The Mission Creek Restoration Initiative (MCRI), in partnership with the City of Kelowna, Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) and Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO), recently completed four ‘riffles’ to improve channel stability and fish habitat between the Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre and KLO Bridge.
Mission Creek has suffered extreme aquatic and riparian habitat losses due to land development activities over the past century. The riffles mimic natural creek function and represent one of many steps MCRI partners are taking to restore habitat and improve flood protection.
The constructed riffles provide short sections of turbulent water that regulate creek slope and reduce channel instability, improve fish migration, collect and retain spawning gravels, and oxygenate the water.
“Early assessments indicate the riffles are functioning as designed,” says MCRI project coordinator Steve Matthews. “Based on assessment results at other riffle projects, they will perform well through extreme low and high flows with minimal to no maintenance.”
ONA biologist Natasha Lukey adds that “this work represents an important part of the syilx Okanagan Nation’s efforts to restore Mission Creek’s health and bring indigenous fish home; kəkn̓I (kokanee) and sćwin (Sockeye) salmon have been observed migrating up the riffles and using the backwater pools and spawning gravel.”
Monitoring will continue for several years to ensure the riffles continue to provide fish and flood protection benefits over the long term.
The project was managed and funded by the City of Kelowna, with additional funding support provided by Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and the Okanagan Basin Water Board. Final post-construction restoration planting will be completed next spring.
MCRI is also planning a floodplain expansion project adjacent to the riffles next summer to provide additional fish and wildlife habitat and flood protection benefits.
For more information about MCRI, visit www.missioncreek.ca
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Steve Matthews, MCRI Project Coordinator / matthewsenvconsulting@gmail.com
Caleb Pomeroy, Project Engineer, Watershed Engineering / caleb.pomeroy@watershedengineering.ca