Project Follow Up: Girardi Creek Habitat Restoration
Girardi Creek is a small mountain stream located just west of Coleman in Crowsnest Pass. It originates from snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains and roars through the surrounding landscape as a high gradient stream before it enters the Crowsnest River. Girardi Creek contains critical habitat for threatened native Westslope Cutthroat Trout. According to the provincial Westslope Cutthroat Trout Recovery Plan, the Girardi Creek population is one of only an estimated 51 populations of genetically pure Westslope Cutthroat Trout left in Alberta. Historically there had been up to 274 streams and rivers which contained populations of Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Therefore, the conservation and protection of these populations are of the utmost importance to the continued persistence of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in our landscape as it is likely not realistic to recover many of these lost populations.
One major issue that threatens the continued survival of this isolated native trout population is sedimentation. Although sedimentation and erosion are natural processes, they can be accelerated because of human impacts on the landscape. Sedimentation can come from roads, trails, and loss or removal of riparian (shoreline) vegetation. Naturally slumping banks can also contribute an increased sediment load to a stream which negatively affects sensitive fish habitat. Healthy and robust fish populations are resilient to random events like floods, fires, and slumps; if a population gets “knocked down”, it can be naturally recolonized from other connected populations. However, where there is no longer connectivity to other populations, these isolated populations are much less resilient to natural (or human-caused) disturbance.
Girardi Creek was identified as a candidate stream for fish habitat restoration by Alberta Environment and Parks through the Southern Alberta Fish Habitat and Sustainability (FISHES) program. A naturally slumping bank was identified as an area that was potentially contributing increased sediment to the watercourse and negatively impacting fish habitat. In fall of 2018 action began along the creek in order to remediate this issue. Trout Unlimited Canada staff along with project partners and volunteers planted live willow stakes and constructed brush layers in order to stabilize the eroding bank and reduce its sediment delivery into the creek. The project was recently revisited in May of 2019, and the plant community was already starting to show signs of revitalization. The live willow stakes planted last fall had fresh new green buds sprouting out, and the soil surrounding the area had native plants naturally returning to stabilize the former bare ground.
During this site visit, future rehabilitation opportunities were also identified along the creek. For example, there may be opportunities to improve livestock management and reclaim undesignated trails to protect the creek and reduce sediment and nutrient loads. TUC looks forward to continuing to work with other partners and stakeholders to ensure that our native fish species can be protected in a sustainable way in this watershed.
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