FISH COLLECTION PERMIT SUMMARY REPORT FOR PERMIT NO.: CB

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2 North/South Consultants Inc. 440, 1121 Centre St. NW Calgary, Alberta T2E 7K6 Tel: (403) Fax: (403) Web: FISH COLLECTION PERMIT SUMMARY REPORT FOR PERMIT NO.: CB Prepared for: Permit and Authorization Service Bureau British Columbia Ministry of the Environment Prepared by: North/South Consultants Inc. March 2008

3 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Table of Contents...i List of Figures...i List of Appendices...i 1.0 INTRODUCTION METHODS Study Area Site Selection Fish Habitat Assessment Fish Resource Inventory RESULTS Notes REFERENCES...7 LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1-1 Project location...2 Figure 1-2 Mist Mountain Study Area and sampling sites...6 LIST OF APPENDICES Page Appendix A Fish Survey Summary Sheets...8 North/South Consultants Inc. Page i

4 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB INTRODUCTION BP Canada Energy Company (BP) has proposed a three- to five-year technical appraisal program to assess the feasibility of a coal bed gas (CBG) development in southeast British Columbia (BC). The proposed project (the Project) is located south of the town of the Municipal District of Sparwood and east of the City of Fernie (Figure 1-1). The overall Project study area is comprised of portions of the Flathead River, Michel Creek and Elk River watersheds. North/South Consultants Inc. (North/South) has been chosen by Matrix Solutions Inc. (Matrix) on behalf of BP to perform an aquatic baseline assessment of the fish and fish habitat, and surface water and sediment quality of watercourses within the Study Area under current conditions. As part of this assessment, a fish resource inventory was conducted in the overall Project study area watercourses to determine fish presence/absence. A British Columbia (BC) fish collection permit was required from the Ministry of Environment. As the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) includes shorthead sculpin, a species that may be present in the Flathead River watershed, a SARA permit was also required for inventories in this watershed. This report has been developed to satisfy the reporting requirements of the BC fish collection permit. North/South Consultants Inc. Page 1

5 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB Figure 1-1 Project location North/South Consultants Inc. Page 2

6 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB METHODS 2.1 STUDY AREA To facilitate data interpretation the watercourses were grouped into three distinct watersheds (Figure 1-2): Watershed 1: Flathead River included the Flathead River and McEvoy Creek; Watershed 2: Michel Creek included Marten Creek, Fir Creek, Leach Creek, Michel Creek, Robert Creek and Wheeler Creek; and Watershed 3: Elk River included Coal Creek, Morrissey Creek and North Lodgepole Creek Site Selection Fish habitat assessment sites (13) were chosen to allow a preliminary characterization of portions of the Flathead River, Michel Creek and the Elk River watersheds. A specific site was chosen based on a variety of parameters: relevance to potential development area; representativeness of watercourse; previous potential anthropogenic impact, or lack thereof; and historical data gaps. Detailed information regarding the sampling schedule is provided in Appendix A. 2.2 FISH HABITAT ASSESSMENT The procedure for the reconnaissance fish habitat assessment was as outlined by the BC Resources Inventory Committee (2001, 1999a, 1999b). The field portion of the fish habitat assessment was composed of: channel measurements; cover inventory; features identification; morphology characterization; habitat quality assessment; description of water conditions; wildlife observations; and photography. North/South Consultants Inc. Page 3

