CONCERNS

• Hydrology: Risk of further loss of quantity and increased peak flows from increased development and densification.
• Stream Channel: Has been significantly altered by flood control engineering works above the Trans Canada Highway, and below.
• Water Quality Has been compromised by stormwater discharged from residential, commercial and industrial developed areas, bank erosion from runoff and foot traffic.
• Wagg Creek and Lower Mission Creek have serious non-point source pollution and water quality problems.
  and resort activities from the Grouse Mountain Ski Resort.
  • Fish and Wildlife Habitat: Many attributes have been eliminated by development.
    Lack of refugia, for fish and aquatic animals, is a major problem in the main stem.
    Fish passage upstream is blocked by Queens culvert (Thain) and Jones culvert (Wagg).
• Estuary: Most of the estuary has been lost.
• Intensive Development: Development and proposed redevelopment in the watershed increases the risk of further water quality and quantity impact from storm water, spills, encroachment, loss of riparian area, unauthorized stream works, recreational/conservation trail use conflicts and bank/channel alterations.(ref-DFO-1998)

LAND USE

• Fish and Wildlife: Second growth forest throughout Upper watershed.
  • Habitat linear in Mid and Lower watershed. Second growth forest along stream corridor, interrupted by Highway 1 and other bridges. Widest in and along ravines. A few small wetland areas. Loss of riparian due to trails all along stream bank. Outside of ravines, urban development (residential land use) dominant.
  • Migratory routes are North-South along stream and East-West along lanes and residential properties between Mosquito Creek and adjacent creeks and watersheds.
• Human: Upper watershed is second growth forest. Lower elevations logged prior to 1915. Upper elevations logged 1950-1970, last in 1970.
  • Recreational ski area (toll road to top of Grouse Mountain constructed 1926), trails.
  • Mid and Lower watershed urban development began around 1910. Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Recreational. Heavily urbanized. Encroachment into riparian areas.
  • The mouth of the steam historically supported a large estuary which no longer exists.
  • The foreshore between Fell and Bewicke was filled and extended 500m into the inlet for industrial use (1912-1915).
  • The eastern part of the Mosquito Creek Estuary was filled in 1960.
  • Water quality problems. High impervious (44% Wagg).

PROJECTS

• Water Quality Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for 1 year - Wagg Creek (CNV 1998)
  Benthic Assessment - Mosquito Creek, Wagg Creek (GVRD 2000)
• Fish Habitat:
  • Wagg Creek - Slot Fish Ladder 1985 (CNV)
  • Mosquito Creek - East Bank Back Channel 1996 (BC MoTH)
  • Mosquito Creek - Fish Ladder 1996 (GVRD)
  • Mosquito Creek - West Bank Back Channel 1998 (CNV)
  • Mosquito Creek - Griffin Side Channel 1998 (DFO, DNV)
  • Mosquito Creek - Fell Side Channel 1999 (DFO, CNV)
  • Thain Creek - Daylight Thain Culvert 1999 (CNV)
  • Thain Creek - Fish Baffles Westview Culvert 1999 (CNV)
  • Upper Mission Creek - Fish Baffles Cartelier Culvert 2000 (DNV)
  • Thain Creek - Fish Ladder 2003 (DNV)
  • Thain Creek - Fish Baffles Queens Culvert 2003 (DNV)
• Fish Management:
  • Spawner Survey - 1995-2003 (MCSS) 1998 (DFO)
  • Fish Sample - 1996-2002 (CNV), 1998 (MCSS), 2000 (DFO), 2003 (DFO)
  • Fish Ladder Maintenance - 1996-2004 (MCSS)
• Revegetation:
  • Mosquito Creek - East Bank Slope Stabilization and Planting 1995 (CNV)
  • Mosquito Creek Park - Trail Entry 2000 (CNV)
  • Thain Creek - Slope Stabilization 2000 (DNV)
  • Mosquito Creek Trail 2001 (CNV), 2002 (DNV)
  • Mosquito Creek Lane - Bank Replanting 2003 (Evergreen Foundation)
  • Wagg Creek - Bank Stabilization 2003 (CNV)
  • Mahon Park - Invasive Removal and Replanting 2003 (CNV & Evergreen Foundation)
• Mapping:
  • GIS - Streams, Streets, Schools, Parcels, Contour (DNV),
  • Streets, Parcels, Buildings, Streams, Catchments, Contour (CNV)
  • GPS - All streams 1997 (DNV)
  • Orthophotos - All lands 1995 (CNV, DNV)
  • Stream Features - measurements, photos - Mosquito Creek, Thain Creek 1997 (NSK/MCSS)
  • Stream Erosion Points - photos - Mosquito, Wagg, Lower Mission, Mackay Creek 1998 (CNV)
  • ESA - Identification and Mapping 1997 (CNV)

