FRASER VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT HABITAT ATLAS PLANNING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES INTRODUCTION AND METADATA APRIL, 2002 Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 Acknowledgements This Habitat Atlas is a result of the valuable collaboration of many people and agencies. Two key partners were the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) and the BC Conservation Foundation (BCCF). Brad Mason, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Rob Knight, Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (WLAP) spearheaded this project and without their leadership and direction the Atlas would not have been a success. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, through the Habitat Restoration and Salmon Enhancement Program (HRSEP) provided funding. Hugh Sloan, Shannon Sigurdson, Diana Hall and Vaclav Kalina, of the FVRD, coordinated the project, worked with the municipalities, provided the cadaster map layer and provided a vision for the Atlas. Melinda Coleman, BC Conservation Foundation coordinated and managed the funding and contracts. Katrina Roger, Geographic Information System (GIS) analyst, spent many hours doing the GIS work and gathering much of the information. Kathleen Moore, Environment Canada provided historical vegetation maps and a great deal of time and effort. Darrin Heisler, Shortreid Terrain Data Ltd. integrated the watercourse hydrology. Ted Van der Gulik and Stacy Meech, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries helped to develop the fish and watercourse classification system and provided project support and resources. The Cascade Institute and the University College of the Fraser Valley (UCFV), especially Brad Whittaker provided work space and support in a variety of ways, and the Fraser Valley Regional Watersheds Coalition, provided a computer work station housed at UCFV. Integrated Mapping Technologies Incorporated, partnered with this project in the development of 1999 orthophotographs. Claire Beaton, City of Abbotsford compiled and wrote the text portion of the Atlas and the Municipalities in the FVRD, the City of Abbotsford, City of Chilliwack, District of Hope, District of Kent and the District of Mission provided maps and data for their regions. Thank you to all these individuals and others who played integral roles in bringing this project to completion. The Sensitive Habitat Inventory and Mapping (SHIM) steering committee provided protocols for mapping small watercourses and identifying fish and wildlife habitat. SHIM protocols were initiated through the Fish Habitat Inventory and Information Program (FHIIP) through cooperation between Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Lands and Air Protection along with many municipalities and non government groups as partners in fisheries inventory and information systems in BC. Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 1 2 HOW TO ACCESS THE HABITAT ATLAS .................................................................................. 2 3 FVRD LANDSCAPE CHANGE........................................................................................................ 3 4 WATERCOURSE DATA INTEGRATION ..................................................................................... 3 4.1 4.2 4.3 5 WATERCOURSES ............................................................................................................................... 4 WETLANDS ....................................................................................................................................... 5 FISH PRESENCE ................................................................................................................................. 5 WATERCOURSE CLASSIFICATION............................................................................................ 6 5.1 PROCESS TO DETERMINE WATERCOURSE CLASSIFICATION .............................................................. 6 5.1.1 Watercourse Classification ..................................................................................................... 6 5.1.2 Fish Presence Information ..................................................................................................... 8 6 ORTHOPHOTOS AND OTHER DATA .......................................................................................... 9 7 THE COMMUNITY MAPPING NETWORK ................................................................................10 8 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................11 List of Maps Habitat Atlas Index Map The Vegetation of the Floodplain of the Fraser, Serpentine and Nicomekl Rivers 1859 to 1890. Forest Cover in the Fraser Valley Regional District 1999. (draft) Habitat Atlas Mapsheets Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 1 INTRODUCTION As resource development and human populations increase in the Fraser Valley, pressures for all resources and services have accelerated. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and municipal governments are under tremendous pressure to respond to land development demands. Many urban and smaller rural watercourses remain unknown, poorly understood, and suffer from many impacts of human development. Losing habitat to urban and agricultural development is a great threat to species at risk and sensitive habitats in British Columbia. Recent studies on the Brunette, Salmon and Sumas Rivers in the Fraser Valley, indicate that population growth is impacting water quality and stream habitat. The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) Habitat Atlas was created to address the need for better resource information. This Habitat Atlas is a land-planning tool that identifies aquatic habitats and promotes awareness of these watercourses by mapping their location and describing their features. This awareness and commitment to local watercourses is an important process created through the co-operation of local