While many people are welcoming the unusually hot, sunny June, the fish aren't so happy.
Hundreds of salmon are being rescued in Hyde Creek this week as this spring's dry, warm conditions have dried up much of the urban creek that runs near Coast Meridian Road in Port Coquitlam, killing some fish while hundreds of others are stranded in shallow pools.
"There is no way for them to get out to the ocean," said Terry Sawchenko, hatchery manager for the Hyde Creek Watershed Society, who, with other volunteers, spent much of the weekend moving fish from dried-out parts of the creek bed to a pool near the PoCo hatchery.
Part of the problem is the creek's well, recently dug to enhance Hyde Creek water flows, is also drying up, discharging only a third of what it would normally produce because the aquifer hasn't been recharged by rain.
The result is coho smolts that would normally be heading out to the ocean are blocked from exiting and are stranded in shallow pools. And many have died despite volunteer efforts to relocate them to wetter parts of the creek.
"We've lost thousands, literally thousands of smolts because entire sections of the creek went dry. They were stacked like cordwood," said Sawchenko.
RECORD-BREAKING
Other aquatic creatures are being relocated as well, such as trout, eels, crayfish and bullheads.
"Anything that's essentially living in the creek we are getting our hands on," Sawchenko said, noting some are being located from shallow wet areas because the water has become warm and polluted.
The dry spring is unusual, according to local stream stewards, and while some creeks still have water flows, the longer term picture of creek flows and fish viability is a concern.
"It's definitely low-flow conditions to the stream, with water water temperatures, as well, similar to what you'd see in the mid-summer months," said Rodney Lee of the Hoy/Scott Creek Watershed Society in Coquitlam.
Port Moody creeks are also seeing lower flows but fewer problems with fish. Still, Noons Creek Hatchery volunteers are worried about the water flow into the pool where their coho fry are fattening up for release next spring. They hiked up to Cypress Lake on the weekend to inspect valves in a dam spillway that could release more water but it was damaged.
The group is trying to figure out how to get the valve fixed but are not too worried about water right now because the lakes and marshes that make up the Noons Creek watershed are still all wet and healthy.
WATER RULES
Hyde Creek's Sawchenko is hoping for a little rain, even if it dampens the spirits of summer holidayers.
"We desperately need three or four days of good rain to bring it [creek flows] back up again," he said.
Metro Vancouver sprinkling regulations are also in place from now until Sept. 30 to conserve water. Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns from 4 to 9 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays while odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle the same times on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
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