Characteristics:

• Second largest watershed in West Vancouver
• Discharges into Burrard Inlet at Fisherman’s Cove
• Originates on Black Mountain plateau
• Bordered by Larson Creek watershed to the west and Eagle Creek and Cypress Creek watersheds to the east in West Vancouver, BC
• Main tributaries and lakes: Dick Creek and Eagle Lake, Whyte Creek and Whyte Lake
• Several other small and ephemeral tributaries, several small lakes in headwaters on Black Mountain plateau

History:

• Nelson Creek named for August Nelson, a framer at Hastings Mill, who pre-empted District Lot 722 in 1886
• Whyte Lake and Whyte Creek are named after Colonel Albert Whyte, a principal figure in the West Shore and Northern Land Company, who laid out the building lots and streets from Horseshoe Bay to Whytecliffe
• Commercial logging operation started on Black Mountain in 1899, to cut the trees that had escaped a forest fire that spread from Hollyburn to Eagle Harbour in 1884. A flume was built from the head of Whyte Lake to carry logs down to Horseshoe Bay, followed the property line between District Lot 1495 and District Lot 1494
• Small siphon was installed in 1922 at Whyte Lake for water supply.
• Nelson Creek used as water supply for Horseshoe Bay and Whytecliff from 1923 until late 1980’s, intake at 143 m elevation, 20 cm intake pipe, pressure regulator at 76 m elevation. Intake is now used for Nelson Creek fish hatchery
• Eagle Lake developed as water supply using a small timber dam at the outlet, expanded to a major water supply and storage source between 1973 and 1977
• Estuary dredged in 1967 for development of Thunderbird Marina

Watershed Use:

• Residential: approximately 90 houses in the watershed
• Nelson Creek hatchery is located about 300 m upstream of Cranley Drive, raises chum and coho for West Vancouver creeks
• Water supply: water is diverted to Eagle Lake from mainstem and gathered from Dick Creek tributary for use as West Vancouver municipal water supply
• Park: Nelson Canyon Park set aside for municipal water supply
• Fish: coho to Cranley Drive impasse, chum to Marine Drive, cutthroat throughout, steelhead to Marine Drive
• Wildlife: diverse populations of mammal, bird and amphibian inhabit the watershed (ie. black bear, otter, great blue heron, kingfisher, American Dipper, Tailed Frog, Ensatina, Western Red Backed Salamander)
• Marina, train and automobile transportation, Trans Canada Trail, hydro lines

Concerns:

• Classified as endangered by Fisheries and Oceans Canada because of extensive modification by development (ie. dammed and dredged) and estuary lost
• Morphology:
• dredging for marina has resulted in elimination of lower 75 metres of the creek and loss of estuary and limited access at mouth for spawning fish (above 14 ft tide)
• culverting at Thunderbird Marina and under Telegraph Trail, Marine Drive and Cranley Drive has resulted in barriers for fish migration
• channelization of creek and loss of tributaries through urban area
• Water diverted from mainstem into Eagle Lake and gathered from Dick Creek tributary resulting in potential for reduced base flows and elimination of high fall water needed for spawning salmon
• Water quality:
• altered through proximity to urban development and storm drain discharge
• potential sewer lines breakages
• potential for contamination from Thunderbird Marina from paint, sewage and fuel
• 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:

• West Vancouver Streamkeepers
• Federal: Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• Provincial: Ministry of Transportation and Highways; Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks
• District of West Vancouver, District Parks Department
• Thunderbird Marina
• Ratepayers Association
• BC Rail

Watershed Projects:

• Proposed fish ladder at creek mouth.
• Digitized map of urban watershed including storm drain network, SHIM website, 2001
• Hatchery built above the highway in 1991. Releases up to 100,000 chum and 60,000 coho per year to West Vancouver creeks
• Cement curb baffles installed in open box culvert at Marine Drive to improve fish access, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 1999
• Water quality samples taken, North Shore Streamkeepers, 1999
• Cement curb baffles installed in the culvert at the mouth of Nelson Creek on Thunderbird Marina property, 1997
• Spawner surveys, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1997 onwards
• Stream survey, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1997
• Chum and coho incubation box at Cranley Drive between 1981 and 1986 (67500 coho and 75000 chum planted)
• Series of drops and pools created with large boulders in the lower 100 m section of the creek, 1972?

Recommendations:

• Maintain reliable water supply in the creek during the summer and early autumn
• Establish enforceable erosion control bylaws, to address the problems caused by siltation during house construction and renovation
• Increase public awareness and appreciation of the Nelson Creek watershed
• Complete habitat assessment of Nelson Creek
• Encourage the planting of native vegetation along the creek banks
• Study groundwater source at Marine Drive

Available Sources of Information:

Maps: TRIM/UTM 92G034

Web Sites:

• http://www.pskf.ca The Pacific Streamkeepers Federation
• www.bcfisheries.gov.bc.ca/fishinv/fiss.html Fisheries Information Summary System (FISS)
• 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
• www.shim.bc.ca Sensitive Habitat Information and Mapping

Reports:

• District of West Vancouver Drainage Survey. Dayton and Knight Ltd., 1973
• Water Supply Investigations, Report on Eagle Lake. D. W. Hodsdon, 1926
• Creeks in West Vancouver. Hugh Johnston?, 1990
• The Modernization of Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, B.C. Andre Ortmayr, 1984?
• West Vancouver Water Supply. H. B. Muckleston, 1930
• A Place of Excellence: A Chronicle of West Vancouver 1912-1987. Bruce Ramsey, 1986
• West Vancouver Sewerage Survey, Howe Sound to West Bay. Dayton and Knight Ltd., 1967
• Lower Fraser Valley Stream Review, Vol. 1. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fraser River Action Plan, 1999
• Wild Threatened, Endangered and lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley, Summary Report. . Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fraser River Action Plan, 1997
• North Shore Streams- Nutrient Impacts. North Shore Streamkeepers, 1999
• DFO/MOEP Fish Habitat Inventory and Information Program, Stream Information Summary. 1989
• West Vancouver Streams: Nelson Creek. Munro Environmental Consulting, 1998