WinstonConfluentus

It is my understanding these measures can be very effective, but must be applied at just the right time under just the right circumstances. For example, in Hidden Creek it would need to be done after the Cutthroat "hatch" and before the Bulls head in to spawn; preferably before a rain event. It's effectively no different than the streambed mobilization which occurs naturally or in a flood like the one in 2013. The larger the event, the greater the amount of movement and the larger the pieces which are moved. The calcification of the stream bed reduces nature's ability to do this, sometimes to near zero, so places like Hidden Creek and many others may need a hand from us to allow this natural process to once again occur. Another extremely important aspect of this is the lost of the small spaces between the streambed cobble. This is its own small ecosystem critically important to aquatic invertebrates, fry, young of the year etc. Where linier disturbance occurs, roads, trails, power lines, cut-blocks et al, sediment follows and aquatic creatures die; sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but the net result is clear and quantified. All three of our native fish in the Oldman's watershed are now either listed as at risk or in the process of listing. Cutthroat are down to approximately 5% of their historic range, Bulls are running out of places to spawn and battling high stream temps and Whitefish numbers are way down. Great work on the blog and in raising awareness; we should connect when you are down this way sometime. Clearly, the time for action is now if we want these fish to persist.

Pick-axe, jackhammer or track machine with a ripper is the unfortunate, appropriate approach and has been used in other streams. Our geology being limestone, (calcite) based compounds this problem greatly as carbonic acid in rain breaks chemical bonds which then reform in the stream bed. This is over-simplified, but effectively the issue.

I like it, make them easy to spot, keeps them close to the road and it stands out well in the 15 day picture parade. It would also make a dandy holding tank for legitimate fisheries work.

Good for you! Don't let anyone tell you you're not holding that fellow properly; we love to be held that way, supported at the pecs and near the bum. It keeps the pressure off the vitals! The one hand belly grab is not so good for us. As you start catching bigger ones, maybe even a big old Bull, slide that forearm under the belly a little to spread the load and protect the spine. My friend who types often uses his forefinger and thumb to keep our gill plates (operculum) closed while out of the water, keeps the raw O2 off the gills and calms us a little.

Thanks for putting that up Don, it's good for all to see. The listed section of habitat is near the area they are looking at for the plant and I'll be up there catching what I can come opening day. I am hoping to find money for private water sampling in the near future to insure things are attended to in the best way. They are having an open house on April 22 at the Elk's hall in Blairmore from 2-7 with a presentation and Q&A to follow until 8:30. Might be a nice day to wet a line in the Crow.

From Mr. Webster: Perfect - complete in all respects. I'm not here to debate semantics nor have I provided a personal opinion beyond the one I included myself in above. The statement that European settlement decimated the fishery is fact, not opinion, and this fact cannot be soothed by referencing the work of others. I have not provided a person vision, foolish or otherwise. I spend well over three hundred days a year on the water in some fashion and report much of what I see to a number of individuals, NGOs and various levels of government. What I chase is the truth, without label and hopefully, without editorial. I will likely C&R a Tiger Trout at some point myself, it's also likely I'll bonk one and fry it up. What I won't do is support science for science sake or anything the facts suggest could be harmful to the fishery, our water supply and all that depend upon it for survival - including us. You see, I'm not smart enough to know what's best for the land so I try to use the original design as the template of understanding. There's been some great work lately in understanding how Beavers benefit the land and the profound amounts of water they can capture in a system. Remember, the vast (90% or more) majority of water in the system cannot be seen because it is underground. Awesome stuff!

Work at the mine site began over a year ago with sample drilling, surface sampling and road work. Since that time, Blairmore Creek has run turbid at the slightest prompt. I have received anecdotal reports of earth moving near both Gold and Blairmore Creeks but have been unable to investigate further due to the high levels of security present. It is still uncertain if they truly intend to re-open the mine with some folks thinking this may be a case of financial smoke and mirrors. I do not have an opinion on this yet. As far as the fishery goes, it could get ugly. Both Blairmore and Gold Creeks contain listed areas of critical habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout (WSCT), and do in fact have populations of pure-strain WSCT. Remarkably, most of the headwater creeks in the Upper Crowsnest River still hold pure-strain WSCT with critical habitat listed in Allison, Girardi and Star Creeks. Work is underway to sample the genetics in the other creeks. Most of these populations were protected by the results of glaciation, hanging valleys and the resultant waterfalls; I find this kinda cool as it was glacial process that brought the little fellows into Alberta from the Columbia at the end of the last Ice Age. The big question is what will they be using as a water supply? Blairmore Creek runs through their property and near the proposed processing area so I imagine they will be looking to use this as the supply. How do you get a permit to destroy critical habitat? Teck has done great work on the BC side to try and reduce the toxicity of their outflow; in spite of millions of dollars and a state of the art plant, they killed a pile of fish last year when they started it up. Riversdale should be held to at least the same standard Teck is holding itself too. This one should get interesting.

