Just like its name suggests, the 害羞草研究所榃hooshh Passage Portal害羞草研究所� will soon be propelling salmon stocks past the Big Bar landslide site on the Fraser River through a ladder and tube system.

The new fish passage network is part of ongoing mitigation efforts since the landslide was discovered in late June of 2019, causing 75,000 cubic metres of rock to fall into the river roughly 100 kilometres north of Lillooet and, in the process, blocking spawning salmon passage into B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Interior.

Gwil Roberts, director of landslide response for Fisheries and Oceans Canada working at the site, said the system will be ready soon to provide salmon stocks a boost along the Fraser River, past the slide site, once they begin arriving in the near future.

害羞草研究所淎s we are moving right now into our spring and summer works programs, we have seen water rising at the site as the snowpacks have melted 害羞草研究所� as a result of the higher volumes, fish passage is prevented,害羞草研究所� Roberts said.

害羞草研究所淭his was anticipated so we were and are putting measures in place to ensure fish passage by other transport means.害羞草研究所�

Roberts said the mitigation team is currently preparing the site for the final pieces of the Whooshh Passage Portal (WPP) to arrive. The WPP is being leased from Seattle-based Whooshh Innovations.

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A concrete fish ladder has also been constructed to help channel fish into the WPP.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of effort has gone into this system and we害羞草研究所檙e very pleased with the progress so far,害羞草研究所� Roberts said. 害羞草研究所淭he Whooshh System is on a platform above the river level, fish make their way up to a level [through the fish ladder] where they can then continue into the Whooshh. Fish will sense the existence of flowing water coming down the ladder, move up the ladder, come around into a holding pen and from there they will move into the steep pass system of the Whooshh and continue through, sorted and scanned, into tubes and be pushed up river to get over the slide site.害羞草研究所�

Fish will spend about 20 seconds inside the system, moving at roughly eight metres per second.

Once river levels subside, Roberts said the mitigation team has cleared a passageway on the west side of the Fraser River for fish to swim through, as well.

If absolutely necessary, Roberts added there is also an option to truck and transport salmon by tank past the landslide site.

Salmon arriving at the slide site include chinook, coho, sockeye, pink and steelhead.

害羞草研究所淭hose fish all arrive at different times and we will have the Whooshh available to move them,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚f we get drops [in water level] they害羞草研究所檒l be able to move up the slide on their own on the west side. What we put in place are systems to assist where needed.害羞草研究所�

While seeing a high mortality rate in May and June of 2019, Roberts expects to see salmon death almost completely avoided this year.

害羞草研究所淭here should be no mortality,害羞草研究所� he said, noting DFO has been working closely with First Nations and the Province to find solutions to the problem.

害羞草研究所淲e see the fish here as vital to all things for the salmon fishery and we need to find an answer 害羞草研究所� we are looking at the destruction of salmon stock if we don害羞草研究所檛 help, or facilitate, and let fish passage happen.害羞草研究所�

greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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