Natureline
Summer 1999
ISSUE P E A C E / W I L L I S T O N F I S H & W I L D L I F E C O M P E N S AT I O N P R O G R A M
NO. 10
Biologists survey frogs, toads and
salamanders in Williston watershed
I
n the spring of 1998, the Peace/Williston Fish and between dusk and midnight when amphibians are
Wildlife Compensation Program (PWFWCP) most vocal.”
launched a reconnaissance-level survey of
Visual searches were undertaken in the afternoons
amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders) in the
during the warmest part of the day when both
Williston Reservoir watershed. Amphibians in BC
adult amphibians and their egg masses can be
are wetland-dependent species, requiring an aquatic
observed. These searches are necessary to detect
environment in which to breed and lay their eggs.
non-vocal amphibians such as female frogs and
Interest in the plight of amphibians has been rising toads, and long-toed salamanders.
since the late 1980s when scientists worldwide
Surveys confirmed the presence of all four
began to note increased and widespread amphibian
suspected amphibian species in the Parsnip River
population declines, extinctions and deformities.
drainage: long-toed salamander, western toad,
Inside... “Most amphibians have never been properly
surveyed in the northern and mountainous regions
in northern regions of the province are poorly
known,” said Mari Wood, senior wildlife biologist
wood frog and Columbia spotted frog. The latter
three species were also confirmed in the Peace
River drainage while the long-toed salamander and
striped chorus frog remained undetected.
1 Biologists survey
frogs, toads and
salamanders.
with the program.
The primary objectives of last spring’s surveys were
Areas surveyed in the Parsnip drainage include
Sabai Lake, Blackwater Creek, Curve Lake,
to record the occurrence of amphibian species in Germansen Landing, Mugaha Marsh, and Mugaha
different biogeoclimatic zones in the southern and Creek. In the Peace drainage, surveys were
2 An update of our
wildlife activities
eastern parts of the Williston Reservoir watershed,
to document the timing of breeding activity, to test
conducted in the Dunlevy Creek, Gaylard Creek,
and Johnson Forest Service Road areas.
survey methods, and to assess the need for more
After the reconnaissance surveys were completed, a
4 Students raise
kokanee
comprehensive surveys.
“We conducted surveys over a two-week period last
status report on the survey findings was prepared
by the programs’ wildlife technician Pamela
May, the time when amphibians congregate at Hengeveld. Further monitoring activities are
5 Chetwynd groups
work for healthy
wetlands for breeding,” said Wood. “Since the frog
and toad species in our region each have distinctive
calls, we conducted evening ‘calling surveys’ to
scheduled for 1999.
environment
determine the presence and relative abundance of
each species at a site. These surveys took place
BC Environment and Lands
N
overview atureline is published to
inform community
leaders, interest groups,
and the public about current
projects and environmental
initiatives being undertaken by
the Peace/Williston Fish &
Wildlife Compensation Program.
The program is a joint
BC Hydro and BC Environment
Naturel
An update of our activities 1998/99
initiative designed to enhance only be identified during extended
Wildlife surveys
and conserve fish and wildlife in periods of very cold temperatures.
A February 1999 inventory of
the watersheds of the Williston
woodland caribou wintering on Health Evaluation of
and Dinosaur reservoirs in north-
alpine slopes of the Wolverine, Stone’s Sheep
central British Columbia. Germansen, Plughat, and Gillis
Mountain ranges revealed only 91 A health evaluation of Stone’s sheep
In 1988, a $10 million fund was residing on Rainbow Rocks along the
caribou. The presence of most radio-
established to support research collared caribou in the Wolverine Williston Reservoir was also initiated
and enhancement projects for Caribou Herd in low elevation pine this winter with the capture and
forests, explained the unusually low examination of six sheep. Three ewes
fish and wildlife in the Williston
numbers of caribou sighted on high were radio-collared and released for
Reservoir watershed. subsequent monitoring of move-
elevation alpine slopes. Moose surveys
were also conducted in February 1999 ments and habitat use. Additional
A further $1 million was added
in the Omineca, Nation, and Ospika sheep from Rainbow Rocks, and
to fund fisheries projects in the
river valley bottoms, with the primary sheep wintering on higher elevation
Dinosaur Reservoir watershed alpine terrain, will be captured and
objective of determining age/sex
between the W.A.C. Bennett composition. The broad floodplain examined again next winter.
and the Peace Canyon dams. of the Omineca River revealed the
highest densities, with 500 moose Wetlands
The annual interest from this
observed. Far fewer moose were Enhancement
fund is managed to maintain the Monitoring
observed in the Nation and Ospika
program in perpetuity.