The only thing that seems impossible to change is the narcissistic nature of user groups including us fly fishers. Some folks sound a little like quadders complaining they can't drive through the creeks and the harvest types complaining about catch and release. Bottom line, the fishery worked perfectly for 10,000 - 12,000 years +/- before European settlement and we have effectively destroyed it in just over a hundred years. Simple no? Must have been something we did eh? Kevin Turner, the guy with the thumbs who types for Winston. In nature, there are neither punishments nor rewards, there are consequences. - Robert G. Ingersoll

I hope they keep them away from bull and cutty streams; they are gratefully sterile, but they're a ravenous beast and neither of our threatened species need the competition until there's been some recovery. Here's hoping they're tasty!

Hi Gang, Logging operations have now ceased in the Star Creek watershed. Due to weather and the efforts of many in exposing regulatory concerns, the project is only 65-70% percent complete. At this time the intention is to return during the dry season, (perhaps July, but given the hydrologic nature of the watershed there is no dry season) to finish. This is contrary to the Operating Ground Rules which state all cutting must be done on frozen ground as the primary mitigation tactic for preventing damage to the watercourses. Once the snow clears, I'll get up there and provide a more complete report. Winston

Hi Gang, Old Winston has taken a lot of heat over the last few years for trying to protect his home; nice to know our friends down south are standing tall too. I still can't get the links to work for me so.... just Google "An Open Letter to America's Anglers" to find the piece. For all who have wondered, Winston is very, very close to a fellow by the name of Kevin Turner, a Crowsnest Pass Naturalist who spends his time on fisheries and cumulative effects issues when he's not building guitars and finding fascists to play for.

Well Gang, The plot thickens. While the reasons are not apparent at this time, the story has been removed from the paper's website. Hmmmmmm... I have a print copy, and oddly enough, there is a half page ad from our government on the same page touting the virtues of the project. Unfortunately, our government claims to have done its due diligence on the project in the add; a claim that can easily be refuted by their own data. They claim "the plan was carefully reviewed by ESRD" and other agencies. This is sad if true as they seem to have missed the fact there are cutties in there, the stream buffers do not meet the requirements of the recovery plan for westslope cutthroat trout and both haul roads contravene the same recovery plan. I could go on, but these items alone ought to have been enough to stop things without having to look at issues of linear disturbance density (roads, trails and the like), and the fact a comprehensive inventory of the basin has yet to be done. Better to cut first and figure out what it affected later I guess. Shameful indeed. It's not that this fish is against resource extraction; its that there is no good excuse for causing harm to the land or the fishery beyond an accident or emergency. I'll keep you all posted on any interesting developments, Winston

Hi Gang, The news from Star Creek is good. Fortunately, Canfor has seen the folly for what it is and has ceased operations at least until certain concerns are addressed. Not surprisingly, the concerns centre around issues of legislation and policy, or more poignantly, why have both the university and the government turned a blind eye to matters of law and ethics leaving members of the public, and now the logging company, as the last filter in the process? The layout of the cut and both hauls roads do not conform with standards for the recovery plan of WSCT and would not survive a court challenge. There is a story in today's edition of the Crowsnest Pass Herald which provides further details: passherald.ca Sorry, this silly fish still can't figure out how to make the links work.

