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Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Relevant Studies and Literature

1.2 Study Area of The Sooke River Watershed and De Mamiel Creek Watershed

1.3 Sample Sites

1.4 Rational for the Baseline Water Quality Study of the Lower Sooke River Watershed

2.1 Morphology

2.2 River Characteristics

2.3 Water Use

2.4 Land Use

2.5 Wildlife

2.6 Fish

3.1 Methods

3.2 Quality Control and Quality Assurance

3.3 Sample Collection

3.4 Instrumentation

4.1 Water Parameters

4.2 General Parameters

4.3 General Water Quality Parameters

4.4 Nitrogen and Phosphorus

4.5 Other Ions

4.6 Other Substances

4.7 Metals

List of Tables

Table 1. Geomorphic Terms.

Table 2. Characteristics of Brunisols and Podzols.

Table 3. Soil Associations.

Table 4. Climate Means for Precipitation.

Table 5. Tributaries in the Sooke River Watershed.

Table 6. Sooke River Discharge 1989 to 1994.

Table 7. De Mamiel Creek Discharge 1969 to 1974.

Table 8. Monitored and Regulated Licenced Water Demand by Purpose.

Table 9. Spawning Criteria for Chinook Salmon.

Table 10. Spawning Criteria for Chum Salmon.

Table 11. Spawning Criteria for Coho Salmon.

Table 12. Lower SRW Salmon Escapements 1953 to1998.

Table 13. Colorimetric Analysis Parameters, Ranges, and EDL's.

Table 14. Description of Titration Analysis Parameters, Ranges, and, EDL's.

Table 15. Water Flow

Table 16. Water Temperature

Table 17. Air Temperature

Table 18. Dissolved Oxygen

Table 19. Carbon Dioxide

Table 20. pH

Table 21. Specific Conductivity

Table 22. Turbidity

Table 23. Hardness

Table 24. Nitrate

Table 25. Nitrite

Table 26. Nitrogen Ammonia

Table 27. Phosphorus

Table 28. Fluoride

Table 29. Sulphate

Table 30. Sulphide

Table 31. Bromine

Table 32. Chlorine

Table 33. Silica

Table 34. Tannin

Table 35. Aluminum

Table 36. Chromium

Table 37. Copper

Table 38. Iron

Table 39. Manganese

Table 40. Molybdenum

Table 41. Nickel

Table 42. Zinc

List of Figures

Figure 1. Map of Study Area on Vancouver Island.

Figure 2. Map of Sooke River Watershed Boundary.

Figure 3. Map of Sample Site Locations.

Figure 4. Soil Classification Groups & Associations.

Figure 5. Normal Precipitation and Average Temperature.

Figure 6. Sooke River Discharge 1989 to 1994.

Figure 7. Land Use Map.

Figure 8. Map of Fish Habitat.

Figure 9. Chinook Salmon.

Figure 10. Chum Salmon.

Figure 11. Coho Salmon.

Figure 12. Lower SRW Salmon Escapements 1955 to 1998.

Figure 13. Chinook Escapements for Sooke River, DeMamiel, and Charters.

Figure 14. Chum Escapements for Sooke River, DeMamiel, and Charters.

Figure 15. Coho Escapements for Sooke River, DeMamiel, and Charters.

List of Acronyms

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by Fisheries Renewal, BC. In addition to financial support from Fisheries Renewal, the author would like to thank the following organizations for their support: Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada for providing reference literature; Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks for providing technical advice; Capital Regional District for providing reference material; and, Royal Roads University for providing lab materials. The author does not have map creation tools and appreciates the availability of existing maps from the ministry and the municipality.

About the Author

Judith R. Burke of Waterose Environmental Services is the author of this report. Judith is a newcomer to the field of environmental sciences and recently completed her B.Sc. in 1998. Judith has focused on water chemistry and water quality projects throughout the learning process. Judith is a resident of the Sooke River estuary and is very interested in protecting the Sooke River, Harbour and Basin. This project provided an opportunity to apply previous project experience. Prior to initiating a career in the field of environmental sciences, Judith worked in the field of international trade and Canadian Customs Law for twenty years in various Canadian cities. Judith made a decision ten years ago to strive to become an environmental water quality specialist and continues to pursue this goal.