7 Specific observations and recorded measurements included: UTM coordinates; channel width and wetted width; Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB residual pool depth (calculated as the maximum pool depth minus the pool outlet depth); measured depth at channel bankfull; gradient; stage and flood signs; water discharge (water velocity transect); tributaries; stream cover (small woody debris, large woody debris, boulder, undercut bank, deep pool, overhanging vegetation, instream vegetation); total cover (none, trace, moderate or abundant); crown closure; large woody debris, function and distribution; type of instream vegetation; bank characteristics (shape, texture, riparian zones, vegetation stage); in situ water quality parameters (temperature, specific conductance, total dissolved solids, salinity, dissolved oxygen, ph, oxygen reduction potential, turbidity); stream morphology (bed material and size, channel morphology classification [riffle-pool, cascade-pool, step-pool or large channel], disturbance indicators, pattern, islands, bars, coupling, confinement); features of concern to fish populations (obstructions, culverts, effluent outfalls); and photographs (at least one upstream-oriented and one downstream-oriented photograph at each site to show general stream characteristics including channel morphology, riparian vegetation, obstructions, and major disturbances). Fish habitat information was recorded on BC Site Cards (Resources Inventory Committee 1999a). Definitions of specific habitat characterizations can be found in Forest Practices Code of British Columbia (1998) and Resources Inventory Committee (2001). Velocities were recorded with a Swoffer model 2100 velocity meter. Stream gradients were measured with Suunto clinometers. UTM coordinates were recorded with Garmin hand held GPS units. Photographs were taken with digital and film cameras. In situ measurements were taken each site using an YSI 556 Multimeter. This meter was field calibrated daily for all parameters, but dissolved oxygen (DO) was calibrated at each site to account for pressure differences due to changes in elevation, where appropriate. Turbidity readings were taken North/South Consultants Inc. Page 4

8 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB using an Analite NEP160 turbidity meter. These measurements were also taken mid-channel at mid-water depth. 2.3 FISH RESOURCE INVENTORY All sites were sampled by backpack electrofishing in September The fish resource inventory was limited by a timing restriction as defined by the BC Permit Authorization Bureau (2007). The BC fish collection permit stipulated that after September 15, no electrofishing was to be conducted in any watercourses in the Study Area that are known to contain bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). Therefore, as per the requirement of the permit, the fish resource inventories were conducted prior to September 15, To minimize disturbance to fish and water quality, fish sampling was conducted before the habitat assessment. Electrofishing was conducted throughout the entire survey with a Smith- Root model LR-24 backpack electrofisher. The electrofishing sampling effort required was based on the length of stream fished and the time considered appropriate for the conditions of the stream. Minimum sample-site length was 100 m or 10 times the wetted stream channel width, whichever was greater. All habitat types within the site were sampled. If the habitat was uniform, the sample-site length was increased. Electrofisher settings were adjusted to the stream conditions to sample effectively and minimize injury and mortality. All fish sampling data were recorded on BC fish collection forms (Resources Inventory Committee 1999b). All fish captured were identified to species level and fork length and weight were recorded. The electrofisher settings and duration of effort (in seconds) also were recorded. North/South Consultants Inc. Page 5

9 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB Figure 1-2 Mist Mountain Study Area and sampling sites North/South Consultants Inc. Page 6

10 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB RESULTS Appendix A summarizes fisheries habitat, inventory results, and provides site photodocumentation for each site fished under the BC MOE Fish Collection Permit # CB NOTES All fish captured during this study appeared unharmed by electrofishing methods; All fish inventory information was entered into the BC Field Data Information System (FDIS) database and was submitted to BC MOE; The SARA permit number issued for the Flathead River watershed was SECT 07 SCI REFERENCES Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Fish-stream identification guidebook, 2 nd ed. BC Environment and BC Ministry of Forests. 70p. Permit Authorization Service Bureau Permit and Authorization Service Bureau, Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. British Columbia. Resources Inventory Committee. 1999a. Reconnaissance (1:20 000) Fish and Fish Habitat Inventory Site Card Field Guide. Prepared by BC Fisheries Information Services Branch for the Resources Inventory Committee. Victoria, British Columbia. 42p. Resources Inventory Committee. 1999b. Reconnaissance (1:20 000) Fish and Fish Habitat Inventory Fish Collection Form Field Guide. Prepared by BC Fisheries Information Services Branch for the Resources Inventory Committee. Victoria, British Columbia. 30p. Resources Inventory Committee Reconnaissance (1:20 000) Fish and Fish Habitat Inventory Standards and Procedures. Prepared by BC Fisheries Information Services Branch for the Resources Inventory Committee. Victoria, British Columbia. 170p. North/South Consultants Inc. Page 7

11 Fish Collection Permit Summary Report BC MOE Permit #CB APPENDIX A FISH SURVEY SUMMARY SHEET North/South Consultants Inc. Page 8

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