Habitat restoration design for Hidden Creek and Girardi Creek: Hatfield selected to implement two Alberta Environment and Parks FISHES Program projects.

Dec 22, 2016

The Southern Alberta FISHES Program is a three-year $10 million program committed to effectively restoring/enhancing fish habitat by identifying the key factors which are limiting aquatic productivity in flood affected watercourses.

Program efforts are directed at identifying areas of highest disturbance that are critical to maintaining aquatic productivity and fish populations at a watershed level. Habitat restoration projects which effectively mitigate flood-related impacts will be designed and constructed to:

• speed the restoration of degraded habitat following the 2013 and 2014 floods
• enhance affected habitat, thereby improving resiliency to subsequent high flow events over the longer term

Alberta Environment and Parks selected Hatfield to complete the design and construction administration for the Hidden Creek and Girardi Creek restoration.

Hidden Creek is a tributary of the Oldman River located along the Eastern Slopes, and is classified as a Class A watercourse, supporting both westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) spawning habitat.  Hidden Creek has been impacted by off-highway vehicle use, cattle grazing, and flood events that have resulted in bank instability issues, riparian vegetation issues, erosion and sedimentation, and a lack of suitable spawning materials.

Girardi Creek is a tributary of the Crowsnest River, located within the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It is classified as a Class C watercourse and contains spawning habitat for an isolated population of westslope cutthroat trout.  Girardi Creek has been impacted by flood events, off-highway vehicle use, and erosion and sedimentation.

Hatfield partnered with McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. and Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd. to provide a team that will complete the fish and fish habitat, soil bioengineering, and engineering aspects of the project.  The scope of work for both projects will be to prepare a conceptual design plan, preliminary design report, detailed design and tender document, and to provide construction administration during the construction season in 2017.

For more information, please contact:

Garth Taylor
Vice President and Senior Partner
HATFIELD CONSULTANTS PARTNERSHIP

E-mail: hcp@hatfieldgroup.com
Tel.: +1-604-926-3261
Toll-Free: +1-866-926-3261