Successful Applicant:
Cornwall & Area Watershed Group
Award:
$4,115
Project Title:
Atlantic Salmon Habitat Rehabilitation
Project Summary:
This project to accomplished habitat enhancement for Atlantic Salmon in the North River Watershed, and greatly contributed to the habitat rehabilitation for Atlantic Salmon while promoting environmental stewardship amongst the community and addressing problematic land usage. The results were, increased habitat by means of the installation of cover logs, brush mats, raking gravel riffles and pools, and planting trees. Increase promotion of environmental stewardship for fish and wildlife habitat. Collection of data for the purpose of habitat and population monitoring.
During the project, we collected data on pool-riffle sequence, habitat quality, and temperatures of Salmon riffles. We surveyed for redds and electrofished, documenting the presence of approximately 60 Atlantic Salmon fry and/or par. We identified a three Salmon redds in total, which suggests that the population remains in decline.
We submitted permits for a rock deflector and sediment trap to be installed in 2021. The land use problem reflected a common challenge on PEI. The slope of the land on three parcels of agricultural land has been contributing to a significant habitat destruction on a Salmon river. Sediment loads have been progressing downstream for many years, thus addressing this issue involved landowner participation in the provincial program to re-engineer the field, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment to review and propose some of the land be designated as watercourse, as well as proposing a solution to decreasing the velocity of run off. Downstream of the problematic area The Watershed Alliance and our watershed group worked with the province in the planning and permitting of a sediment trap and a rock deflector to rehabilitate the habitat further.
Finally, we publicly recognized four environmental stewards within our community in municipal newsletters, websites, and social media. This helps to promote environmental stewardship and conservation of fish and wildlife habitat.
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