Page 19 June, 2020
Restore this Sucker
R
estoration is a fascinating undertaking, whereby we try to return a site or system to a previous state – sounds a bit like theoretical physics. In the watershed world, this often happens in wetlands, streams or the riparian zone – the transition zone between water and uplands. Wetlands, streams and riparian zones are important parts of the landscape for the roles they play in processes such as distributing water or providing habitat for biodiversity. These functions can only be fulfilled if the form of these landscape features is intact. The primary means by which these forms, and the associated functions, are lost is human activity such as landscaping, road building, agriculture, Oil & Gas activity or forestry. The predicament we find ourselves in when function is lost from the landscape depends on what exactly is lost. Let us consider the case of flood mitigation, a function provided by functioning streams, wetlands and riparian zones. Flood mitigation lessens or dampens the impact of floods by reducing the overall height of flood waters, reducing the erosive power of flood waters and maintaining water in water channels. The removal of vegetation from the landscape and particularly in the riparian zone speeds up the flow of water and subsequently increase the erosive power of this flowing water. Vegetation directs water into the soil along its roots and provides resistance to water that is flowing past so that the water slows down. The loss of this vegetation results in faster flowing water, increased
erosion and a loss or reduction of the flood mitigation function. Currently, Agroforestry Woodlot Extension Society, Alberta Conservation Association, County of Grande Prairie, Cows and Fish and Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance are working on restoration project. The intent of the project is to restore the flood mitigation function, among others, of a stream that had been degraded. This spring as we were doing our site assessment, we were excited to find spawning suckers. Yup, we believe them to be Long-Nosed Suckers (Castotomus castotomus). The work done to restore stream function with a focus on flood mitigation also restored fish habitat; this stream is once again in a state where it can function as a habitat. Check out the video clip on our website https:// www.mightypeacewatershedalliance.org/projects/ streambank-stabilization-and-extension/, Twitter or Facebook.
