Assessment of fire and Mountain-Pine Beetle-induced impacts to Chinook Salmon habitat in the Nicola and Bonaparte Watersheds

Recent severe forest fire activity and loss of vegetation from Mountain Pine Beetle has resulted in impacts to river channel stability and Chinook salmon habitat in several key sub-catchments of the Thompson River Watershed. Interest exists in conducting remedial work to improve and restore salmon habitat in several locations, but risk of ongoing channel instability from forest cover change continues. This project aims to determine which parts of Guichon Creek and the Bonaparte River are most at risk of ongoing instability, and the timescale over which the system is likely to recover as hillslopes revegetate and stabilize. A field and modeling approach will be taken to estimate locations at high risk of ongoing instability, and recovery times at these locations. This work will help protect Chinook salmon habitat in the Thompson River watershed, the only Chinook population still considered stable.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marwan Hassan

Student:

David Reid

Partner:

Fraser Basin Council

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

Program: