NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region

Tags: physical sciences, habitat assessment, aquatic environment, environmental compensation

Objective(s): Aquatic habitat assessments and fish collections at selected stream crossings need to be conducted to confirm fish species presence or absence upstream and downstream of the crossings, to assess habitat conditions and to evaluate fish passage to assist in the development of a fish habitat compensation plan. Sampling may also be done in Funeral Creek, Sun Dog Creek, and Prairie Creek to assist in road design activities as required.

Project Description: Several stream crossings along the #1 and #7 highways are expected to be suitable candidates for habitat compensation. Aquatic habitat assessments and fish collections at selected stream crossings need to be conducted to confirm fish species presence or absence upstream and downstream of the crossings, to assess habitat conditions and to evaluate fish passage to assist in the development of a fish habitat compensation plan. Sampling may also be done in Funeral Creek, Sun Dog Creek, and Prairie Creek to assist in road design activities as required. As the Liard Highway is in close proximity to the Liard River, rectifying fish passage at culvert stream crossings will provide habitat enhancement, via access to previously isolated habitat, for a variety of fish species known to utilize Liard River and its tributary streams. This project includes fish inventory (presence/absence) surveys and fish habitat assessments at the creeks and stream crossings noted above. The fish inventory survey is intended to be non-lethal. Several methods of capture may be utilized, including: angling, minnow trapping and backpack electrofishing. Fish habitat assessments will be undertaken at crossings and extend approximately 500 m on either side of the road centre-line, and fish sampling will be carried out to assess fish presence or absence at the crossings. Several photographs of any notable habitat features will be taken. Results of this study will be distributed to members of the community by hosting meetings and distributing reports to community representatives, as well as the Aurora Research Institute. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from July 20 to September 30, 2009, at several culvert stream crossings which identified along Highways 7 and 1 as potential candidates for fish passage improvement. These include the crossings at Km 77, 134, 170, 180, 196, 206, and 241 (along Highway 7) and Km 293, 313, 371, 383, and 510 (along Highway 1). Sampling may also be done in Funeral Creek, Sun Dog Creek, and Prairie Creek to assist in road design activities as required.