Helicopter on site at Big Bar rockslide

By Dylana Milobar

BIG BAR ROCKSLIDE

Blocked Fraser River salmon to be helicoptered up and over rockslide site

Jul 21, 2019 | 2:17 AM

VICTORIA — Federal, provincial, and First Nations leaders have now outlined the plan to have thousands of rockslide-blocked salmon in the Fraser River taken upstream using helicopters.

Last month (June) a large landslide along the banks of the Fraser River near Big Bar narrowed the river, and caused a waterfall to form, which blocked the passage of salmon.

In an update yesterday (July 20), the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operation and Rural Development says an off-channel holding pond is being built for the fish swim in to.

A one-way gate (fish weir) will be used to prevent the fish from swimming out of the pond, and from there, nets will be used to transfer the fish into aluminum tanks. To keep the fish less stressed during the move, the tanks have oxygen diffusers installed.

The tanks will then be tethered to helicopters to move the fish above the rockslide site.

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This is one of many options that experts are using to help the fish bypass the partial blockage.

Scaling and removing rock and debris from the site is ongoing to keep the site safe, and preventing another landslide. Part of this work includes blasting a particularly large piece of rock from the slide face.

The Ministry adds, flood waters which brought the river levels up are subsiding, which means less debris being carried downstream, and better overall water quality.