Over the past months heavy rain events have occurred within the watersheds of all the streams we steward. Bonnel Creek has seen volumes exceeding anything we have seen over the past years carrying large and small woody debris flow unlike anything we have seen on this creek. Within the lower estuary reach amounts of debris have accumulated for approximately 200+ meters resulting in the channel being full from bank to bank up to 2 meters deep. This log jam is within the lower reaches where the bulk of our summer fry salvage program occurs. This year will be very challenging to find and salvage as many wild Coho fry along with all other species with the pools buried beneath the log jam. We are presently formulating a restoration prescription to resolve as best as possible this task. We are unable to use machinery until all fish are removed and the stream bed dries usually around July which will be within the fish window for work within a stream making work possible without endangering any fish. We already have someone who is willing to volunteer some machine time when the time comes. As in the past our projects are volunteer run relying on volunteers to do the work, this project will be beyond the capabilities of hand tools and labour and will require machinery to remove the woody debris from this one of our most venerable habitats for wild Coho and wild chum.
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