Quiz 3 - Stream Morph and Habitat

Question 1

What is DFO? (5)

Answer 1

Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Has ultimate authority over fish and fish habitat in Canada under the Fisheries Act

Whenever your proposed activity has the potential to cause serious harm to fish or fish habitat, DFO must be involved

Because it is political, DFO took a backseat during the Harper government

Now the focus with Trudeau is on “prominent salmon bearing streams in navigable rivers”

Question 2

What was the big change to the Fisheries Act with the Harper Administration and with Trudeau? (2)

Answer 2

The Harper government had changed the Fisheries Act to only include the protection of fish and fish habitat related to a commercial, recreational, or Aboriginal fishery

The Trudeau government changed it back to protection against the “death of fish, other than by fishing” and the “harmful alteration, disruption, or destruction of fish habitat”

Question 3

What constitutes “serious harm to fish”? (3)

Answer 3

1. Death of fish
2. Any permanent alteration to, or
3. Destruction of fish habitat

Question 4

When don’t you need to submit your project for review to DFO? (4)

Answer 4

If your project is occurring in:

1. Approved marines disposal site
2. Tailings Impoundment Area
3. Artificial water bodied not connected to a water body that contains fish at any time during the given year including: private ponds, irrigation ponds/channels, agricultural drainage ditches
4. Any other water body that doesn’t contain fish at any time during any given year

Question 5

What are some specific project activities that might not require DFO review? (8)

Answer 5

Bridges, causeways, culverts
Cottage, boating, recreation
Harbours and marine commercial activities
Drainage, flood control, storm water and waste management
Flow management
Water diversion and dewatering
Water taking
Other activities: eg. Habitat restoration, log salvage, riparian vegetation removal

*often has some limitations (eg. Only for repairs or removal activities)

Question 6

How does the review application work with DFO? (3)

Answer 6

If your project does not fall under one of the water bodies or project types that are exempt from DFO review, you must submit your application for review to DFO

If you are unsure if it falls under one of these categories, you can ask for advise from a QEP

If DFO determines that your project could cause serious harm to fish, you may apply for an Authorization from DFO

Question 7

What other compliance (in addition to the Fisheries Act and others discussed) might be needed for your project near water? (5)

Answer 7

The Pollution Prevention Provisions of the Fisheries Act

The Species at Risk Act

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) administered by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) administered by Environment Canada

Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) administered by Transport Canada

Question 8

How will the Navigable Waters Protection Act affect my in-stream work? (2)

Answer 8

Design of your project must not hinder appropriate navigation of navigable waters

Usually those works that are regulated under the Fisheries Act are also under the NWPA

Question 9

Steps of due diligence (7)

Answer 9

1. Be familiar with municipal, provincial, and federal legal requirements
2. Recognize and address potential impacts to aquatic and riparian habitats, water quality, public safety etc.
3. Avoid, mitigate or lessen impacts or risks
4. Ensure protection of fish, wildlife, and their habitats
5. Ensure the protection of properties and human health
6. Obtain appropriate permits and authorizations from all regulatory agencies before proceeding with activities
7. Conduct all work in a manner that complies with the law and avoids, mitigates, or lessens potential impacts to habitats, water quality, wildlife, and the public

Question 10

Fines and penalties (4)

Answer 10

Under Fish Protection Act: no direct fines/penalties but not complying can result in committing an offence under this act and all of its associated acts (Water Act, Wildlife ACT etc.) which could be detrimental to your career

Under Water Sustainability Act: could result in imprisonment for 6 months, a year, or both, or could result in a fine of $200,000 or $1,000,000

If the offence is a continued offence, it could result in the same prison time or a fine of $200,000 or $1,000,000 for EACH DAY the offence is committed

Under the Wildlife Act: could result in fine between $1000 and $100,000 and/or a year in prison

Question 11

What ecosystem services do natural streams and their floodplains perform? (6)

Answer 11

1. Convey water and sediment
2. Temporarily store excess flood water
3. Filter and entrap sediment in overbank areas
4. Recharge and discharge ground water
5. Naturally purify in-stream flows
6. Provide supportive habitat for diverse plant and animal species

Question 12

What is hydraulic geometry? (3)

Answer 12

A river is always trying to establish an equilibrium based on the Law of Continuity where Q = wdv

Disturbances, human or otherwise, can upset the equilibrium, thereby triggering a process of stream adjustments in an attempt to re-establish balance (dynamic equilibrium)

This means that they will adjust to imbalances between sediment supply and sediment transport by adjusting: width, depth, slope, or grain size

Question 13

Lane’s Equation (2)

Answer 13

Also called “Lane’s Balance”

Quantified transport dynamics by describing how sediment supply and discharge, and an increase or decrease in any of these variables, will trigger a corresponding change in one of the others until an equilibrium is established

Question 14

What are the 2 most important things to remember for channel equilibrium?

