Jean-Michel Hanssens (L) and Doug Bogle (R) are strong allies of Departure Creek. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Salmon success story

‘It’s very gratifying:’ rehabilitation efforts paying off at fish-bearing Departure Creek

Oct 19, 2023 | 5:21 AM

NANAIMO — Significant signs of life are visible in an urban Nanaimo creek where fish sightings were once rare.

While challenges persist, advocates are encouraged about the present and hopeful for the future for Departure Creek’s ecosystem, home to several fish species, including an ongoing collection of Coho and Pink Salmon and resident Cutthroat Trout.

Numerous key restoration projects in Departure Creek led by the Departure Creek Streamkeepers (DCS), bolstered by countless volunteers, government representatives, corporate partners and funding organizations, are bearing fruit.

During a Tuesday, Oct. 17 site visit, Jean-Michel Hanssens of the DCS lit up with pride after noticing roughly 30 Coho fry salmon in a calm side-channel, one of numerous restoration projects done in recent years.

“It’s very gratifying because the community has worked very hard bringing fish back into this creek. It validates what we’ve been doing, all of the work that’s been put in, the projects, money put in, support from the community, partners and all of the community has led to this,” Hanssens told NanaimoNewsNOW.

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Those projects have been substantial, headlined by a roughly 80 metre long side-channel originally created five years ago under the guidance of engineers and biologists.

The diversion stream was enhanced in 2021 with an underground water intake system to control water flow levels to the side-channel.

Often hard to locate Coho fry in the side-channel of Departure Creek on Tuesday, Oct. 17. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

“It provides refuge for the fish over winter because we get a lot of turbidity and a lot of high water as a result of a lot of the rains and flows that come into the creek,” Hanssens said, who is also a Departure Bay Neighbourhood Association member.

Native vegetation and trees have been planted in phases along Departure Creek at Woodstream Park to help prevent erosion and cool the creek during the hot summer months, while non-native plant species are regularly removed.

Logs placed on the creek’s bank help retain water, feeding the vegetation, Hanssens noted.

Strategically placed rocks in the creek bed and anchored logs have deepened the creek in certain areas and created ideal, hidden habitats for spawning Pink and Coho Salmon.

Jean-Michel Hanssens reviews substantial enhancements made to improve Departure Creek fish habitat. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

“People in this community recognize that this is a fish-bearing creek. People are a lot more aware of what’s happening in the creek since this work’s been done.”

While statistics on numbers of returning salmon to spawn or fish leaving aren’t known, Hanssens said a trap counting device turned up 70 Coho exiting the river and as many as 200 Pink Salmon in the river in recent years.

Hanssens said Woodstream Park has become a more popular place for people to visit with an improved trail system and fencing to complement the extensive work focused on fish restoration efforts volunteers have done.

Interpretive signage clearly marks Departure Creek as a salmon rearing stream.

He hopes worrying indications of lowering stream levels can be mitigated through their work.

Water levels, temperature and water quality are metrics tracked by DCS members, in partnership with the Regional District of Nanaimo.

“We consider this to be a classroom, not only for the kids in the local school involved, but also the community,” Hanssens said.

A lesson he hopes the general public takes seriously is the importance of ensuring pollutants don’t end up in one of the hundreds of area storm drains feeding directly into Departure Creek.

Alex King, a second grade teacher at nearby Departure Bay Elementary Eco-School visited the park on Tuesday with her class.

“It’s such a great place to learn, they get to see it right up close,” King said of Departure Creek, which helps put the life-cycle of salmon into focus for her class and the entire school population.

Alex King’s grade two class venture along Departure Creek at Woodstream Park. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Fellow DCS member Doug Bogle has a special connection to Departure Creek.

The stream runs through his large Bay St. property, located just down the street from Woodstream Park.

He fell in love with the property at first sight 25 years ago.

“Most certainly, my wife looked at the house and I looked at the creek, that’s the way it basically went,” Bogle said with a laugh.

The lifecycle of pacific salmon happens right in front of Doug Bogle’s eyes, from the comfort of his yard. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

He said it has been an incredible feeling to have Pink Salmon and Cutthroat Trout spawn outside their front doorstep.

Two years ago he saw a pair of sea otters chase about 100 Pink Salmon up the creek on his property.

Thick vegetative cover along the creek, as well as strategic rock placement to aid the stream flow are in place on the Bogle property.

He’s responsible for a seasonal fish catch counting system in the spring in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to get an idea how many young salmon survive cared-for Departure Creek en-route to their next chapter out at sea.

“This is very satisfying to be involved in it and see it get better,” Bogle said, “The amount of people and time involved is incredible.”

Backed by numerous volunteers and organization, Departure Creek is an ever-improving urban fish-bearing stream. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes