Fishway In Action
The dry spring of 2010 presented a challenge to the management of the fishladder due to extreme low water conditions. At one point the fishladder was dewatered which left 2 fish stranded in the 3rd step pool from the top.
Upon discovering the stranded fish, the NSSA worked with the City and the MNRF to capture the fish and release them into Boulevard Lake. This unfortunate incident punctuated the need for an improved water management plan, which would see water in the fishladder maintained at all times during the migration periods. The NSSA is hopeful that a minimum flow rate can be established. In addition to improving the flows, the NSSA is also now aware of obstacles to migration under such low water levels, and is developing a plan which will see changes made to the riverbed which should allow migrating fish to reach the fishway more readily. The plan, if approved, will involve the removal of some riverbed to allow access to established pools and the installation of instream deflectors allong which fish will move from pocket to pocket.
On a positive note, we are now sure that fish locate and use the fishway, which puts to rest the question of the functionality of the fishway!
