The following links all provide worthwhile and important information. Of particular interest is the Federal Canada Fisheries Act Sections 34 and 35.
http://lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/F-14/page-5.html#anchorbo-ga:s_34
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/road-salt-is-poisoning-water-bodies-study-finds/article1490631/
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/bmps/roadsalt.html#38
http://research.ires.ubc.ca/projects/CBT/groups/josephcreek/AboutGroup/gr_bgrd.htm
The restoration of the creek adjacent to Joseph Creek Village is a project to be praised. If however, other areas of the creek are not respected we need to ask, how serious we are really being in protecting our very valuable watercourses.
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| Creek restoration at Joseph Creek Village |
Where do you get your water from? Have you ever given it any thought? It took a morning with a group of high school students who taught me about the importance of Joseph Creek and Gold Creek, which supply Cranbrook with our water, to give me a greater appreciation of something I'd always taken for granted. Ever since I've always had a greater respect for our creeks and local waterways. We're so fortunate to be able to turn on the tap and have ready access to safe, drinking water, and yet many of us are unaware of what it takes to make our water safe.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't live in this area, I've spent quite a bit of time in the East Ktunaxa's on business travel, and would certainly like to settle in this area, coming up to my "slower" years. As an avid fly-fisher of over 45 years, I've learnt a fair bit about fisheries habitat and their ecosystems, plus I worked at Trout Unlimited's National office for a number of years during the '90's. I can tell you that Joseph Creek is probably one of the most important tributaries to the St Mary's/Kootenay basin. As we know, mature spawning fish are migratory by nature. After the spawn has hatched, the fry need to be in a protected environment for up to a year. The natural riparian cover that Joseph offers is "perfect" as a spawning/incubating stream. Joseph, however has a bitter/sweet problem and that would be the choke/spill-way reservoir above Cranbrook. It supplies a constant supply of crystalline water to the city, as well as supplying Joseph with the same quality supply of relatively constant temperate water(cool in summer, warm in winter). This regulated flow, however, is a problem in itself in that the natural flushing that should happen year-in/year-out from spring run-off is non-existant during low run-off years(I hope this year is different?). Consequently, our "national rodent" has been able to become well-established in the lower reaches of Joseph. The StMarys/Kootenay drainage is highly regarded by recreational users and naturalists due to it's prolific fishery...so "the fish" are there. They just can't get upstream into Joseph anymore, until the rodent barriers are removed!!! Again, along with the likes of Cherry(Mather), Gold, Little/Big Bull, and say, the Skook, Joseph Creek, due to it's natural riparian protection from fish predators, is a perfect stream to repair, protect, and maintain NOW!!!...and subsequently for generations to come! If any of you reading this have similar observations or interest, I'd like very much to hear from you. "gordball@telus.net" Thanks for listening...
ReplyDelete...also, I'm very much aware that Kokanee were in the stream last fall. Unfortunately, they couldn't get past the Golf Car Barn at St Euge. Reason...a total "strainer" built by rodents.
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