STAKEHOLDERS

• GOVERNMENT
  • Federal: Canada Coast Guard, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Provincial: Province of BC - MWLAP, MoT, MoSRM
  • Municipal: City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouve
  • Other: Squamish Nation, Vancouver Port Authority

NON-GOVERNMENT

• Schools: School District 44 (10) Private (2)
• Residents Associations:
  • Courthouse Area Residents' Association
  • Delbrook Community Association
  • Edgemont Community Association
  • Lonsdale Citizens' Association
  • Mosquito Creek Neighbourhood Association
  • Queensdale Ratepayers Association
  • Upper Delbrook Community Association
  • Federation of North Vancouver Community Associations (FONVCA)
• Business Associations: Lower Lonsdale Business Association
• Interest Groups:
  • North Shore Historical Society, North Shore Search and Rescue, RCMP Block Watch
  • Environment - Mosquito Creek Stewardship Society, North Shore Fish and Game Club, North Shore Streamkeepers, Vancouver Natural History Society, Wild Bird Trust
  • Recreation - North Vancouver Recreation Commission, North Vancouver Sport Council, Outdoor Recreation Council

KEY CONTACTS

• City of North Vancouver - 604 - 985-7761 www.cnv.org
• District of North Vancouver - 604 - 987-7131 www.dnv.org

REFERENCE

REPORTS

• Environmental Effects of Stormwater Discharges on Small Streams - Habitat and Benthic Assessment
• Greater Vancouver Regional District - Liquid Waste Management Plan
• April 2000
• Prepared by: EVS Environmental Consultants, North Vancouver, BC
• (9 watersheds included: Mossom, Coghlan, Mosquito, Yorkson, Stoney, Upper Serpentine, Wagg, Como, Still)
• Mosquito Creek Flood and Erosion Study - Final Report March 2000
• City of North Vancouver
• March 2000
• Prepared by: Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd., North Vancouver, BC
• Lower Fraser River - Strategic Review
• DFO
• 1998-99
• (Contains errors)
• Wild, Threatened, Endangered and Lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley - Summary Report 1997
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• 1998
• Prepared by: Precision Identification Biological Consultants, Vancouver, BC
• Protection of Aquatic and Riparian Habitat by Local Governments - An Inventory of Measures Adopted in the Lower Fraser Valley, 1995
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Fraser River Action Plan
• 1995
• Prepared by: Quadra Planning Consultants, West Vancouver, BC
• Fish Habitat Inventory & Information Program
• Stream Summary Catalogue - Subdistrict #28A Vancouver
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• April 1989
• Report on Creek Systems and Storm Water Control - Summary Report
• District of North Vancouver
• 1982
• Prepared by: Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd., North Vancouver, BC

MAPS

PRINT

• Parks of North Vancouver
• City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver
• 1998
• Access: Municipal Hall - District of North Vancouver, City Hall - City of North Vancouver
• Orthophotos - District of North Vancouver
• 1995
• Access: Municipal Hall, District of North Vancouver
• Historical Aerial Photographs
• Access: UBC Geography Department Library
• TRIM Map: 92G035
• Access: BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
• Mosquito Creek Watershed
• www.mosquitocreek.org/maps.shtml