City of Whitehorse Detailed Salmon Habitat Management Plan
Chinook are documented to spawn as far upstream as reach 5 below the Alaska Highway on McIntyre Creek. The distribution of spawning chinook is thought to be naturally limited by beaver activity and wetland habitat on reach 6 and not impeded by the presence of the culverts across Range Road or Mountain View Drive. The upstream migration of juvenile chinook is, however, thought to be limited by the presence of the culverts across Range Road (A. von Finster, DFO memorandum dated April 18, 1994); two perched, round, corrugated metal culverts approximately 20m long, and would also likely be limited by two perched, round, corrugated culverts approximately 100m long across Mountain View Drive. Natal chinook are documented to rear as far upstream as reach 4 on McIntyre Creek (A. von Finster, DFO memorandum dated April 18, 1994; A. von Finster field survey July 20, 1999) and are thought not to be impeded in their downstream passage by these culverts. Freshwater fish (arctic grayling, round whitefish, lake trout, long nose suckers, slimy sculpin, burbot and rainbow trout) occur throughout McIntyre Creek watershed. It is possible that the culverts across Range Road and Mountain View Drive may impede the upstream passage of freshwater fish. Beyond the region of chinook distribution in McIntyre Creek there are two embedded, round, corrugated metal culverts approximately 40m long across the Alaska Highway on reach 6 of McIntyre Creek (AEM 2003). These culverts do not appear to be an obstruction to fish passage (AEM 2003). There is a natural obstruction to the upstream passage of fish on reach 7; a rock fall (A. von Finster, pers. comm., March 2003).
Upstream of the confluence of McIntyre Creek and the locally known Reservoir Creek on reach 8, water levels decline significantly; much of the water in McIntyre Creek downstream of the confluence is fed by Reservoir Creek and controlled by the Yukon Electric Company Ltd. hydroelectric facilities. There are seven additional stream crossings on McIntyre Creek above the confluence of Reservoir Creek, one of which is a culvert that appears to not present a barrier to fish passage; an embedded, round corrugated culvert of approximately 30m long. The potential for any effect of these crossings on freshwater fish distribution in McIntyre Creek in this section is unknown; no fish sampling has been conducted to date in this section of the creek (AEM 2003). Freshwater fish do occur in Reservoir Creek. There are two hydroelectric dams on Reservoir Creek that are complete obstructions to the passage of fish and a number of additional stream crossings, one of which is likely a barrier to the upstream passage of fish; two perched, round, corrugated culverts approximately 20m long across Copper Haul Road (AEM 2003).
The ES fall classes in 1998 and 1999 conducted surveys along McIntyre Creek looking for salmon carcases after spawning from Mountain View Drive up to 200 meters upstream from the small pond near the pumphouse. Students were given GPS and asked to create waypoints at any found carcases and at any significant obstruction that may be seen to impede upstream movement of salmon.
One both surveys, students found salmon carcases in the upper reaches of the study area. While the identified may log jams, none were thought to impede salmon up or dow stream movement.
Chinook are documented to spawn as far upstream as reach 5 below the Alaska Highway on McIntyre Creek. The distribution of spawning chinook is thought to be naturally limited by beaver activity and wetland habitat on reach 6 and not impeded by the presence of the culverts across Range Road or Mountain View Drive. The upstream migration of juvenile chinook is, however, thought to be limited by the presence of the culverts across Range Road (A. von Finster, DFO memorandum dated April 18, 1994); two perched, round, corrugated metal culverts approximately 20m long, and would also likely be limited by two perched, round, corrugated culverts approximately 100m long across Mountain View Drive. Natal chinook are documented to rear as far upstream as reach 4 on McIntyre Creek (A. von Finster, DFO memorandum dated April 18, 1994; A. von Finster field survey July 20, 1999) and are thought not to be impeded in their downstream passage by these culverts. Freshwater fish (arctic grayling, round whitefish, lake trout, long nose suckers, slimy sculpin, burbot and rainbow trout) occur throughout McIntyre Creek watershed. It is possible that the culverts across Range Road and Mountain View Drive may impede the upstream passage of freshwater fish. Beyond the region of chinook distribution in McIntyre Creek there are two embedded, round, corrugated metal culverts approximately 40m long across the Alaska Highway on reach 6 of McIntyre Creek (AEM 2003). These culverts do not appear to be an obstruction to fish passage (AEM 2003). There is a natural obstruction to the upstream passage of fish on reach 7; a rock fall (A. von Finster, pers. comm., March 2003).
Upstream of the confluence of McIntyre Creek and the locally known Reservoir Creek on reach 8, water levels decline significantly; much of the water in McIntyre Creek downstream of the confluence is fed by Reservoir Creek and controlled by the Yukon Electric Company Ltd. hydroelectric facilities. There are seven additional stream crossings on McIntyre Creek above the confluence of Reservoir Creek, one of which is a culvert that appears to not present a barrier to fish passage; an embedded, round corrugated culvert of approximately 30m long. The potential for any effect of these crossings on freshwater fish distribution in McIntyre Creek in this section is unknown; no fish sampling has been conducted to date in this section of the creek (AEM 2003). Freshwater fish do occur in Reservoir Creek. There are two hydroelectric dams on Reservoir Creek that are complete obstructions to the passage of fish and a number of additional stream crossings, one of which is likely a barrier to the upstream passage of fish; two perched, round, corrugated culverts approximately 20m long across Copper Haul Road (AEM 2003).
The ES fall classes in 1998 and 1999 conducted surveys along McIntyre Creek looking for salmon carcases after spawning from Mountain View Drive up to 200 meters upstream from the small pond near the pumphouse. Students were given GPS and asked to create waypoints at any found carcases and at any significant obstruction that may be seen to impede upstream movement of salmon.
One both surveys, students found salmon carcases in the upper reaches of the study area. While the identified may log jams, none were thought to impede salmon up or dow stream movement.