Salmon Habitat Enhancement (West River St. Mary’s)

1. Complete a final pass with a “sand wand” on Sutherlands Brook to remove any remaining silt from the stream bed to improve the salmon spawning habitat.
2. Reduce the average West River bankfull width from 55 to 70 meters to 25 to 30 meters. Restoration will focus on the installation of rock sills, deflectors, and groynes. Groynes are placed to trap bedload to help narrow up the channel. Deflectors are normally paired with sills to reduce the river width. Sills are placed about 180 meters apart. Areas with bedrock will be narrowed up with deflectors and groynes. Each sill requires 150 tons of rock with each deflector and groyne taking 25 to fifty tons.
3. Plant trees (cost $1000) along the sections of river completed this year. This will either require volunteer hours from the Association or from the group doing the work on Sutherland’s Brook.

Contact: Kenny Silver, 902 461-0288, stmarysriver@ns.sympatico.ca