River valleys (65 and 15 respectively). Twenty wetland
This issue of Natureline deals sites in the Parsnip
Some wildlife surveys were deferred
and Peace
with some of the projects due to winter weather conditions and
drainages were
currently being undertaken and subsequent animal distributions.
enhanced for
some volunteer activities. We Woodland caribou wintering in the
wildlife through
Akie River exhibited behaviour similar
invite you to forward any the establishment
to those in the Wolverine Caribou
of 49 nest boxes
questions and comments on the Herd, choosing to remain in low
and 15 floating
Peace/ Williston Fish and Wildlife elevation forests rather than ascending
islands. Monitoring
Compensation Program to Brian to windswept alpine slopes where
of the use of the
they are most easily enumerated. A
Blackman, senior fisheries nest boxes and
survey to identify critical open water
biologist or Mari Wood, senior floating islands was
areas for overwintering waterfowl
conducted in the
wildlife biologist at:: was cancelled due to warmer than
summer of 1998; a
usual weather conditions which
report on the results is being prepared.
Peace/Williston resulted in an over-abundance of
Fish and Wildlife open water areas. Critical areas can
Compensation Program
1011 4th Avenue
Prince George, B.C.
V2L 3H9
line
update
goats. Other ungulates using high
Fisher Habitat Use elevation habitats in the survey area
were also counted and classified. All
In 98/99, contract biologists continued
alpine terrain between Bernard and
the third year radio-telemetry
Schooler Creeks, and from the Williston
monitoring of collared fishers, medium-
Reservoir north to the Emerslund
sized forest carnivores. Monitoring has
Lakes, was surveyed.
provided information about maternal
den and resting site characteristics, Most ungulate inventories are conducted in winter when
seasonal habitat use and movements, animals seek areas of low snow depths such as valley
and juvenile dispersal. Six new fishers bottoms or windswept alpine slopes. However, white
were captured and collared this year; 20 mountain goats are most easily located in mid-summer
fishers have been collared during the when they frequent high elevation open alpine and cliff
project to date. terrain, and are more visible against the darker background
of vegetation and rock. Distinguishing between sexes
Forage Enhancement (both males and females have horns) is also simpler at
Monitoring this time of year. Females (called “nannies”) with young
Forage enhancement activities (manual slashing and kids, retain their long winter coats into August resulting
girdling) were previously conducted between 1992 and in a rather shaggy appearance, while males (called “billies”)
1994 along the Omineca River and just north of shed their winter coats in early summer and appear short-
Mackenzie. To determine if these treatments benefitted haired and smooth.
ungulates, the response of vegetation to the treatments
We located 62 mountain goats during the surveys - 50 on
and the amount of browsing by ungulates at the treated
Mt. Brewster and 12 further to the northwest. Goats were
sites were assessed.
always sighted on or close to steep alpine rock or cliff
terrain which provides security from predators. Other
Nabesche Mountain Goats ungulates observed on the inventory included 46 Stone’s
Surveyed sheep, five woodland caribou, and four moose. In contrast
In July 1998, we conducted an aerial inventory of moun- to the goats that prefer steeper terrain, all Stone’s sheep
tain goats residing in the Nabesche River drainage on the were sighted on moderately sloping alpine grassland, rock
north side of the Peace Arm. The primary objectives of the talus, or scree slopes in the northern and eastern portions
survey were to (1) determine the population size, age and of the survey area. No goats or sheep were observed on
sex ratios, and distribution of mountain goats in the area, Mt. Burden or Mt. Greene in the western portion of the
(2) record the locations of potential mineral licks, and (3) Nabesche drainage.
evaluate the capability of the habitat in the area to support
Students Raise Since November, the students have The Department of Fisheries and
Kokanee been monitoring the egg-hatching Oceans donated materials and
Thanks to a big effort from the process using carefully controlled technical support, and the Ministry of
community, about 150 students in aquarium conditions. Next June, Environment, Lands and Parks
Mackenzie and Hudson’s Hope are students will release the fry into creeks provided the 250 kokanee eggs. The
gaining hands-on experience raising flowing into Williston reservoir. purchase of aquariums and related
kokanee from eggs to minnow- equipment was made possible by
During this project, the students will
sized fry. Finlay Forest Industries, Fletcher
gain an understanding of the fish life
Challenge Canada, the Mackenzie Fish
Arne Langston, a BC Hydro fisheries cycle, the dangers fish are exposed to,
and Game Association, Canfor Ltd.
biologist with the Peace/Williston and the role fish play in the ecology of
(Chetwynd), the BC Hydro office at the
Fish and Wildlife Compensation the reservoir.
W.A.C. Bennett Dam, the Lions Club of
Program, is coordinating the project. “By raising the fish, the students will Hudson’s Hope, and the Hudson’s Hope
develop a sense of ownership for the Rod and Gun Club.
“The intent is not to promote hatchery
production,” said Langston, “but to health of the streams and reservoir, and
Participating schools are: Morfee
provide students with an educational, an overall appreciation for fish and
Elementary (Ken Bohn’s class);
hands-on fisheries project opportunity.” wildlife resources,” Langston said.
