Assessment of Coquitlam Reservoir Salmon Migratory Pathways - 2005

When the Coquitlam Dam was expanded in 1914, the fishway was removed and all native anadramous fish runs were wiped out, including sockeye. Sockeye are very difficult to recover by transplanting exotic runs. In the case of the Coquitlam River, there are additional difficulties created by the need to have the smolts leave the reservoir through the dam to reach the Coquitlam River, as either emigration via the Buntzen Lake diversion tunnel or the city water supply would lead to those smolts failing to return as adults.

Kintama Research was contracted in 2005 to assess what conditions promoted smolt out-migration at each of the three possible exits from Coquitlam Reservoir. We implanted coho smolts with acoustic tags, and then recorded their movements within the reservoir using an acoustic tracking array. We found excellent evidence that smolts use the entire reservoir, but we found no evidence that any of the smolts ever left the reservoir. Additionally, BC Hydro operations did not significantly effect fish distribution or swim speed.

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