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Musqueam Salmon Stream
Restoration Project
Water Quality Analysis Project 1997
Introduction
Musqueam Creek and Cutthroat Creek (Creek System) is an urban stream system in Vancouver, B.C. that is being restored. The Musqueam Creek is spawning habitat for wild salmon. Cutthroat Creek supports a species of Cutthroat trout. The Musqueam Indian Band uses the creek system for cultural purposes. The creek system is unique and has a high cultural and biological significance because it is the last salmon bearing urban stream in the Vancouver area. Anthropogenic influences have altered both the physical and chemical characteristics of the water quality in the creek system.
The local community is dedicated to the restoration of this highly valued creek system. The Musqueam Creek Restoration Plan, prepared by Nick Page, is an assessment of the habitat that focuses on the impacts of the alterations to the stream hydrology and proposes restoration of the riparian zone to enhance fish habitat (Page,1993). The Musqueam Enhancement of Salmonoid Habitat Society (MESH) is a society responsible for fund raising to implement habitat enhancement projects. The Musqueam Creek Committee is comprised of members from the Musqueam Indian band, the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and representatives from local Universities and Colleges.
The water quality monitoring program was designed and implemented by Kelly Sveinson, Chemistry Department, Langara College. Kelly supervises the teams that complete the field tests, the laboratory tests, and the analysis and interpretation of the test results. This work study project has obtained baseline data of the water quality parameters from May, 1995.
The objective of the water quality monitoring program is to determine the water quality of the creek system. The water quality of the creek system fluctuates in cycles according to season and time of day. The critical periods of the fish life-cycle are the spawning period, the growth of the hatchlings into fingerlings, and the growth of the fingerlings to the age when they migrate to the Pacific Ocean (for Musqueam Creek species). The Cutthroat Creek species are resident throughout the year and do not migrate to the ocean. Any significant disruption to the water quality during the year could have a detrimental impact of the fish population of the creek system.
Next: Site Location
Index of Musqueam Creek System Topic Links
- Introduction
- Site Location: Maps and Graphics of Basin and Sample Sites
- Field Water Chemistry Tests
- Summary
- Water Testing Cartoons on Musqueam Creek by the Waterose
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