Scientists will be able to study the impacts of climate change and human activity on salmon habitat and ecosystems in the Quesnel Lake watershed, and raise Chinook salmon from northern Fraser River stocks, thanks to a $5 million grant.
Led by Professor Dr. Ellen Petticrew, Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES), and Quesnel River Research Centre (QRRC) Manager Dr. Jason Raine, the research group received $5 million from the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF). The funding will support ongoing research into the impacts of drought, flooding and wildfires on salmon habitat, ecosystems and egg survival as well as infrastructure improvements at the QRRC in Likely, B.C.
The BCSRIF is co-funded by both the government of Canada and the government of British Columbia and is administered by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The research team is collaborating with the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance.
Construction of a new building at the QRRC site is included in the project, which will provide space for teaching, community outreach and new laboratories.
The funding will support improvements to the hatchery infrastructure, including upgraded wells and electrical services for water supply, additional tanks for broodstock holding and improved early life stage biosecurity in the QRRC incubation room. Hatchery improvements will allow the facility to raise Chinook salmon to help address recent population declines due to the 2019 Big Bar Slide and other natural and human-caused stressors on stocks.
"This significant investment from the BCSRIF will enable UNBC researchers to delve deeper into understanding the impacts of climate change on salmon ecosystems and to develop strategies that can help preserve these species for future generations," says UNBC President Dr. Geoff Payne. "This project exemplifies UNBC’s commitment to inspiring discovery through research and mobilizing that knowledge so it can shape policies and practices for a sustainable future."
It has been 10 years since the Mount Polley mine tailings dam breached, releasing 25 million cubic metres of mine tailings and wastewater into Polley Lake, Quesnel Lake and Hazeltine Creek Aug. 4, 2014.
Since the breach, Mount Polley has reopened and does continue to release untreated effluent into Quesnel Lake.
Logging is also currently underway in the watershed at the Quesnel Lake junction and Wasko Lake with more logging planned up the north arm to Mitchell River which serves as important habitat for spawning salmon.
According to UNBC, the research team will study Quesnel Lake’s unique wind field and water temperatures, enabling a three-dimensional model of lake mixing. These water movements regulate the distribution of nutrients necessary for lower levels of the food web that provide food sources for salmonids and other resident fish. Another focus on drought, flooding, water temperature change and wildfire-contaminated sediment on both salmonid riverine and lake habitats will also inform laboratory experiments on the survival of early life stages of Chinook salmon.
“We have a strong research team, combining backgrounds in physical, chemical and biological aspects of aquatic systems. While this project and funding is focused on the Quesnel watershed, we expect the findings to be applicable to other large lake systems in the Pacific Northwest which are undergoing climate change,” Petticrew says.
The new building will include two laboratories, one wet and one dry, both outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. It will also include additional office and storage space.
“Opportunities for knowledge exchange, especially with community and First Nations, will be enhanced with the new building,” Raine says. “Research and education on watersheds and key fish species will continue with the legacy of the BSCRIF building, associated facilities and new equipment at the QRRC.”
UNBC noted the funding supports the research of five UNBC faculty and adjunct members (Drs. Stephen Déry, Peter Jackson, Philip Owens, Ellen Petticrew and Jason Raine), one University of British Columbia researcher (Dr. Bernard Laval) and two Fisheries and Oceans Canada research scientists (Drs. Daniel Selbie and Svein Vagle). The project will also involve numerous post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, summer students and research associates. The UNBC Facilities department is coordinating the building’s construction.
