Nicola Chinook Habitat

Spawning Habitat:

Current (and historic) Chinook spawning habitat within the Nicola includes target reaches within the Nicola mainstem (largely between the Spius Creek and Coldwater River confluence points), Coldwater River, Spius Creek, lower sections of Clapper Creek, the Upper Nicola River and sections upstream of Nicola Lake (in Moore Creek) (Mazany-Wright et al 2022, LGL Ltd. 2007, Ecoscape 2017, PSF 2023).

(PSF 2023: Pacific Salmon Explorer): The map displays the locations of indicator and non-indicator streams monitored for spawning salmon, as well as known spawning locations within the Conservation Unit. The figures display the number of spawning salmon observed in each stream each year. Values above or below the dotted line represent years in which observed spawner counts are above or below the average of all years with survey data. Also shown are the data quality rank associated with the spawner survey data and the hatchery releases rating associated with each stream.

Rearing Habitat:

Additional rearing habitats have been identified in Juliet Creek and Voght Creek (LGL Ltd. 2007)

Early and Late Migrants:

Early migrant Chinook Salmon pass through the lower sections of the Nicola mainstem and into tribtuaries headwaters ahead of physiological thermal barriers that form over the summer. These early migrant Chinook are known to utilize the upper portions of Spius Creek and the Coldwater River. Early migrant Chinook are known to travel upstream through the Nicola mainstem ahead of the thermal barriers in May and June on the falling limb of the freshet. These adults will then hold in deep-water pools within these tributaries until mid-to-late August for spawning (Mazany-Wright et al 2022 citing pers. comm from R. Bailey and Nooaitch Band).

References:

Ecoscape Ltd. 2017. Nicola River Sensitive Habitat Inventory and Mapping and Aquatic Habitat Index. Prepared for Fraser Basic Council on behalf of Habitat Stewardship Program.

LGL Ltd. 2007. Development of an Annual Salmonid Productivity Assessment Program for the Nicola River Watershed. Prepared for the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

Mazany-Wright, N., R. E. Bailey, S. M. Norris, J. Noseworthy, B. Rebellato, S. Sra, and N. W. R. Lapointe. 2022. Lower Nicola River Watershed Connectivity Remediation Plan: 2021- 2031. Canadian Wildlife Federation. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Pearsall, I., Bailey, R., Willms, T., Wilson, K., Bradford, K., Smith, M. et al 2022. Nicola Basin Chinook Risk Assessment. Final Report. A Process Developed with the Nicola Collaborative Research and Technical Committee. Nicola Watershed RAMS Final Report. Available online at https://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/_Library/TR_Nicola/nicola_chinook_rams_final_web.pdf

PSF (Pacific Salmon Foundation). 2023. Pacific Salmon Explorer.https://www.salmonexplorer.ca/. Accessed June 20, 2023.