Summary

The focus of this study is to obtain one year of quantified information about the baseline water quality in the lower Sooke River Watershed (SRW). The objective is to relate this information to the life cycles of salmonids in the SRW. This information can help to identify current limiting factors in water quality, parameters of concern, areas of concern, and, assess future long-term impacts of development and timber harvest. The study uses an ecosystem approach and includes background information about the physical habitat and the living community, which is linked to water habitat for fish in the lower SRW.

The lower SRW is habitat to anadromous salmon, including Chinook, Chum, and, Coho. Increased anthropogenic activities threaten the restoration of the depressed salmon stocks. The system experiences extreme low flow and high flow periods. The general water quality parameters are within stress thresholds for salmonids, with the exception of periodic events, which are a concern. The pattern and duration of the events can be captured by installing automated water quality monitoring stations; a new station is now established at the Sooke River Potholes and is maintained to Class A Standards under the Resource Inventory Committee (RIC) Standards by the Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks (MELP). A second station should be established on DeMamiel Creek because this basin is vulnerable to anthropogenic inputs and provides habitat to Coho.

One of the limitations of this study is that for some substances, such as nutrients and metals, the concentrations were close to the minimum detection limits of the instruments. The choice of instruments and methods were limited by the budget. The study did yield information about what parameters are present. The key is to discuss the results and make linkage to soil parent materials, soil processes, biogeomatic characteristics, and characteristic chemical signatures of the abiotic environment, which accounts for the presence of some species as background levels. The lower SRW, including Sooke River and DeMamiel, should be monitored every season to RIC Standards for surface water parameters relevant to salmonids.

The Sooke River Potholes features a natural waterfall barrier to salmonids. This section of the river is used primarily by Chum salmon. The stream topography changes above the falls, and there are significant development plans approved for this area. It is questionable whether it is appropriate to pursue enhancement activities upstream of the fall barrier, considering the increased development activities and one must also consider the potential displacement of indigenous species and increased inter species competition for natural resources. It may be more realistic to focus significant enhancement efforts on more productive or potentially productive river systems that are not threatened by imminent development, such as the Sooke and DeMamiel.

The focus of enhancement and preservation of the lower SRW should be on public education in the areas that are currently developed and zoned for additional development. This project included increased public awareness and education about the importance of water quality for fish. This element of the project was very successful with public education at two sites every weekend, brochures, newspaper and television coverage, and individual demonstrations to local environmental stewards.

There is an increasing awareness about the significance of the cumulative effects of anthropogenic activities that can adversely impact the health of the ecosystem. In addition to the health of the surface freshwater environment, the health of the marine inter-tidal and offshore habitat of the Sooke Harbour and Basin is essential to salmonids because the salmonids prepare in the marine environment for the adult migration into the ocean. The cumulative effects of shoreline residential and commercial development, marinas, recreational boats, and sewage outfalls on the marine environment can adversely impact the development of healthy wild salmon stocks. The prolonged introduction of hatchery raised fish and the escapees of Atlantic farmed salmon in the Sooke Basin over decades can also impede the health and recovery of the local wild salmon stocks in the lower SRW.

This study filled the information gap about the water quality in the lower SRW as it relates to salmonids.

The information gathered by community work, as administered by the Fisheries Renewal BC Program, could be compiled and shared by groups in BC through a library network, possibly based on the Internet as an interface tool. The FsRBC program could be enhanced by the introduction of a mentoring program and a team of scientific advisors that are separate and are at arms' length from the local administering group. The FsRBC program could also require that certain standards apply to all projects, such as the RIC Standards. These suggestions would significantly enhance: communication, standard methods, quality control and quality assurance, peer review, and improve the process overall.

Email Judith Burke at Waterose Environmental Services

• Water Quality Tests Offered by Waterose

• Twelve Month Baseline Water Quality Study for Salmonids in the lower Sooke River Watershed (Victoria Times Colonist Enviro News)

• Twelve Month Baseline Water Quality Study for Salmonids in the lower Sooke River Watershed (Sooke Mirror)

• Water Quality Project on Musqueam Salmon Stream in Urban Vancouver

• Analysis of Coliforms and Nutrients in surface waters flowing into Esquimalt Lagoon

• Water Quality Monitoring on Ayum Creek, a wild salmon and trout bearing stream, for Society for the Protection of Ayum Creek and Fisheries and Oceans, Canada

• Testing the Waters Story in Sooke News Mirror, March 28, 2001 about the Automated Water Quality Monitoring Project

email Waterose

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