The Chilcotin is a tributary of the Fraser River
An expert on British Columbia’s salmon populations says the massive landslide that blocked off part of Canada’s largest sockeye salmon run has created an unprecedented situation potentially putting the already struggling fish at even more risk.
“They would be starting to trickle through naturally now and then in about a week and a half, 10 days or so, the peak of that run will be into the Chilcotin,” he said. and officials with the province and Cariboo Regional District say it’s uncertain if the lake building behind the dam will burst or if it will top over the debris. The B.C. government said a release could swell the Fraser River for hundreds of kilometres, potentially setting off dozens of emergency evacuations and alerts.
Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars said the situation with the salmon run is “incredibly concerning.” Hinch said one of the problems is that there’s no way to know how the debris sent flowing down the rivers will eventually settle. There’s also a risk that new rock and debris in the water could affect the salmon’s ability to navigate using their sense of smell, a skill imprinted on them as fry.
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