Piper Creek is a small parkland stream meandering through the prairies along the Southeast edge of the City of Red Deer. Piper Creek is a tributary of Wascasoo Creek, and subsequently, the Red Deer River. Over time, water quality and habitat in the Red Deer River watershed has been degraded, with some cold water species no longer found in the area. The Piper Creek Fish Habitat Enhancement Project will take place on a parcel of city land historically leased for ranching, and currently the location of another project – The Piper Creek Restoration Agriculture Project, led by ReThink Red Deer. Helping to restore this small upstream tributary of the Red Deer River to a healthy and resilient ecosystem will have a lasting positive impact downstream, for humans, fish, and all other inhabitants.
When this land was leased for agricultural purposes, the leaseholders needed to access both sides of Piper Creek which runs through the property. The easiest means to accomplish this was by a small man-made crossing. Over time the crossing became degraded and contributed to increased sedimentation and altered the natural channel profile. Fish trying to move upstream past this culvert would have had a difficult time, especially following repairs when considerable soil and debris was piled on the crossing.
Project Goals
Given that the land is no longer being leased, the need for a crossing has been eliminated. The goal of Trout Unlimited Canada’s Piper Creek Fish Habitat Enhancement Project is to remove the unused crossing as well as:
Restore a natural channel profile to the former crossing area;
Restore a healthy native plant community to improve the ecological integrity of the area, suppress invasive plant species, and increase the diversity of habitats available to fish and wildlife;
Improve fish habitat in the former crossing area; and
Work with project partners and the public to complete a meaningful restoration project.
Partnerships and Funding
TUC received funds from the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) administered by Environment Canada, to complete the project in 2016/2017. Additional funding opportunities will be explored to achieve the greatest positive impact to the site as possible. TUC has partnered with ReThink Red Deer, Cows and Fish, the Trout Unlimited Canada Central Alberta Chapter, and the City of Red Deer to complete this project.
2015 September Field Day
Trout Unlimited Canada staff and volunteers, and the Piper Creek Fish Habitat Enhancement Project partners conducted a site visit in late September 2015. A 300m reach of the creek was electro-fished to determine the makeup of the fish population in Piper Creek. A total of 251 fish were captured. The species found included Fathead Minnow, White Sucker, Prussian Carp (invasive), Brook Stickleback, Northern Redbelly Dace, and Lake Chub. Habitat differed drastically in the creek, with the reach downstream of the crossing being much shallower and more complex than the upstream reach which was comprised mostly of very slow moving water and deep wide pools.
Piper creek is a small year-round stream which flows into Wascasoo Creek. It is currently home to a variety of minnow species as well as the invasive Prussian Carp.
The crossing over Piper Creek was used for many years to access the south side of the property. Over time the crossing has degraded and there is an opportunity to improve this habitat for fish and wildlife.
Additional Information
For additional information on the Piper Creek Habitat Enhancement Project or any other Trout Unlimited Canada project please contact Lesley Peterson, TUC Alberta Biologist.
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