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Big Bar landslide response information bulletin

November 13, 2020

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November sees winter conditions at Big Bar

Early winter weather conditions have settled in at Big Bar with the site regularly experiencing rain and snow. River levels have also risen.

As coho migration through Big Bar concludes, the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) monitoring team is removing most of the telemetry stations on this part of the Fraser, though a few will be left at the slide site.

With the decommissioning and removal of fish transport equipment nearing completion, work onsite is now focused on additional rock fall protection measures in preparation for winter work.

Indigenous partnership at the heart of the Big Bar landslide response

The tripartite government-to-government-to government engagement structure and collaboration between the Indigenous, provincial and federal governments during the Big Bar landslide response has been unprecedented. This partnership continues to demonstrate the strong leadership and commitment of all parties towards the common goal of restoring natural fish passage as swiftly as possible to safeguard the survival of at-risk Fraser salmon stocks.

This year, as was the case during the emergency response in 2019, local Indigenous communities, organizations and leadership played crucial roles in onsite and off-site operations, planning, project implementation and communications. This work included project oversight by the Joint Executive Steering Committee as well as endorsement of key initiatives by the First Nations Leadership Panel.

The following partners were key to the successes achieved in the areas of enhancement, monitoring, communications and transportation in 2020: High Bar First Nation, Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, St’at’imc Nation ( Xwísten First Nation, St'át'imc Eco-Resources and Splitrock Environmental), Syilx Nation, the Gitksan Watershed Authorities, the Fraser Salmon Management Council and the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance.

Indigenous crews moved more than 1,500 salmon over the slide and captured approximately 90 per cent of early timed Chinook and Early Stuart sockeye utilized in the enhancement program. The expertise and passion demonstrated by the Indigenous fisheries technicians throughout the remediation efforts highlight the significance that salmon hold for their communities.

Facilities such as the University of Northern BC’s Quesnel River Research Centre, the Spruce City Wildlife Association’s hatchery in Prince George, the Freshwater Fisheries Society’s sturgeon hatchery in Vanderhoof and four DFO hatcheries supported enhancement activities in 2020. Their combined efforts have resulted in the incubation of 125,000 Early Stuart sockeye, 10,000 Bowron sockeye and 68,000 Chinook embryos. The juvenile salmon will then be reared at these various hatcheries until their planned release in 2021. While established as a direct response to Big Bar, this enhancement work further supports the recovery of the already struggling early-season sockeye and other vulnerable salmon stocks.

As the Big Bar team embarks on the next phase of the response, we acknowledge all of our partners, crews and volunteers who continue to support the restoration of sustainable fish passage at the slide site. We will build on the culture of transparency and knowledge sharing that is the foundation of the trilateral partnership as work continues on this very challenging yet rewarding endeavor.

Current images of work being done at the landslide site

A submersible pump used for the fish ladder being removed from the Fraser River.
A submersible pump used for the fish ladder being removed from the Fraser River. Click to enlarge.
Decommissioning and staging of water transport equipment for shipment off-site.
Decommissioning and staging of water transport equipment for shipment off-site. Click to enlarge.
Flexible water piping awaiting shipment off-site.
Flexible water piping awaiting shipment off-site. Click to enlarge.
Indigenous fisheries technicians led fish wheel operations this summer at Lillooet, BC.
Indigenous fisheries technicians led fish wheel operations this summer at Lillooet, BC. Click to enlarge.

Additional images of the work underway as part of our response efforts can be seen on the Government of BC’s Flickr channel.

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