Mountain View Elementary (John
Several organizations worked on the Nolan’s and Ruth Flynn’s classes);
The fish eggs were distributed in
project with the Peace/Williston Fish Mackenzie Elementary (Marion
November to students in four
and Wildlife Compensation Program, a Talbot’s class); and Hudson’s Hope
schools: three in Mackenzie and one in
joint effort by BC Hydro and the School (Janet Hohner’s class). s
Hudson’s Hope. They were
collected from Kootenay Lake kokanee Ministry of Environment, Lands and
which were returning to spawn at the Parks to enhance and protect fish and
Meadow Creek spawning channel wildlife within the Williston reservoir
and Peace Canyon watersheds in Drawing by Bianca Sinclair, a student at
north of Nelson. Mackenzie Elementary School. Bianca’s
north-central B.C.
drawing of kokanee, which the class
raised from eggs to small fingerling size
fry, was one of about 80 submitted in an
art contest organized by Arne Langston,
biologist with the PWFWCP.
line
Chetwynd groups work to keep
hunting and fishing paradise
M
any Chetwynd outdoors-
men and their families
have been active in the
the end of the road to Simpson Lake.
They then deposited the fish at various
points around the lake using Derby’s
The Chetwynd chapter of the
Wilderness Watch program - The
Foothills Recreation and Outdoors
Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife inflatable boat. Association - has also played a role in
Compensation Program, which aims the Peace Williston Fish and Wildlife
“We learned a lot from this project,”
to enhance fish and wildlife in the Compensation Program. Wilderness
said Derby. “Stocking a barren lake
watersheds of the Williston and Watch is a joint initiative of the B.C.
isn’t as simple as it appears, but if we
Dinosaur reservoirs. Wildlife Federation and the Ministry
can establish a trout population there,
of Environment, Land and Parks to
Chetwynd residents claim the area the rewards will be well worth it.”
assist conservation officers.
around their community is a hunting
The 85-member Chetwynd
a fishing paradise and they want to Activities of the group include
Environmental Society also
keep it that way. providing needy families with meat
contributed ideas to the
from road kills, picking up orphaned
Eight members of the Chetwynd Rod Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife
and injured animals for rehabilitation,
and Gun Club and their families have Compensation Program when the
putting up signs for fishing restrictions,
worked over the past three years to program began in the late eighties.
providing hunters with regulations
stock Simpson Lake with rainbow
Society president Stu Garland and sending samples of teeth from
trout taken from the Williston
explained that the aim of the society dead animals to the ministry for
Reservoir.
is to preserve wilderness areas and analysis.
“We’re more than willing to help,” habitat for fish and wildlife, which fits
Last summer three members of the
said George Mallia, vice president of in well with the purpose of the com-
association helped compensation
the Chetwynd Rod and Gun Club. pensation program.
biologists transport trout to Simpson
“Conservation is of prime importance
The society has also participated in Lake. “The people involved are very
and I would like to see a lot more fish
the area’s Land Resource Management knowledgeable and I enjoyed working
and wildlife enhancement.”
Plans, community-developed plans with them,” said Wayne Crossland
Located about 40 kilometres west of for provincial Crown land which who heads the 10-member association.
Chetwynd, Simpson Lake contained attempt to balance various values
He added that if the compensation
no fish until the stocking program and interests in provincial resources.
program were better known, more
began. “What we’re trying to do is
Wayne Sawchuk, past president of residents would contribute with
establish a naturalized, self-perpetu-
the society, was presented with the information and ideas.
ating population of rainbow trout,”
said Arne Langston, a fish biologist Minister’s Environmental Award for
In 1996 Crossland, as an interested
with the program. “This will take the his efforts in establishing the
individual, helped senior wildlife
pressure off the Pine River and other Muskwa-Kechika special manage-
biologist Mari Wood capture 50
nearby fishing areas and provide us ment area, a vast wilderness in the
Rocky Mountain elk near Chetywnd
with a genetic pool of wild rainbow northern Rockies.
in preparation for transport to the
trout.” As part of the Dawson Creek LRMP, Ingenika area at the north end of the
the society has also been working Williston Reservoir.
Using a vehicle loaned by Jim Derby, a
former member of the onwhat could become the Pine/
“I learned a lot,” he said. “It was an
Peace/Williston Advisory Committee, LeMoray protected area, a 33,000
exciting project, just the kind
the volunteers transported fish in hectare wilderness just southwest of
we need to keep the area rich in
coolers almost two kilometres from Chetwynd.
animal life.” s
Fish expenditures
for 1998/99
Wildlife expenditures
for 1998/99
Interested in knowing more about fish and wildlife research and enhancement
activities in the Williston Reservoir watershed?
Try our web site at http://www.bchydro.bc.ca/environment/pwcp
To be placed on the mailing list for the free newsletter Natureline, contact:
Tony MacGregor
Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program
Mailing address: Box 6500, Prince George, B.C., V2N 2K4
Tel (250) 561-4892.
Fax: (250)561-4979.
E-Mail: Tony.MacGregor@bchydro.bc.ca.