6-Mile Watershed

Highlights

The 6-Mile Watershed project consists of 347 hectares of ranchland and forest and 33 hectares of small wetland basins, including 6-Mile Lake and Morgan Lake.

This project has been developed as part of the Intermountain Wetland Conservation Program and is designed to restore wetland water levels and quality in an area of BC known for its concentrated nesting waterfowl populations. Riparian habitats and upland nest cover on rangelands surrounding these wetlands potentially can also be improved by working with the leaseholders and BC Ministry of Forests.

The project consists of a multiple-benefit approach to improving water supplies by diverting water from nearby Durand creek into this watershed, and paves the way for further Ducks Unlimited Canada participation in other project areas susceptible to drought.

Background

This project is located in an area prone to drought, and within several grazing leases on crown land. It is a popular fishing and outdoor destination close to Kamloops, with 6- Mile Lake regularly stocked with rainbow trout until recently, when decreased lake inflows and oxygen levels resulted in inhospitable conditions for fish. Smaller wetlands are subject to summer droughts and are typically slightly saline.

The watershed has been heavily impacted by past grazing pressure, recreational use and past highway development and wetland water supplies have been inconsistent.

The restoration of this project area has involved the diversion of water from nearby Durand Creek through a diversion ditch complete with automatic flow measuring devices, 350 m of pipeline and livestock crossings. Installing water control structures such as weirs and earthfill dams increased the water retention capacity of the small wetlands.

These wetland improvements will result in greater wetland capacity to support shoreline and over-water nesting species of waterfowl, improve water quality for fish and support the wide variety of other wildlife including loons, muskrats, painted turtles and yellow-headed blackbirds.

Project Partners

Habitat Conservation Trust Fund
Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service)
The BC Ministry of Water, Land & Air Protection (MWLAP)
Ducks Unlimited Canada
The Nature Conservancy