Photo of the permanent sign to be erected by the new water control in the Leach Lake unit in Creston (Photo courtesy of Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area)

Leach Lake 3 Way Water Control Upgrade Final Project Report 2008/2009 (pdf; 1.4 MB)

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1) Have a new functional leak free water control.
Goal 2) Manage water levels in the Leach Lake wetland units to benefit as many wildlife species as possible, maintain the existing habitat, and preserve the ecological character of the overall wetland ecosystem.
Goal 3) Avoid a water control failure that could jeopardize the habitat and species that inhabit those units, in particular species at risk such as the northern leopard frog, Western Grebes, American White Pelicans, Great-blue Heron, American Bittern, western painted turtles, etc.
Goal 4) Have a new water control that outlasts the life expectancy of the previous structure.
Goal 5) Continue educating people about the global importance of wetlands as well as wetland management on the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area (CVWMA).

Objective 1) Installing a new water control structure will eliminate water leaks.
Objective 2) Installing a new water control will allow staff to continue managing water levels for wildlife benefits, maintain the existing habitat, and preserve the ecological character of the overall wetland ecosystem.
Objective 3) Installing a new water control will reduce and/or eliminate the risk of a catastrophic failure that could jeopardize the habitat and species that inhabit those units, in particular species at risk such as the northern leopard frog, Western Grebes, American White Pelicans, Great-blue Heron, American Bittern, western painted turtles, etc.
Objective 4) Using newer and better materials (high-density polyethylene (HDPE) corrugated plastic pipes and concrete instead of galvanized metal pipes) for the new culvert will increase the life expectancy of the structure.
Objective 5) The work required to install the new culvert and the structure itself are good tools to illustrate the importance of wetland ecosystem and will improve people’s knowledge about wetland ecosystems and wetland management on the CVWMA.

Activities

• Hire engineering services to design and draft the new water control.
• Tender and have the water control pre-fabricated off-site to reduce on-site work and purchase all necessary materials for construction ahead of time. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) corrugated plastic pipes and concrete instead of galvanized metal pipes will be used for the new culvert.
• Tender and hire a field construction manager and contractor to conduct the work.
• Mobilize all material necessary for construction to site.
• The construction manager will direct the removal of the old water structure.
• The construction manager will supervise the installation of the new water control.
• The construction manager will direct the removal of all equipment and left over material, and ensure the site is rehabilitated.
• Provide information about the project and overall habitat management activities to visitors through public events and school programs, and integrate this information in brochures, newsletters, and presentations when appropriate.
  

Specific Habitat Products/Results to be Supported by WHC’s Contributions

Replacing water control 5 will help conserve over 1,000 hectares of wetland and adjacent habitat within the Leach Lake unit. The water control will also make future wetland restoration projects such as drawdowns possible, by allowing staff to drain or re-fill the wetland when needed.

There are no other landowners engaged in the project. However, the project will require approval and notification for “Changes In and About a Stream” under Section 9 of the British Columbia Water Act.

Benefits to Waterfowl, Wetlands-Associated Species, and/or Other Wildlife

Water control 5 in Leach Lake allows staff to directly raise or lower water levels in ponds 3 and 4 and indirectly in ponds 1 and 2 (ponds 1 and 2 have additional outlets). During spring, excess water accumulated over the winter and during the freshet is evacuated by gravity through control 5 to provide shallow water for dabbling species such as Mallards, American Wigeons, Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers, Cinnamon Teals, Blue-winged Teals, Green-winged Teals, Wood Ducks, Canada Geese, as well as for hundreds of migrating Tundra Swans and less numerous Trumpeter Swans. Deeper areas of the ponds accommodate many of the diving ducks: Canvasback, Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Common Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, and Ruddy Ducks. In late spring, the water control is closed to maintain water level stable for nesting season. All species listed above, except for Tundra Swan, nest in varying numbers within the Leach Lake unit. If necessary, water levels are lowered in the fall again to provide shallow feeding habitat for fall migrants. An additional species that travels through in the fall and uses the CVWMA wetland is the Greater White-fronted Goose. Flocks of up to 300 individuals use the Leach Lake unit for staging and foraging.

The stable water levels also benefit and are critical to the endangered northern leopard frog (COSEWIC 2000), which has established a small breeding sub-population in pond 4 in 2005, most likely as a result of a restoration project conducted in 2004 to control encroaching vegetation. The 3-way control allows staff to adjust the water level to provide shallow water habitat that the frogs use for breeding. The CVWMA provides habitat to the only population of northern leopard frog in British Columbia.

Water control 5 also helps regulate water levels in pond 2 of Leach Lake where up to 15 pairs of Western Grebes nest annually. Pond 2 is one of only four Western Grebe nesting locations in British Columbia.

Finally, the ability to control water levels throughout the Leach Lake unit benefits up to 300 American White Pelicans that regularly spend the summer in the Leach Lake unit, as well as a significant number of American Bitterns and one of the largest Great-blue Heron rookery (up to 125 active nests) in British Columbia. Several pairs of Black Terns also benefit from stable water levels while nesting, and Forster’s Terns are regularly sighted foraging within the Leach Lake unit. Forster’s Terns are only known to nest on the CVWMA in British Columbia.

On a botany perspective, water control 5 helps controlling vegetation encroachment (cattails and reed-canary grass) on open water. This in turns benefits many of the species listed above.

Relevance to Habitat Planning, Decision Making and/or Management

This project will directly influence the management ability of the CVWMA staff to maintain the existing wetland habitat in the Leach Lake unit. Active management to preserve the wetland ecosystem is necessary and critical as the Creston Valley has been heavily dyked over the years and the water regime of the Kootenay River, that once naturally maintained a much larger wetland ecosystem, has been significantly altered by damming upstream to reduce flooding.

This project is also critical for the provincial recovery of the endangered northern leopard frog (recovery efforts have been conducted since 2001). Pond 4 of Leach Lake harbors one of only two sub-populations that have been “established” from a source population nearby. A proper functioning and reliable water control is necessary to maintain the open shallow habitat used annually by the leopard frog during the breeding season, from April through June.

Beside the CVWMA, all agencies involved in the recovery of the northern leopard frog will benefit from this project, that is the B.C. Ministry of Environment, the Canadian Wildlife Service/Environment Canada, the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, the Ktunaxa Nation and many of the other organizations that have provided funding over the years. Finally, this project will allow individuals and user groups such as hunters, anglers, and bird watchers to continue enjoying the activities that they have conducted for close to 40 years in the Leach Lake unit.

Project Location

The project will take place approximately 13.5 km northwest of Creston, British Columbia, within the CVWMA boundary. Water control 5 is located in the wetland on a man-made dike. 

Project Contact

For more information on this project, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Wetland Manager, Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, Creston, British Columbia.