communities, First Nations, municipalities, planners, and managers. The Atlas is intended to be used as a long-term planning resource and can be used to help protect fisheries, wildlife and aquatic habitat resources and contribute to planning sustainable communities. This Atlas is an overview of sensitive habitats and does not include all the information available on these habitats such as riparian vegetation. Metadata and more detailed information are available from local governments and over the internet. The FVRD Habitat Atlas is part of an ongoing project to compile resource information and will continue to grow as information on other habitats become available. The Habitat Atlas presents several map layers. The backdrop is current orthophotography, overlaid with property boundaries, municipal boundaries, watercourses, wetlands, and fish presence/absence data. The primary functions of the Habitat Atlas project are: Establish partnerships with different levels of government, stakeholders, and the public to protect and manage fish and wildlife habitat; Identify habitats including fisheries and wildlife resources and integrate them with property boundaries; Facilitate updating and exchanging of habitat information; Work within a Geographical Information System that provides useful map products to local governments for analysis and effective communication. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has published similar Habitat Atlas products for Squamish, Comox-Strathcona Regional District and other communities on Vancouver Island. These are proven products used extensively by local governments and have been effective tools for informed land use planning and revising of Official Community Plans (OCPs). Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 1 Squamish is revising their Atlas while the Sunshine Coast Regional District and the Capital Regional District are building new atlases to fulfill their planning needs. Local governments and communities in the FVRD will be able to develop effective land use planning strategies around watercourses, wetlands and other habitats that require special attention. Further assessments may be required for rezoning and the development application process, so that appropriate habitat measures can be determined and protective steps established prior to development decisions. By combining resource information from a variety of sources the Atlas will provide a strong foundation for integrated resource management and planning. This Habitat Atlas is intended to be a planning tool, not a legal document and users must understand its limitations. The data has come from many different sources collected at different times and therefore there are variations in the information provided. There may be detailed information in one area, but little provided in another. Also, spatial accuracy of both resource and cadastral information will vary. The Atlas is intended as a general guide that will need to be refined and updated. Work in or near a watercourse may need to be approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (WALP) must be notified. The Federal Fisheries Act provides for protection of fish habitat. Under this Act, no one may carry out any work that results in the Harmful Alteration, Disruption or Destruction (HADD) of fish habitat, unless the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has authorised the HADD. The information provided in this Habitat Atlas can be used in conjunction with the Agricultural Watercourse Maintenance Guide that was developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, WLAP and DFO and with WLAP’s Best Management Practice fact sheets. Contact the appropriate agencies before conducting any work. 2 HOW TO ACCESS THE HABITAT ATLAS This Habitat Atlas is printed at a scale of 1:11,000 for easy viewing, quick reference, and to minimise reproduction costs. An index map is included with each volume to help users select individual mapsheets of interest. The printed and bound version of the Atlas is available for viewing at public libraries and local government offices within the FVRD. Each municipality has a customized version reflecting their jurisdictional boundaries (volumes 1 to 5). The entire Habitat Atlas data set plus more detailed information is also available through the Community Mapping Network (CMN) (www.shim.bc.ca). The CMN provides access to the Atlas for a diversity of users who can not afford to purchase the Atlas or do not have a GIS, such as landowners, non-governmental organizations, and smaller communities. This web version allows the FVRD Habitat Atlas to be continually updated and distributed without reproduction costs. The CMN interactive mapping tools allow the underlying data sources to be queried and maps printed at any scale. Each page in the Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 2 printed version of the Habitat Atlas can also be printed from CMN using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you would like to purchase a printed copy of the Atlas the FVRD office in Chilliwack will reproduce all or part of the printed Habitat Atlas or provide a CD version of the entire printed Habitat Atlas for a fee. 3 FVRD LANDSCAPE CHANGE The early landscape of the Fraser Valley is shown on a map following entitled “The Vegetation of the Floodplain of the Fraser, Serpentine and Nicomekl Rivers 1859-1890”. The map depicts the vegetation of the Fraser floodplain as it was mapped by land surveyors between 1859 and 1890 (North and Teversham, 1984). The FVRD portion was surveyed primarily between 1872 and 1878. The landscape was very different then; the most prominent feature was Sumas Lake, which was completely dyked and drained by 1924. The draining of the lake resulted in the conversion of some 3,600 hectares of lake bed and 8,000 hectares of surrounding marshland and sloughs to farmland (Moore, 1990). Dyking along the Fraser River further diminished the extent of wetlands and other aquatic habitats throughout the area. A