such time that natural salmon carcass recycling is judged to be adequate for nutrient replacement.

In 1995-96, biophysical assessments of several lower Salmon River tributaries were conducted under FRBC's Watershed Restoration Program. The intent was to identify major limiting factors to salmon and trout production in relation to past logging practices adjacent to streams. The result of this work was clear evidence of a lack of large woody debris (LWD) in stream channels, contributing to "simplified" fish rearing habitat and reduced natural carrying capacity (R. Abrams in Zaldokas 1998). To overcome this constraint, widespread LWD placements were made to Spirit and Big Tree creeks in August-September 1997, by the Steelhead Society's Habitat Restoration Corporation (restoration site 4 on watershed map). Helicopters were used to transport LWD and boulders (for use as ballast on debris structures) into 25 sites on the two steams combined.

More recently (2001), a series of side channel/off channel habitats have been developed in Grilse Creek to improve over-winter survivals of both steelhead and coho juveniles. Fish access has been restored into Paterson Creek upstream of the Menzies Mainline, allowing this large watershed to be fully utilized by all species present in the upper Salmon River (restoration site 5 on watershed map). It is likely there are many opportunities to continue this work in these and other tributaries to the Salmon River.

Reports:

Stream Enrichment of Vancouver Island's Upper Salmon River Including Grilse Creek and Memekay River, June 18 to August 19, 2002, Hansen (2003) (2.9MB PDF, opens in new browser window)

Spawning Gravel Placement in Sproat, Toquart and Stewart Lake Outlets on Vancouver Island (2002), for Steelhead Habitat Enhancement, McCulloch (2003) (2.4MB PDF, opens in new browser window)

Salmon River Nutrient Enrichment for Fish Habitat Restoration, 2004, Hansen (2004) (1.5MB PDF, opens in new browser window)

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Forest harvesting, in combination with BC Hydro's diversion dam, will continue to be the most serious habitat protection issues facing Salmon River steelhead. District MWLAP and Ministry of Forests staff must be diligent in monitoring logging operations to ensure compliance with FPC regulations. For BC Hydro, an interim Water Order issued in 1998 by the Comptroller of Water Rights places restrictions on the diversion of water from the Salmon River. These include (1) "trimming" of diversion flows from April 1 to June 30 to improve smolt screen efficiency; and (2) a 1.7 cubic meters per second (60 cfs) minimum flow downstream of the diversion dam when available (i.e., summer and early fall flows may naturally be less than this minimum). The benefits and costs of these restrictions will be evaluated with development of a Water Use Plan (ongoing) for the entire Campbell River power supply system.

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• 1,080 smolts / 140 adults (based on Tredger 1986/Ptolemy 2002 (low end))
• Conservation Concern Level @ 30% of capacity is 43 adults

Existing Habitat:
watershed area (km2):	198.7		Comments
mean annual discharge (m3/s):	9.2		Large barrier falls at 3.8 km upstream from mouth. Observed parr densities appear healthy and consistent with biomass of 150 g/Unit and high quality rearing habitat.
accessible length (km):	3.8
productivity:	low

HABITAT RESTORATION TO DATE

• Fisheries and Oceans abandoned an experimental pink salmon hatchery in the early 1980s.

SPECIAL HABITAT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS:

• Ensure good logging practices are followed in this watershed both above and below the barrier falls.
• Monitor presence of Atlantic salmon adults/juveniles in the anadromous reach.

STEELHEAD OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

• Rebuild small wild stock and protect habitats to support a limited catch and release angling opportunity over 2-km fishable water.
• Undertake a biophysical inventory to identify current steelhead production, habitat constraints and restoration opportunities.
• Monitor/prevent establishment of feral Atlantic salmon runs by escapes from nearby marine fish farms.
• Ensure regular enforcement checks are made during the steelhead-angling season.

NOTES: Check on persistent presence of juvenile Atlantic salmon first observed in 1999.

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A biophysical reconnaissance of the anadromous reach should be done to assess side-channel rearing potential as well as the applicability of a small-scale nutrient enrichment project.

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Monitoring of logging operations (above and below the anadromous barrier) is essential to ensure compliance with FPC regulations. No less concern for habitat impacts above the falls should occur, given the potential for sediment and debris transport downstream into the anadromous reach. Presence of apparently wild-spawned juvenile Atlantic salmon in the anadromous reach in 1999 raised concerns about inter-specific competition with native salmonid species. This concern has not been alleviated, but no juvenile Atlantics were detected in snorkel surveys conducted in 2002.

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