This restoration work takes place within the ḥaaḥuułi of t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥ ḥaw̓ił (traditional territory of Toquaht Nation’s hereditary chiefs).

Background

Redd Fish has been working on the Chenatha River Watershed Restoration Project with Toquaht Nation since 2009.

This system has historically supported large numbers of coho, chum and pink salmon, along with healthy populations of steelhead, coastal cutthroat and rainbow trout.   

Members from Toquaht Nation traditionally fished the upper watershed before moving their way down – ending the season by harvesting from Twin River. 

Dennis Hetu, Toquaht Nation Administrator of Lands, Public Works and Resources said fish from Chenatha carried the community of Macoah through the winter months. 

That changed when industrial logging began in the watershed in the early ‘70s. Without any regulation to protect the rivers, many of them were logged to the water’s edge. 

Without the extensive root systems of old-growth forests, river banks have eroded and become more susceptible to flood events. Overhanging vegetation, which provided salmon cover from prey, was stripped away. Additionally, the large woody debris from old-growth stands that created pools in the rivers for salmon to seek refuge in were removed.

These historical practices altered the hydrological function of the rivers, led to a loss of habitat and created poor water quality within the watershed. 

Prior to the effects of logging and over-fishing, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s fish counts indicate that 1,000 to 7,500 chum salmon returned to Twin Rivers between 1954 and 1975 – that run was near zero when restoration and enhancement started.

Summary

The Chenatha Watershed Restoration Project was designed to help rebuild wild Pacific salmon populations by using habitat restoration techniques. By accelerating the natural recovery of this watershed and restoring wild fish habitat, Redd Fish is aiming to increase the existing wild population of wild salmonids by increasing and improving viable freshwater instream habitat for rearing juveniles and spawning adults.

Modern science and traditional ecological knowledge have been incorporated in all aspects of the planning, project design and execution of this project.

Once the watershed’s up-slope stability, riparian forest conditions and in-stream fish habitat were assessed, restoration priority areas and prescriptions were established.

 Since the project began, Redd Fish and Toquat Nation have:

• Deactivated multiple road crossings

• Removed two failed bridges

• Planted over 4000 native trees and shrubs to increase bank stability and return complexity to the riparian forest

• Cleared debris jams throughout 3.5 kilometers in the lower Chenatha River to increase fish accessibility

• Excavated a 120-metre side-channel and enhanced it using large woody debris structures to increase space for spawning, refuge and nursery habitat

• Constructed 15 log and rock structures, which create pool and cover habitat, and mitigate bank erosion

• Installed and monitored bat houses

“It’s really good to see that the system is rebounding,” said Hetu. “The animals in the area are generally happier with more fish coming through. It’s good for the bears and for the whole ecosystem. It shows that restoration is possible and that it can be done in ways that are in-tune with nature.” 

To accelerate the restoration of the river, Thornton Creek Enhancement Society (TCES) began enhancing the rivers in 2014 using Chum brood stock collected from Little Toquaht River. 

TCES Hatchery Manager Dave Hurtwitz said that nutrients have been returned to the rivers and runs have been jump-started after introducing salmon back to the system.

Between 80,000 to 160,000 fry (young salmon) have been released into the rivers every year, with the exception of 2021.

Chum started to return in better numbers in 2016 when approximately 260 Chum returned. However, as the numbers of Chum declined coast-wide, returns ranged from 30 to 200 in subsequent years. 

“Partnerships are key for the onerous task of restoring depressed salmon stocks,” said Hurtwitz. “Redd Fish and Thornton Creek Enhancement Society share return data and have collaborated on research with Toquaht Chinook.  We’re both doing it for the fish.”

Research & Monitoring

• Annual spawner surveys and ongoing monitoring continues, which includes observing tree growth and the effectiveness of the engineered log and rock structures, as well as the large, woody debris structures.