report on the historical extent of fish habitat in the lower Harrison River showed 1,247 hectares compared to 321 hectares of fish habitat today (Kistritz et.al. 1996). Another study found that prior to any European settlement (pre- 1827) the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley had a land cover composition of approximately 71% coniferous trees, 1% deciduous mixed forest, 7% fen, and 3% swamp/bog/marsh. By 1990 the composition was approximately 54% coniferous trees, nearly 0% each for deciduous mixed forest and fen, and only 1% for swamp/bog/marsh (Boyle et al 1997). The map entitled “Forest Cover of the FVRD” provides a general overview of the Fraser Valley landscape today (FVRD, 1999). Clearly the landscape is very different now; many natural habitats, and the fish and wildlife that depend upon them, are only at a fraction of their original extent. This must be an important consideration when planning the landscape of tomorrow. 4 WATERCOURSE DATA INTEGRATION Many sources of data were used in this Atlas to provide the best representation of watercourses and their characteristics. As a result, a number of challenges for integrating the data had to be addressed such as: Data was collected in different years and seasons, Data was collected using different methodologies, Line-work exists from two different sources for the same watercourse, showing conflicts in location, Database information collected with different criteria than for this atlas, was interpreted to fit into agreed upon categories, Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 3 GIS data exists in different file formats which can effect spatial accuracy, To present the data in this Atlas, it was necessary to focus upon three main issues: Where is the best estimated watercourse or wetland location, How to classify watercourses for fish presence, unknown fish presence and fish absence, How to classify watercourses into natural watercourse, channelized watercourse and constructed ditch 4.1 Watercourses Watercourse locations in this Atlas are the result of input from many sources of information. Line-work was collected using the following methods: Photo-interpretation of aerial photography at scales 1:30,000 and 1:70,000, Digitizing from hard copy maps on which lines have been hand drawn in the field, Photogrammetric interpretation using orthophotography at scales of 1:20,000 and 1:15,000, Global Positioning System (GPS) using Sensitive Habitat Inventory and Mapping (SHIM) methods. The accuracy and reliability of the above methods vary greatly. For example, digitizing from hard copy maps is reliable, the watercourses exist because they have been verified in the field, but the watercourse location may not be accurate. Photo-interpreted linework can be very accurate, but mistakes can be made about the watercourse presence, i.e. where a watercourse appears to exist may actually be a dried up channel or a shadow on the air photo. Therefore, the reliability of this method is lower. Often many watercourses not shown on earlier maps, depending on the map source and scale. Watercourses derived from field surveys using Trimble Pro XR GPS and photogrammetric interpretation at large scales are the most accurate sources of information and are displayed where available. Digitized lines from hard copy maps are usually spatially inaccurate and are only displayed if there are no other sources. In general, the best source of information was selected for display. For more information regarding the use of GPS and the information gathered by GPS see the Community Mapping Network website (www.shim.bc.ca), Methods and Standards - SHIM Methods (http://shim.bc.ca/method2.html). Some photo-interpreted watercourses are labeled as “unverified” meaning that it is unclear whether the watercourse exists. In these cases, watercourses require field verification. To minimize confusion, “unverified” watercourses are not displayed within the Agricultural Land Reserve. However, all watercourses are retained in the source data and will be available on the internet. Watercourses will be updated as new information becomes available through landowner contact and field surveys. Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 4 Some stream positional data was compiled and validated using state-of-the-art SoftCopy photogrammetric digital image technology. SoftCopy photogrammetry is the process of viewing two overlapping aerial images on a computer screen in 3D. By using special glasses a 3D image appears on the computer monitor. The software allows you to enlarge the image to validate the position of the existing line work. Compilation and revision of the new data sets for the Atlas made use of Municipal Fish Presence hard copy maps as a guide. Upon review of these hard copy maps, the watercourses were identified within the SoftCopy 3D digital images and the creeks were digitized as they appeared in the stereo image. The Mission and Yarrow watercourse data was compiled from 1:15000 and 1:20000 aerial photography using the SoftCopy 3D procedure and existing watercourse data was transformed and translated to a common map datum and projection from various data sets by Shortreid Terrain Data Ltd. (STD). 4.2 Wetlands The locations of wetlands were originally derived through photo-interpretation in 1989 and are subject to many of the same errors as streams. Some wetlands may not exist today or may have been altered and other wetlands may appear to be incorrect but are known to be present because of their seasonal nature. The Fraser Lowland Wetlands Inventory is a regional survey of wetlands (0.5 hectares and larger) as they were in 1989. Air photos, field work, and the Canadian Wetland Classification System formed the basis of the inventory (Ward, et. al, 1992). Ownership and level of protection was also determined (Ward and McPhee, 1994). In subsequent years, the inventory was redigitized to the 1:20,000 TRIM base maps in a GIS. The purpose of the inventory is to present a regional picture of where the remaining wetlands are, their size, their wetland class and what state they are in, in order to promote conservation of wetlands in regional planning. This inventory is not meant to replace site-specific evaluations. 