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FISH HABITAT
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Mosquito Creek historically supported good populations of Coho, Chum and Pink salmon, Steelhead and Cutthroat trout.
When urban development began in the watershed, changes were made to the land and to the creek.
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The creek and its water flow were severely altered through channelization, culvert construction and storm water diversion.
This affected the amount of water flowing through different times of the year, and the quality of water entering the creek.
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Water Quantity
Water flow became more variable, with greater flows during the rainy season and lesser flows during dry periods.
Greater flows can flush fish out of their small habitat areas and wash them out to sea. Lesser flows can result in those small habitat areas drying out completely or becoming stagnant.
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Water Quality
Water quality can become harmful or fatal to fish and other aquatic life when contaminants enter the stream. This occurs when contaminants enter the stream directly - through dumping or erosion, or indirectly - through the storm drain system which starts at the storm drains on all city streets and ends at the storm drain outfalls which are located at intervals along the stream banks.
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Instream Conditions
Although wild salmon and trout still spawn and rear in Mosquito Creek, the survival rates tend to be low because suitable habitat in the main stream is very limited and vulnerable to degradation and disturbance.
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Fish habitat can be improved by sheltering areas within the stream channel, and by restoring areas off the main stream channel.
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Restoration Projects
In 1995, two areas along Mosquito Creek were identified as suitable restoration sites. One was a small tributary in William Griffin Park and the other was a historic side channel in the natural second growth forest adjacent to Mosquito Creek Park.
The first, Griffin Channel, was constructed in the summer of 1998 and the second, Fell Channel, in the summer of 1999.
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