Assessing and restoring aquatic connectivity in the central Nashwaak watershed

One of the main goals of NWAI’s 10-year Strategic Plan is to increase the number of fish passable road-stream crossings to improve the aquatic connectivity within the Nashwaak Watershed. This project will build on the successes over the last four years in assessing and improving fish passage and engaging the local community. A comprehensive and collaborative approach will be used to identify, prioritize, and restore barriers to fish passage using up-to-date tools and techniques. All available data will be combined in order to begin creating an “Aquatic Barrier Strategy” for future project prioritization. This deliverable will take several years to develop.

The objectives are to: continue to improve knowledge about the fragmentation of the watershed by surveying stream crossings; better prioritize future projects; increase the amount of available upstream aquatic habitat by remediating barrier culverts; maintain infrastructure installed in 2018-2020; decrease the risk of damage to public infrastructure; and increase public awareness about aquatic connectivity.

Contact:  Dr. Jillian Hudgins, coordinator@nashwaakwatershed.ca