4.3 Fish Presence The fish presence information has come from a variety of sources. The municipalities in the FVRD have data that indicates where fish exist, and where they are unlikely to exist due to lack of suitable habitat. The Ministry of Transportation and Highways (MoTH) conducted a fish presence survey of all watercourses along MoTH highways, including ditches. Sensitive Habitat Inventory Mapping (SHIM) crews also recorded fish presence observations and MWALP has created a fish presence database. This Habitat Atlas does not specify details such as species but more detailed information can be viewed on the website. It is relatively easy to show where fish exist, but it is much more difficult to decide where they are absent. This requires return visits over long Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 5 periods of time to ensure that fish are absent from the watercourse. Although some watercourses have been identified as “fish absent” only those “fish absent” watercourses that have been approved by DFO are displayed in this Atlas. However all data is very important, and is available in a GIS database for future verification. Watercourses that have not been classified as fish “presence” or “fish absence”, or where no conclusions were made regarding fish presence, have been given the default of “unknown fish presence”. This classification should be regarded as a need for more information. 5 WATERCOURSE CLASSIFICATION 5.1 Process to Determine Watercourse Classification The definitions below have been used to classify watercourses in the FVRD Habitat Atlas. Natural streams and constructed ditches were classified first. The remaining watercourses are then classified as channelized streams. By definition channelized and natural watercourses cannot flow into constructed ditches. For this Atlas, watercourse classifications were uniformly applied across municipalities and some streams were reclassified to be consistent throughout the Atlas. However, portions of Abbotsford were classified under the direction of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries in consultation with DFO, and were therefore assumed to be accurate. These streams were not reclassified. 5.1.1 Watercourse Classification Natural Streams Natural streams are historic watercourses that have not been channelized or have not recently been altered. Natural streams are often defined by a meandering channel with pool and riffle habitat that do not have evidence of being channeled, dyked or other manipulation of the watercourse. Natural streams may only flow seasonally and may also have intermittent or subsurface flows. Channelized Streams Channelized streams are permanent or relocated streams that have been diverted, dredged, straightened and/or dyked. Channelized streams often carry water from more than one property, upland areas or wetlands. Channels that are spring fed are also classified as channelized streams. Constructed Ditches Constructed ditches are watercourses that drain individual properties or local areas. Constructed ditches have been constructed by landowners for the purpose of removing excess stormwater and runoff. In some instances a channel that drains more than one property may be classified as a constructed ditch if agreed to by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). A channel that intercepts a natural spring would be classified as a channelized stream. Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 6 In some instances landowners or municipalities may wish to classify some watercourses as constructed ditches even though they may drain more than one property. This can be done if DFO agrees with the proposed classification. DFO approval has been obtained for all watercourses classified as constructed ditches that drain more than one property in this Habitat Atlas. Figure 1 illustrates the classification of watercourses into three categories: constructed ditch, channelized stream, and natural stream. The relationship between the various types of watercourses is shown. Channelized Stream UPLAND D WETLAND DYKE Constructed Ditch Natural Stream Figure 1 Watercourse Definitions Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 7 5.1.2 Fish Presence Information Fish presence for the purpose of this Atlas includes all salmonid species (coho, chinook, trout and regionally significant species.) Fish Presence (RED) If fish have been found to be present in the watercourse during any portion of their life cycle then this watercourse is classified as “Fish Presence” and is delineated by a red line in the Atlas. Fish presence does not necessarily mean fish are present at all times of the year. Unknown Fish Presence (YELLOW) In watercourses or portions of watercourses where fish have not been observed, a classification of “Unknown Fish Presence” applies. A yellow line in the Habitat Atlas delineates unknown fish presence. These watercourses require additional field investigations to determine if the habitat is used during any part of a fish life cycle. These watercourses should be treated as if fish are present when working in or near them. Fish Absence (GREEN) When fish are NOT present in a watercourse at any time of year it has been classified as “Fish Absence”. For channelized and natural watercourses, approved detailed field assessments may be necessary to prove fish presence or absence. In most cases a permanent blockage or barrier to fish will prevent fish from accessing a watercourse. This Atlas shows fish absence with a green line. A watercourse classified as “Fish Absent” has been agreed to by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) before it can be classified in this Habitat Atlas. “Fish Absence” watercourses do not require fish salvage prior to doing works approved or authorised by Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (WLAP) and /or DFO. The classification system used in this Habitat Atlas is shown below. Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 8 Fish Presence Metadata The data displayed in this Habitat Atlas is only a summary. More detailed information and metadata about fish presence and watercourse classification is available on the Community Mapping Network website (www.shim.bc.ca). Users can see who provided the attribute information, where conflicts may exist, and in some cases details such as fish species information. Each watercourse has details about where the line came from, for example TRIM, SHIM, municipality or other data source. The method and date of delineation is provided if available. The Fisheries Information Summary System (FISS) can be accessed through the Community Mapping Network. FISS provides additional information about fish species presence and methods of capture or observation. Additional information is also available via "fish observation points" taken from data sources such as the Conservation Data Centre, SHIM inventories and the University of British Columbia. 6 ORTHOPHOTOS AND OTHER DATA This Habitat Atlas is printed on a base layer of ortho imagery derived from black and white aerial photography of the Fraser Valley. This photography was flown between May 22 and May 24, 1999 at a scale of 1:30,000. The aerial photographs were scanned at a fine resolution (equal to 0.3 meter pixels) and ortho-rectified to produce positional corrected 0.5 meter pixels. The data for positional correction (digital elevation model, DEM) was compiled from provincial TRIM and local government sources. With in local government areas each pixel is corrected to approximately + or -5 meters overall and outside the local government areas, corrected to + or - 10 meters overall. The local governments with enhanced spatial accuracy in the FVRD are the City of Chilliwack, District of Mission (portions), and the City of Abbotsford. Other data displayed includes the following: Lot boundaries, cadaster Watercourse Text SHIM polygons showing watersheds where data has been collected using the SHIM method on the index map only Municipal boundaries Data has been provided by the following organizations: Fraser Valley Regional District Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 9 Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Ministry of Transportation and Highways City of Chilliwack District of Mission City of Abbotsford Shortreid Terrain Data Ltd. Integrated Mapping Technologies Inc. (IMT) 7 THE COMMUNITY MAPPING NETWORK The Community Mapping Network (CMN) was created to display and describe watershed-based community mapping projects and is made up of organizations, and/or individuals that collect and map information about their community. Many types of information are included such as fish and wildlife distribution, streams and wetlands, eagle and heron nest sites, rare and endangered species, and possible habitat restoration sites. This information is made available to all users through the Internet and can be used for land use planning and for empowering community conservation and stewardship. As more groups and individuals share their information on the CMN, the knowledge of the health of the natural resources increases. Building local capacity and expertise, sharing ideas and linking community data across administrative boundaries are key objectives of the CMN. In this way, network members can successfully build on each other's investments. This knowledge is essential for creating appropriate policies that will ensure the conservation of our valuable natural resources. The CMN can be accessed through www.shim.bc.ca. The FVRD Habitat Atlas database is one component of the CMN. All the data from the printed Habitat Atlas, including more details that are not easily displayed in hardcopy form, are available through the CMN website. There are also a number of related databases, such as Frogwatch which locates amphibians species throughout BC. The CMN also has a Project Directory showing the geographic location of each community mapping project using an interactive map. A detailed project description highlights goals, methods, and status. Contact information for the lead organization(s) responsible for each project is also provided, and interested viewers are encouraged to contact the organization to ask questions or find out how they can get involved. Since many of the community mapping projects are ongoing, information found in this directory atlas is constantly being updated. Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 10 8 REFERENCES Boyle, C.A., Lavkulich, L., Schreier, H. and E. Kiss. (1997). Changes in Land Cover and Subsequent Effects on Lower Fraser Basin Ecosystems from 1827 to 1990. Environmental Management. Vol 21. 2:185 - 196. FVRD (1999). Forest Cover In The Fraser Valley Regional District (Draft). Kistritz, R.U., Scott, K.J. and C.D. Levings. (1996). Changes in Fish Habitat in the Lower Fraser River Analyzed by Two Wetland Classification Systems in Created and Restored Sedge Marshes in the Lower Fraser River and Estuary: An Evaluation of Their Functioning as Fish Habitat. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2126 edited by C.D. Levings and D.J.H. Nishimura. Moore, K.E. (1990). Urbanization in the Lower Fraser Valley, 1980-1987. Technical Report No. 120. Canadian Wildlife Service, December 1990. North, M.E.A. and J.M. Teversham. (1984). The vegetation of the floodplains of the Lower Fraser, Serpentine and Nicomekl Rivers, 1859-1890. Syesis. 17: 47-66. Ward, P., Moore, K. and R. Kistritz. 1992. Wetlands of the Fraser Lowland, 1989: An Inventory. Canadian Wildlife Service Technical Report Series No. 146. Ward, P. and M. McPhee. 1994. Wetlands of the Fraser Lowland: Ownership, Management and Protection Status, 1992. Canadian Wildlife Service Technical Report Series No. 200. Fraser Valley Regional District Habitat Atlas, 2002 11