Kootenay Lake Bull Trout Redd Surveys

Client: Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

Project: Bull Trout spawner abundance is one of the monitoring tools used by the Kootenay Lake Nutrient Restoration Program to assess ecosystem health. Bull Trout are an apex predator in the lake and can reach sizes up to 90 cm and 10 kg. In the fall, they migrate into larger tributaries to the lake, where they spawn in remote sections in the upper watersheds. During spawning, Bull Trout create redds (nests) in the stream substrate, which can be counted and provide a reliable metric of assessing spawner abundance.

 Services: Masse Environmental completed multi-year Bull Trout redd surveys in Midge Creek, Crawford Creek, Poplar Creek, Coffee Creek, and Hamill Creek. Surveys take place over a two week period in October. Each year, between 60-80 km of streams are surveyed by two-person crews. Remote watersheds are accessed by helicopter.