23 Sep Shore Spawning Kokanee Habitat Restoration Project Update: Gravel Installations Complete
Gravel Installations at McDonalds Landing Regional Park for the Shore Spawning Kokanee Restoration Project are complete, and just in time!
On September 9th and 10th, gravel was deposited on the foreshore of Kootenay Lake at McDonalds Landing Regional Park. A layer of ideal spawning gravel now sits beneath the surface of the water on the shoreline, and just in time too! Kokanee have recently been spotted on site, returning to their ancestral spawning grounds to choose a mate and lay their eggs.
A huge thank you to Columbia Basin Trust, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Fortis BC, Regional District Central Kootenay, Kootenay Conservation Program, and Graham Marina Construction for making this possible. And thank you to our continued supporters!
This gravel will enhance the existing shore-spawning kokanee habitat. Before installations, the habitat consisted of mostly fine sand and boulders, which is not ideal for redd building or fry survival.
The natural upwelling ground water on site will percolate up through the gravel and provide a consistent temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration to eggs and fry. Groundwater flow is known to be one of the greatest predictors of shore-spawning kokanee health, and the site we installed gravel upon is known for an abundance of groundwater infiltration.
Monitoring efforts are commencing in upcoming weeks to record spawning activity and success. We will keep you all updated on monitoring efforts as they progress!
If you would like to know more, contact us at info@friendsofkootenaylake.ca