Answer 14

A channel is always trying to transport:

All the water

Some of the sediment

Question 15

What is the Flood Pulse Concept? (6)

Answer 15

FPC proposed to explain the energy and nutrient dynamic of riparian-wetland and floodplain areas

It describes the: 
Movement 
Distribution 
And quality of water 
AND
The dynamic interaction in the transition zone between water and land in river ecosystems 

While the River Continuum Concept describes movement of OM/nutrients etc. downstream, the Flood Pulse Concept describes movement laterally into the riparian zone

Question 16

Flood Pulse Concept and reach level (3)

Answer 16

Autochthonous OM carbon sources such as algae are low in the headwaters due to stream shading

This is higher in the middle reaches because of the low water to depth ratio

It decreases again in the lowest reaches due to the high water to depth ratio, increased turbidity and turbulence

Question 17

What is potentially the most important hydrologic feature of a river’s ecosystem? (3)

Answer 17

The long and predictable pulses in discharge that expand a river onto its riparian areas and floodplain

During high floods, organic matter and nutrients are deposited into the floodplain

Fish also have access to a larger area full of nutrients, and food that can then also be recruited back to the stream

Question 18

How do nutrient dynamics change in a river system? (2)

Answer 18

Lower order streams have largely allochthonous inputs due to high canopy cover, whereas higher order streams are more about the autochthonous inputs from higher solar radiation and algae production

Question 19

Allochthonous

Answer 19

Sources of carbon or nutrients (C, N, P) from outside the aquatic system (such as plant and soil material like leaves, LWD etc.)

Question 20

Autochthonous

Answer 20

Sources of carbon from within the system such as algae and the microbial breakdown of aquatic particulate organic carbon

Question 21

What are the different sections and stream types of a drainage system? (3)

Answer 21

Headwater streams (cascade and step-pool)
Mid-profile streams (plane bed and riffle-pool) 
Outlet streams (meandering)

Question 22

Strahler Order (2)

Answer 22

Stream classification ordering system starting with 1 at the headwaters and increasing each time a stream of the same order comes together (doesn’t add together like some systems, rather just counts up)

Second order stream forms below 2 first orders, third order stream forms below 2 second orders etc.

Question 23

What 2 ways does bank erosion occur?

Answer 23

Through small, constant processes with a predictable progression
Eg. Erosion-deposition events like in meandering streams where thalwag erodes sides and deposits oh other side of bank (deposition can eventually lead to oxbow lakes)

Through large catastrophic events that disturb the entire bed and banks of the channel
Eg. Colluvium deposited at the base of slopes and re-added to river system, or alluvium and sediment bar deposition along streams

Question 24

At what point does a river stop downcutting or incising?

Answer 24

A river stops downcutting or incising when it reaches the base of the channel (ie. when it reaches the “grade control” such as resilient bedrock or the confluence with a larger, stable stream of the channel network

Question 25

What is a poised or graded stream? (3)

Answer 25

A stream that has adjusted to its longitudinal profile to a local base level and sediment load and flow regime

It is no longer degrading (downcutting) or aggrading (rising)

These streams have then reached their dynamic equilibrium

Question 26

Step-pool stream (4)

Answer 26

Not usually accessible to large fish

If adults are present, they are generally slow growing we have spent several years rearing to maturity with low fecundity along with relatively few cohorts in adjacent pools

Small, isolated populations may be present (eg. Dolly Varden, rainbow trout)

There are a couple of different types depending on steepness and large wood etc.

Question 27

Boulder Cascade-Pool streams (2)

Answer 27

Typically steep (~4%)

Bed sediments are very large because of the steep gradients and high stream power

Question 28

Debris-Cobble-Cascade-Pool streams (6)

Answer 28

Complexes are typically found in channels ranging in steepness from 4-6% grade

Pools are large and variable, and often account for over 2/3 of the channel area

Steelhead Parr common

Salmonid spawning habitat limited but reading habitat plentiful

Minimum off-channel habitat

Conditions conducive to survival are likely poor due to the high gradient and possible extremes of discharge

Question 29

Stream restoration in Step and Cascade Pool streams (2)