Thanks for the thoughts from the capital Smitty. The reference has been removed as it was a little premature and born of the passion of the moment having received some ugly news. I can see how it could be misinterpreted without knowing the breadth of the effort. I, too, wish this could be dealt with in a Science 9 classroom and maybe the ultimate answer lies with the kiddos. The science is certainly clear and assessable enough; unfortunately, this appears to be more a problem of poly-sci and to my understanding, well beyond grade 9. The anonymity enjoyed here can easily be abused. I assure you that is not my intention; sometimes it just doesn't matter who says something, only that it is said. I have nothing to gain from this personally. I can also assure you that I am far from anonymous in some circles and have openly stood by the courage of my convictions many, many times and have welcomed the consequences however unpleasant. We all have a role in this, good, bad or otherwise and we all have different strengths and weaknesses. Open debate of ideas is at the core of democratic process and it saddens me when important topics are obfuscated by thoughtlessness or ignorance of the issues. Most folks are pretty good at heart and really do care about things outside of themselves once they are aware. So take what you like and leave the rest; if the urge grabs you, do a little research and form your own opinions. If passion grows from that - great. I will continue to place the welfare of the land in the fore; here, and anywhere else I can lend a hand to the things I love. Winston

Well Gang, The news is not good for Cutties. The Alberta government, the University of Alberta and Canfor have all ignored the science, their own regulations and will of the people and are proceeding with the experimental logging in Star Creek. There's an update on crowsnestvoice.com today. "It is horrifying that we have to fight our government to save the environment" - Ansel Adams My home watershed has been under assault by our government for decades now and we are almost out of time to save what's left. Cutties are down to five percent of their range and we may not be able to hold on much longer ourselves in the Oldman watershed. Hidden Creek meant the world to us before it was clear-cut with eight out of ten of us living in the Oldman above the dam spawning there. This year our numbers were way, way down. You see, the land between the parks has been considered expendable and has been industry's playground for decades. The carnage left by industry, with the G of A turning a blind eye as they are on Star Creek, has left the land susceptible to further damage by motorized user groups and overgrazing which the G of A supports as it helps blur the damage and gives them an ally. Any of you who have fished the area have seen this first hand. Ironically, the recovery plan for Cutties has a picture of Star Creek on the cover. The new controlling document, the SSRP, contains all sorts of stuff about road and trail density relative to the health of the land and its charges, random camping rules and many windy platitudes about conservation; it also contains plans for a new quad staging area at Star Creek, an area that exceeded the trail thresholds before this experimental logging. The G of A is aware and has been reminded of all of this by scientists, NGO's and citizens not under their or industry's control. Seems the G of A have succumbed the "better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission or follow the rules" management practice and being judge, jury and executioner the have gotten away with it so far. This must change if we are to continue to enjoy our land in any meaningful way. Again I beg you to make your voices heard. The haul road has been built and the feller-bunchers will be working shortly. Across Highway Three, SLS will soon cut the Spoon Valley - home to more of my friends and who's confluence with South Racehorse Creek is smack dab in the middle of our spawning area in SRH. Quite a few of us found a place to spawn in SRH this year as Hidden isn't good for much beyond suffocating eggs and muddying the Oldman now. There are many ugly truths down here; I've only been able to touch the surface on it here, (no pun intended). Please find the courage to help heal this land so it can help heal us. Be well all, WinstonConfluentus

Hi Gang, Well, it seems some humans are really staring to care about what happens to us; there's been some good things happening and a couple of new stories about Star Creek. One is on the Pass Herald's site (link above then hit home for this week's stuff), a story by their reporter and another at a website called Crowsnest Voice. That said, the scary folks showed up last week and have started building the roads so we're not safe yet. They built one of them way too close to Girardi Creek, another one of the Cutties last good neighbourhoods just to the west of Star Creek. Their bridge over Girardi looks pretty bad too. They may just destroy both creeks with this silliness. If you folks have time, please tell your government and the university that this is not ok! Thanks again, Winston

Thanks for having a look everyone! There's a bunch of stuff about the U of A in the letter the link takes you to. There's only a little time left to stop this and avoid the precedent it will set. We really need everyone's help this time; if things get much worse for my Cutty Buddies and their status is raised to endangered, the feds may have to place a protection order and you will all have to find a new place to fish. Hmmmmmmm, more yummy fish for me, but not so good for you.

Thanks Beedhead; my friend who types only know a bit more than me about computers. Turns out there are Cuttys above both the main falls and further up above the little falls too! Unless someone snuck a rainbow up there, they will be pure. I don't know if we ever made it up that high before the last one of us died in the Upper Crowsnest River in the 1950's, but the Cuttys have hung on! Betcha they'd be tasty. There's also a story by Collette Derworiz in the Calgary Herald today about it! The fellow that spoke for the government hasn't seen what my friend down here has. I don't think he will be able to say that after he sees it for himself.

