Volunteers monitor Vancouver Island stream and salmon habitat during heat wave

Joachim Carolsfeld, left, and Anthony Charles, a volunteer from the Esquimalt First Nation, visit Craigflower Creek. (CTV)

Victoria -

As drought conditions continue during the third heat wave of the summer, the water levels and temperatures of fish-bearing creeks on Vancouver Island are a critical factor for the survival of salmon.

Volunteers from salmon habitat stewardship groups are monitoring the flow, level and temperature of Craigflower Creek in View Royal. The urban creek produces a number of Coho salmon in addition to cutthroat trout.

“All the streams on the coast are really suffering from the heat and will suffer more from the drought,” said Joachim Carolsfeld, former executive director of World Fisheries Trust. “We are checking (Craigflower Creek) to see what the status is, to see if fish from the creek need to be rescued and if there are spots we can put rescued fish.”

Carolsfeld says that Craigflower Creek is susceptible to the effects of climate change. He says that stewardship groups, in partnership with the Capital Regional District (CRD), are developing ways to manage the flow of the creek to maintain the required depth and temperature for the fish.

“The Esquimalt Anglers is a particularly active group on the creek and they’ve helped manage a couple of beaver dams which are maintaining the level of flow,” said Carolsfeld. “Among all the interest groups, we have to build a functional management plan that allows the ecosystem of salmon to survive in the coming years.”

Carolsfeld says salmon habitats, like that of Craigflower Creek, are at risk due the effects of climate change. He says it important to enhance and protect fish-bearing creeks that may be threatened by extreme weather events, such as, droughts and floods.

Carolsfeld says Craigflower Creek is one of the better urban creeks in Greater Victoria.

“The upper part is mostly in (a) park so the (salmon) habitat status is pretty good,” said Carolsfeld. “We are doing some restoration in the lower part to enhance spawning habitat because it is the part that has been most impacted.”

Indicators that the View Royal waterway is healthy are the presence of Coho salmon fry in shaded areas and crayfish in the creek’s shallows.

Carolsfeld says the regular monitoring of the temperature, flow and level and level of the creek will help to establish a baseline for the creek’s overall health.

“If it looks like a big drought – for example – is coming, we can then monitor that spot as an indicator as to what the rest of the creek is doing and what is it that we need to do to avoid calamity,” he said.

Carolsfeld says that volunteer stewardship, like that done by The Esquimalt Anglers, will continue to monitor Craigflower Creek in the months to come.

“I think that its important to value these habitats that are in our neighbourhood and make sure they stay healthy,” said Carolsfeld.