B.C. salmon researchers and advocates are starting to consider how catastrophic flooding might impact Fraser River salmon.

Biologist Marvin Rosenau, a fisheries lecturer at B.C. Institute of Technology, said stranded Fraser salmon could end up trapped in flooded areas, coming from the flooded Nooksack River, along Sumas Prairie, or the Chilliwack-Vedder River system.

But it含羞草研究社檚 the pink salmon, he said, that were likely the hardest hit of all Fraser salmon populations, along with the millions of juveniles and salmon eggs flushed out of the gravel with raging flood waters.

含羞草研究社淲e just had a fairly significant pink spawning period,含羞草研究社� Rosenau said.

Pinks return every other year to the Fraser, and finish spawning at the end of September or early October, making them particularly vulnerable to high flows.

含羞草研究社淧inks spawn in main channel of the Fraser so they would be most heavily impacted,含羞草研究社� Rosenau said.

Chum salmon returns were 含羞草研究社渟uper low含羞草研究社� in 2021, and wrapped up spawning by early November, so many adults would have been lost, along with juveniles in the gravel.

The chum spawn in Fraser side channels in late fall, while coho are right at the peak of spawning now.

含羞草研究社淚 would have to guess there will be a significant loss, but no one is out there measuring it now,含羞草研究社� Rosenau said.

Stranded salmon have been reported swimming in people含羞草研究社檚 yards, along railway tracks, along trails, and in ditches in the past week.

Roxanna Kooistra, engagement manager for Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said some of the most deadly impacts from recent flooding and landslides might not be obvious right away.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been devastating to watch the community suffer through such loss in the wake of flooding, including all the deceased animals and the fish,含羞草研究社� Kooistra said.

No one knows how many redds washed away due to erosion, or if salmon eggs or juveniles were choked out by the silt.

It may be tough for next generations of salmon to find their spawning beds when they return to the Fraser, as the stream characteristics may have changed.

Lina Azeez, campaign manager with Watershed Watch Salmon Society, agreed the ramifications for salmon aren含羞草研究社檛 clear yet, but there is already a lot of grief, and unanswered questions bubbling up.

In its Connected Waters campaign, the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, a science-based charity focused on salmon, has been looking at existing flood control infrastructure from the salmon point of view. They含羞草研究社檝e been calling on senior levels of government to upgrade flood infrastructure to fish-friendly flood control boxes and gates for a few years.

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Flood impacts on salmon have been studied in the past, Azeez said. It含羞草研究社檚 clear there含羞草研究社檚 a pressing need to protect spawning habitat in the Lower Fraser to ensure the fish have enough land to tuck into, away from flood waters so they won含羞草研究社檛 get washed out.

含羞草研究社淲e have to start asking what does it mean when we say we含羞草研究社檒l rebuild the dikes higher, and rebuild the pump station bigger.

含羞草研究社淪hould we really continue to have intensive agriculture in an area with such a high risk of flooding? It含羞草研究社檚 time we started having those difficult conversations,含羞草研究社� Azeez added.

The problem needs to be reframed.

含羞草研究社淢aybe we need a new normal that includes a future for salmon, and better salmon habitat,含羞草研究社� Kooistra said.

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The only 含羞草研究社済olden nugget含羞草研究社� is the way the community has been stepping up in the face of disaster, she said.

含羞草研究社淲hat含羞草研究社檚 incredible to watch is people含羞草研究社檚 commitment to volunteering. It含羞草研究社檚 people helping people; people helping animals, and caring for fish and the waterways,含羞草研究社� Kooistra said.

Anyone who finds a stranded or trapped salmon on their property, or on City of Chilliwack property, can email clegg@chilliwack.com

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:
jfeinberg@theprogress.com

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