Hi Gang, As some of you may know, my buddies the Cuttys are in even worse shape than we are in some ways, yet ESRD is about to allow the devastation of Star Creek by supporting an experimental logging project by the Southern Rockies Watershed Project. Cuttys are down to five percent of their native range in Alberta and have received federal protection in a few streams, but it looks like its going to take the people's voice to save them from the Alberta governments management practices. Please have a look at the Crowsnest Pass Herald's website: passherald.ca to see a letter by a fellow that cares. Please let everyone you can know about this from the Premier on down to the folks at the local fly shop. If they get away with this one, the plan seems to be to try it everywhere they can. Yikes! Again!

Hmmmmm, yummy Whitefish.

Hi Relk, Thanks to you as well for the thoughtfulness. Those of us who have spawned will be moving out of the spawning areas and headwater creeks back into the main stems and large pools looking for something to eat. If you folks stay away from gravel beds (especially if you see groundwater welling in the area), and concentrate on faster water and pools you should do us no harm this weekend. Just remember we are a little weak and hungry so strike fast so you don't deep hook us. This thread really knows how to make a fish smile

Hey SilverDoctor thanks for the thought; we can use all the help we can get this year! Things were bad enough last year after the flood, but it seems many of my friends didn't make it through the winter. The singles gravel bar was a sad and lonely place this year, sniff, sniff. Those of us that made it through have found a few good places left to spawn (Hidden Creek, my natal stream, is pretty much useless to us for now until at least some of the sediment breaks up), so every redd means the world to us this year. I took a swim up Dutch Creek the other day to see how the neighbours made out and was saddened to find more quads playing in the creek where my buddies went to spawn. It's odd that the clean gravel turned up by them looks a little like a redd. That's what you nice folks should be watching out for; a "cleaner than the surrounding gravel" pit or depression with finer gravel trailing out the downstream side. We make them by laying over on our sides and banging the gravel with our tails to clean out the spaces between the rocks and build the little ramp on the downstream side. Then the fun begins... some of us even hang out for a while afterward to make sure everything is ok. I know some of my friends are still spawning, but we should all be done in another week or two; come say hi then and we may even come out and play if you promise to be gentle. Thanks again Silver... Winston

Hi Gang, I was so disturbed by this post I thought I'd do a little poking around and pass a message downstream. Apparently, they are part of a NGO project aimed at removing non-native species from the Bow River. They have been working with Pelican, Loon, and Otter and have complained about the number of humans on the water getting in their way. The only other complaint they've had so far is the fish taste a little funny; kinda poopy. The early results are in and are pointing the finger at human behavior as the most destructive contributor to declining fish populations. Go figure. Rumor has it the river was full of Bull Trout, Cutthroat and Whitefish a couple of hundred years ago and supported a much higher population of avian fishers and Otters too. They had an idea they asked me to pass along; perhaps one of the indoor pools in Calgary could be stocked with Rainbow and Brown Trout? The ceilings are nice and high for casting and there's very little wind so even the new guys would stand a chance at a good size fish to brag about. I like it!!!!

Things are quite simple in Biology from my perspective; the place was perfect before the arrival of non-native species. Now, it's a complete disaster. Simple no? Pesky humans.

Well that first video was something to see alright. Yikes! It looks like a sure fire way to get the system closed to fishing to protect two species (us and the cuttys), listed under the federal Species at Risk Act. The obvious lack of pressure put on the fish involved was disturbing enough (do remember to understand the body of water you’re fishing and bring appropriate equipment), but when you realize at the end that the angler (never mind the photographer), could have waltzed out and netted the pair at any time, well… The most important thing to you anglers should always be our welfare. Tiny tippets and under-sized rods can be deadly to us. I watched a fellow play a big cutty the other day for over ten minutes in fast water and then proudly brag to his friends about it. The hook hurts eh, but we can live with it as long as it comes out gently and doesn’t hit a tender spot. Hook us too many times though, and the scare tissue and small tears start to build up and makes life much harder for us. What we can’t survive, is the shock we go into when played to long. We’re still pretty scared when you let us go and often appear strong as we’re taking off, but we’re not; we are in big trouble at this point. Once we calm down (just like you guys), we feel the full effect of the event and sometimes our metabolism just can’t clean itself fast enough and we roll over and die. While that fellow was bragging to his buddies, the cutty was likely dying on the bottom. There was something else in the video even more disturbing than the angling; did any of you notice the sediment! Gasp!