The Haig-Brown Kingfisher Creek Restoration Project has been dedicated to enhancing as much salmon habitat along its new stream course as possible. To date, this means providing access for fish into wetlands that they might other wise not have had.

Mike Dick digs a small channel that
will provide off-channel habitat.

In this case, providing access is a simple matter of hand digging trenches, no more than a half-meter wide, into the existing wetlands. These miniature stream channels tend to be just under a meter higher than the bottom of the main channel, and are generally no longer than 20 meters off the main stream branch.

This will ensure that fish only have access to these areas during flood events, which is when they will need to seek this shelter.

Coho will use this access into the
wetlands to seek refuge during flood events.

So far, three such wetland access points have been created. All are similar in design, and will give coho a designated escape route from the wetlands when water levels start dropping. These little meandering finger-like ditches are another great example of how quick thinking and adaptable design elements have been used in the new Haig-Brown Kingfisher Creek channel. This illustrates how the Haig-Brown Kingfisher Creek is able to cater to the specific needs of the juvenile coho that will live in the system.

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