Streambed Composition and its Contribution to Spawning Viability Following the Completion of the Stoney Creek Weir Restoration Project

Salmon populations are highly endangered, and in an attempt to restore these populations, habitat restoration projects have become abundant. The Stoney Creek Environment Committee established one such project to enhance salmon spawning conditions at Stoney Creek in Burnaby, BC, by building three weirs. In this report, the streambed composition of the three weirs is analyzed in relation to salmon spawning conditions for the five species of Salmonidea present in Stoney Creek. The result is a number of spawning viability maps ranking spawning conditions in sections of the weirs for each species. Weir 1 contained the smallest amount of undesirable spawning conditions, mainly because the streambed composition was dominated by cobble. Weir 3 contained the most suitable spawning conditions, with smaller gravel sizes and lower sedimentation levels. We provide rationale to explain which factors may have led to the conditions observed. This is followed by a discussion of our method’s uncertainties and restrictions as well as suggestions for future research and management.