The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) is funding the Campbell River Spawning Gravel Placement project as part of an ongoing gravel replenishment program on the Campbell River to restore salmon habitat.
The project includes the construction of a 1,500 square-metre spawning bed downstream from the John Hart Generating Facility, known as Site 7, where blocked gravel flow from the upper Campbell River is reducing Chinook spawning habitat.
Led by the Campbell River Salmon Foundation, this project is designed to prevent spawning gravel from washing away during high-flow events. It will provide critical spawning habitat for an additional 150 Chinook spawning pairs, and will also benefit coho, chum, and steelhead populations.
“This is a vital project for the Campbell River watershed,” FWCP’s Coastal Region Manager, Julie Fournier, says in a press release. “It is a key component of restoring salmon habitat.”
Since 2000-2001, the FWCP has funded 122 projects in the Campbell River watershed, for a total of $5.9 million.
The FWCP approved more than $188,000 for the Campbell River Spawning Gravel Placement project, which is one of 33 FWCP-funded projects in the Coastal Region of British Columbia in 2019—2020, for a total value of approximately $1.9 million.
Like all FWCP-funded projects, it was approved by the Coastal Regional Board and aligns with the region’s Action Plans, which identify local priorities and projects eligible for FWCP funding.
Across its Coastal, Columbia, and Peace Regions, the FWCP has approved approximately $9.2 million for 97 projects. Learn more about FWCP projects, results, and how you can apply for a grant. Visit fwcp.ca and subscribe to the FWCP’s e-letter and newsletter at fwcp.ca/subscribe.
The FWCP is a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations, and Public Stakeholders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams. The FWCP is a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries & Oceans Canada, First Nations, and Public Stakeholders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams. BC Hydro funds the FWCP annually in order to fulfill its applicable water licence obligations in the Columbia and Peace Regions. In the Coastal Region, BC Hydro voluntarily provides funds to the FWCP annually in recognition of the impacts resulting from dam constructions. The FWCP directs those funds toward priority actions to fulfill its mission.