Answer 29

Often difficult, high energy environments to conduct stream restoration

Recommended strategy has often been to construct new off-channel habitat, or re-connect relict side channels, rather than attempt to work in high energy in-stream environments

Question 30

Riffle-Pool streams (3)

Answer 30

Responsible for the majority of salmon spawning and rearing

Four key ingredients to salmonid habitat present due to the intermediate size and nature of riffle-pool channels: food, water, cover, and passageway

Rearing generally occurs in off-channel areas and stream margins/pools

Question 31

Large rivers (3)

Answer 31

Species with short life stages in freshwater such as pink and chum, May use large rivers and the mouths of rivers for spawning in the fall

They do this in large congregations over the extensive riffle habitat

Other salmonids may appear seasonally but the period is often critical to their overall survival (migration, over-wintering, or feeding on eggs or fry)

Question 32

Salmonid spawning rivers (3)

Answer 32

Sockeye spawn in rivers and lakes but rarely use river habitat for rearing

Some salmonids may hold for long periods in deep pools during spawning migrations (eg. Summer run of steelhead)

Or they may rest briefly (a few weeks) in these areas or off-channel habitat, during feeding or smolt migrations

Question 33

Habitat complexity (4)

Answer 33

Large stream obstructions are important in the formation and maintenance of stream habitat complexity

Increased resilience and stability

Distribution and occurrence of pool and riffle habitat coupled with interactions with other fish species is important

Plays a crucial role in determining quality and quantity of habitat for stream fish and invertebrates

Question 34

Understanding disturbance (3)

Answer 34

The nature, severity, and duration of stream channel disturbances are also partially dependent upon watershed considerations

Headwater streams are often more resilient to disturbance and recover more quickly than larger downstream channels

Headwater channels are closely coupled to the hill slope so the fluvial environment is directly influenced by terrestrial processes

Question 35

Where and how do debris flows occur? (5)

Answer 35

Debris flows are common in our coastal mountains because of heavy rains falling on steep slopes mantled by loose sediments

Steps:
1. Torrential rainfall swells streams along the mountain crest

2. sediment slumps into raging stream, forming a slurry that surges down the channel
3. The debris flow swells in volume as it picks up additional sediments and trees
4. Debris flow emerges from the canyon onto a fan where it can damage houses, roads, bridges etc.

Question 36

What are the debris flow management options used above Lion’s Bay? (2)

Answer 36

Containment

Controlled passage

Question 37

Disturbance regimes and area of watershed (5)

Answer 37

Low-order streams - low frequency, high magnitude debris flows and landslides resulting in severe hill slope and channel erosion, aggregation and degradation

Mid-order streams - med-frequency, med-magnitude debris flows, landslides, bank erosion events that result in cycles of aggression and degradation, deposition of LWD, and riparian zone alteration

Mid-order streams have the most frequent disturbance regimes and the greatest habitat complexity, making them natural templates for stream restoration

High-order streams - high frequency, low magnitude erosion

These streams can have fluvial disturbances that result from storms and can persist for decades

Question 38

What watershed factors govern channel conditions and why are they important? (5)

Answer 38

1. Flood regime characteristics of the stream
2. Amount, timing, and nature of sediment delivered to the stream
3. Nature of the materials through which the stream flows
4. Local geological history of the area

These factors contribute to whether a stream has the complex habitat requirements for salmon spawning and rearing habitat, as well as invertebrate food supply

Question 39

Cautionary tips to restoring stream channels (9)

Answer 39

1. Determine the cause of the documented channel disturbance and ensure that it has been rehabilitated before habitat restoration work is implemented
2. Know the upstream watershed conditions that influence downstream channel morphology so that you can ensure the longevity of proposed habitat restoration works
3. Do not consider using LWD placement in stream types where LWD does not normally have a structural function (eg. Steeper step-pool morphologies)
4. Do not consider placing boulders in stream types where boulders do not normally have a structural function (eg, in riffle-pool morphologies)
5. Do not consider using bank stabilization techniques in streams where non-erodible banks are prevalent (eg. In steeper cascade-pool and step-pool morphologies)
6. Do not consider constructing back-channels in streams where lateral channel developments are not normal (eg. In steeper cascade-pool and step-pool morphologies)
7. In areas with floodplains that are normally characterized by abundant back and side channels, ensure that back and side channels limited before developing new ones (eg. In riffle-pool morphologies)
8. Even in channel types with naturally high volumes of LWD, exercise caution in the steeper lengths of the channel (eg. Riffle sections)
9. Be very careful in floodplain areas with natural active channels (eg. Wandering or braided streams are always changing)