Physiography:

• Eighteenth largest watershed in West Vancouver
• Bordered by Whyte Creek and Nelson Creek of the Nelson Creek watershed to the north and east in West Vancouver, BC
• Originates on Arbutus Plateau, southwest side of Black Mountain
• Discharges into Larson Bay
• Cobble beach at mouth in Larson Bay Park
• Several hundred metres of creek upstream of mouth has forested riparian areas and no culverting
• Low impervious area in watershed, small urban influence

History:

• Named for Pete Larson who owned District Lot 771 from the west end of Eagle Island to Garrow Bay from 1902 to 1927. Mr. Larson also owned the North Vancouver Hotel on Lonsdale and the old Canyon View Hotel, above the present Cleveland Dam. The site of the present Gleneagles Golf course was cleared and planted with an apple and pear orchard, hay field and vegetable garden.
• Labelled Dodds Creek on old government maps
• Horseshoe Bay area was logged beginning about 1895, Black Mountain logged in 1899
• Water supply use began in 1911 for the Larson house, garden and livestock. Currently used by the municipality for irrigation.
• Developed as residential area and golf course in 1927. Golf course sold to the municipality in 1958

Watershed Use:

• Residential: small urban influence
• Park: Larson Bay Park
• Recreational: Gleneagles RecCentre, Gleneagles Golf Course, Baden-Powell Trail
• School: Gleneagles Elementary School
• Fish: coho, chum at mouth, trout throughout
• Wildlife: diverse populations of mammal, bird and amphibian inhabit the watershed
• Wetlands at junction of creek and Baden-Powell Trail
• Automobile transportation, hydro lines and substation, B. C. Ferries Horseshoe Bay Terminal ticket booths and car waiting area
• Water licence held by the District of West Vancouver to use 36 acre foot per anum for purpose of watering

Concerns:

• Morphology:
  • culverting at Upper Levels Highway and 4 other locations downstream through golf course, bridge in golf course
  • channelization of creek and loss of tributaries through urban area
• Water Quality:
  • altered through proximity to urban golf course and Upper Levels highway and ferry ticket waiting area
• Possible future development in upper watershed and associated problems, including:
  • increase in imperviousness
  • loss of wetlands and tributaries
  • construction of storm drain network resulting in altered water quality and quantity
  • encroachment into riparian zones
  • tributary channelization, bank alteration
  • increased erosion into creek

Key Interest Groups:

• Municipal: District of West Vancouver, District Parks Department
• Federal: Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• Provincial: Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection, British Columbia Ferries Corporation
• West Vancouver Streamkeepers
• Gleneagles Golf Course
• Gleneagles RecCentre
• Gleneagles Elementary School
• BC Rail
• Ratepayers Associations

Watershed Projects:

• Unfed coho fry release, since 2000
• Chum fry release from Nelson Creek Hatchery, since 2000

Recommendations for Further Actions:

• Install stream name sign along Marine Drive
• Install informational sign near mouth of creek
• Work to enhance and preserve riparian area
• Daylight creek through Gleneagles Golf Course

Available Sources of Information:

• Maps: TRIM/UTM 92G034

Web Sites:

• http://www.pskf.ca/
  Pacific Streamkeeper Federation
• http://www.bcfisheries.gov.bc.ca/fishinv/fiss.html
  Fisheries Information Summary System (FISS)
• http://www.bcfisheries.gov.bc.ca/fishinv/index.html
  includes FISS, Survey Data, Base Maps, Methods
• http://www-heb.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/English/maps.htm
  includes Fish Wizard, Fisheries Project Registry, SHIM Data with Orthophotos, Wild Threatened, Endangered and Lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley
• http://www.shim.bc.ca Sensitive Habitat Information and Mapping
• http://www.nsnews.com North Shore News archived articles
• http://www.elp.gov.bc.ca:8000/pls/wtrwhse/water_licences.input water licence information

Reports:

1. Lower Fraser Valley Stream Review, Vol. 1. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fraser River Action Plan, 1999
2. Wild Threatened, Endangered and lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley, Summary Report. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fraser River Action Plan, 1997
3. Creeks in West Vancouver. Hugh Johnston?, 1990
4. West Vancouver Drainage. Dayton and Knight, 1973
5. The Modernization of Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver. Andre Ortmayr, 1984?
6. A Place of Excellence, A Chronicle of West Vancouver 1912 – 1987. Bruce Ramsey, 1986
7. Gleneagles a local golf fixture. in North Shore News. R. E. Phillips, July 24, 2002
8. Task Force Inquiry into Drainage Policies and Problems, Summary Report. District of West Vancouver, 1977