Experiential Science 11 in partnership with a number of other schools and community groups have undertaken a salmon restoration program on the Ibex River. Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) have provided the first in what is hopefully a series of HERSEP grants for the work that is being undertaken. The following outlines the substance of our restoration interests.
Background: The Ibex River has undergone a number of changes over the past 40 years, which have impacted salmon population. The fire of 1958 followed by barge first Growth Aspen stands, declining beaver prices, and increased access to the River which may have increased the salmon take have all lead to decrease in the salmon population on the Ibex. The intent of this restoration program is to re-establish traditional salmon populations along the Ibex River. In the long-term in our programs hope to take part in a number of years of restoration activities.
Phase 1: In the first year we conducted a GPS mapping the River system, identifying some of a more obvious obstructions to salmon upstream movement. We developed stream-side incubation facilities that could be used in remote settings. During the early years, we intended to use these in Whitehorse to raise to restore the salmon populations on the Ibex River. We conducted an inventory of spawning salmon along the Ibex, and map access to various reaches of the River system. We also intend to identify reaches in the River that may be characterizes as high-quality spawning areas.
To date we have done the following: Canoed and surveyed 40 km of the River on two times with visits to selected segments a number of times. We have developed enriched 1:25000 maps combining GPS lines over a 1:50000 expanded topo map and aerial photos. During this survey we have identified log-jams that are obstructions, redds and looked for spawning or dead salmon. It is our intention to cut paths through selected barriers to reduce obstruction to salmon movement and increase access to the regions of the Ibex being surveyed. It is also our intention to set "G" traps in a variety of locations during the winter months to assess fry populations on the Ibex. We are not confident that we did not miss salmon in our survey. The river is quite difficult to paddle and much of our attention during our surveys was spent paddling, avoiding obstructions, and keeping afloat. We have surveyed (with students on bikes) about 25 k of the Ibex valley identifying access roads to the river (also using GPS and results are included in the maps). We have constructed an in stream incubation box on the basis of a designed proposed by DFO (Whitehorse personnel) and will use the box this year an a trial basis to see what design adjustments need to be made to make the box functionally effectively. We are logging temperatures in both the Ibex above and below the Arkel River and in the stream side incubation box in conjunction with DFO personnel.
We developed two studies with Yukon Energy "Green Power" to explore the use of solar panels and in stream low head generators as means of providing heat to the boxes if needed. If this process works, we should be able to install the units in remote settings without freeze-up difficulties.
Between November 1999 to April 2000 we logged temperatures in the stream side incubator we built and installed on McIntyre Creek. Two Onset "Hobos" we were placed in the incubator, one in air and the other in water. Data was collected over a five month period. These data show all temperatures to be above 0 degrees and average of 3.6 degrees over the winter months. We also installed two data loggers in the Ibex river above and below the confluence of the Arkel River. These were placed in the Ibex in November 1999 and picked up in May 2000. We logged temperatures in the stream to see whether there was a warming ground water influence in the Ibex because of the flow from the Arkel. Data was collected over a seven month period. These data show a period when stream temperatures dropped to 0 degrees c for about fifty days. This is a shorter period than recorded near the mouth of the Ibex.