Fisheries & Habitat

The Mariah Slough is an important spawning area for a unique population of Chinook salmon, assessed by COSEWIC as Endangered. This subspecies is limited by low water levels and declining water quality. Presently, flow in the slough typically increases in the late spring with Fraser River-driven groundwater inflow during freshet and in the winter due to precipitation and local runoff. In recent decades, habitat conditions and fish abundance at the slough have been degraded through the combined effects of residential and agricultural development, linear infrastructure, and events such as the November 2021 atmospheric river. In the upper section of the slough (upstream of Kamp Road), organic deposits and vegetation growth including invasive reed canary grass, have resulted in a discontinuous series of ponds and channel segments. Findings from a baseline assessment conducted in 2022 identified significant groundwater resources and potential for high quality salmonid habitat restoration in the upper slough (opportunity site #7 in photo). The objective of this restoration project is to selectively cut channels between the presently isolated open water reaches and excavate additional deep pits into the underlying gravel for spawning and cold-water refuges. Connectivity for fish passage throughout the year is the key objective. The proposed habitat enhancement project will restore approximately 1400 meters of channel, improve hydraulic connection, and increase seasonal groundwater flow. The outcome of this work will be a year-round supply of cold, clean water in the slough, and accessible pools of refugia with the added complexity of large woody debris cover beneficial for rearing salmonids. This work will take place beginning April 2023 through to Winter 2023.

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The Certificate Program consists of six courses, totalling 18 undergraduate credits. Courses include: