Observations Post 1

Observations, Blog Post 1: 

Date of Field Visit: 2023-03-027

Time: 12:20pm

Weather: Sunny with a high of 9 degrees.  12km/hr wind, 76% humidity.

Temperature: 7 degrees Celsius, feels like 6 degrees

Elevation: 47m

Location: Mount Douglas Park (PKOLS), Douglas Creek Victoria BC

Coordinates: 48.49502N, 123.33413 W

The Douglas Creek watershed is located in the district of Saanich on Southern Vancouver Island.  There has been extensive development surrounding this area within the last 50 – 100 years. This creek flows into the Haro Strait of the North Pacific Ocean off of the west coast of Vancouver Island.  There is physical evidence from walking up and down the river, of salmon passage through Douglas creek, with salmon carcases remaining from the spawn in the fall.  As well there is documentation of salmon runs through out Douglas creek, with the return of the spawn after extensive restoration work done upstream of the park.  There has been an effort to remove invasive species surrounding the banks of the river and riparian areas, to allow for native vegetation growth, and flood plains for the river to spill into during freshet and high river periods.

Some questions I thought about while walking around Douglas Creek and PKOLS park:

1. How does infrastructure surrounding this creek influence the species diversity and presence within my study area?
2. How might further restoration in this area increase salmon abundance and productivity of salmon spawning?
3. What other species are present in this creek, what species of salmon?
4. How does water quality in this area, given its close proximity to urban settings and development up stream, affect the streams biodiversity?