Key Ecological Attributes and Connectivity Status Results – Elk River Watershed | Qukin ?amak?is Connectivity Restoration Plan: 2021

Current Connectivity Status

The Planning Team devised two Key Ecological Attributes (KEAs) and associated indicators to assess the current connectivity status of Qukin ?amak?is – Accessible habitat above Elko Dam and Accessible habitat below Elko Dam (Table 4). KEAs are the key aspects of Westslope Cutthroat Trout ecology that are being targeted by this WCRP. The connectivity statuses for the Westslope Cutthroat Trout KEAs were used to establish goals to improve habitat connectivity in the watershed and will be the baseline against which progress is tracked over time.

To support a flexible prioritization framework to identify priority barriers in the watershed, two assumptions are made: 1) any modelled (i.e., the passability status is unknown) or partial barriers are treated as complete barriers to passage and 2) the habitat modelling is binary, it does not assign any habitat quality values. As such, the current connectivity status is refined over time as more data on habitat and barriers are collected.

Table 4: Connectivity status assessment for (a) habitat upstream of Elko Dam and (b) habitat downstream of Elko Dam in the Elk River watershed (Qukin ?amak?is). The two Key Ecological Attributes - Accessible habitat upstream of Elko Dam and Accessible habitat downstream of Elko Dam - are evaluated using the Longest Fragment approach (Diaz et al. 2021), whereby the length of linear habitat that currently comprises the longest connected section in the watershed is divided by the total length of all linear habitat in the watershed.
a
			Indicator Ratings
TargetSpecies	KEA	Indicator	Poor	Fair	Good	Very Good
Westslope Cutthroat Trout	Accessible habitat downstream of Elko Dam	Longest Fragment (%)	<25%	26 – 50%	51 – 75%	>76%
Current Status:					77.53%
Comments: Indicator rating definitions are based on the consensus decisions of the Planning Team. The current status is based on the CWF Barrier Prioritization Model output, which is current as of April 2026.

b
			Indicator Ratings
TargetSpecies	KEA	Indicator	Poor	Fair	Good	Very Good
Westslope Cutthroat Trout	Accessible habitat downstream of Elko Dam	Longest Fragment (%)	<25%	26 – 50%	51 – 75%	>76%
Current Status:						94.67%
Comments: Indicator rating definitions are based on the consensus decisions of the Planning Team. The current status is based on the CWF Barrier Prioritization Model output, which is current as of April 2026.

In Qukin ?amak?is upstream of Elko Dam, 756.67 km of Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat are currently connected, 192.15 km are disconnected, and 27.21 km are permanently altered by mining. This means that 77.53% of the 976.03 km of total habitat is connected, and 2.79% of total habitat is permanently altered by mining.

In Qukin ?amak?is downstream of Elko Dam, 208.36 km of Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat are currently connected, 11.72 km are disconnected, and 0 km are permanently altered by mining. This means that 94.67% of the 220.08 km of total habitat is connected, and 0% of total habitat is permanently altered by mining.

Goals

Goals to improve habitat connectivity for Westslope Cutthroat Trout, upstream and downstream of Elko Dam, in the Elk River watershed over the lifespan of the WCRP (2021-2041). The goals were established through discussions with the Planning Team and represent the resulting desired state of connectivity in the watershed. The goals for the Downstream of the Elko Dam unit assume that rehabilitation can be undertaken while mitigating the risk of introgressive hybridization. The goals are subject to change as more information and data are collected over the course of the plan timeline (e.g., the current connectivity status is updated based on barrier field assessments).
Goal #	Goal
1	By 2031, the Longest Fragment (%) for Westslope Cutthroat Trout will increase from 69% to 83% above the Elko Dam (i.e., reconnect at least 142 km of habitat).
2	By 2041, the Longest Fragment (%) for Westslope Cutthroat Trout will increase to 86% above the Elko Dam (i.e., reconnect at least an additional 30 km of habitat).
3	By 2031, the Longest Fragment (%) for Westslope Cutthroat Trout will increase from 98% to 99% below the Elko Dam (i.e., reconnect at least 3 km of habitat).
4	By 2041, the Longest Fragment (%) for Westslope Cutthroat Trout will not decrease from 99% below the Elko Dam.

Structure Count

In Qukin ?amak?is upstream of Elko Dam, 216 structures potentially disconnect Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat. Of these, 15 are identified as barriers in need of rehabilitation (priority barriers), 1 are identified as barriers that do not warrant rehabilitation (non-actionable), and 211 require further field assessment.

In Qukin ?amak?is downstream of Elko Dam, 15 structures potentially disconnect Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat. Of these, 3 are identified as barriers in need of rehabilitation (priority barriers), 1 are identified as barriers that do not warrant rehabilitation (non-actionable), and 14 require further field assessment.

Maps

Map of Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat and structures that are confirmed or potential barriers to fish passage in the Elk River watershed (Qukin ?amak?is) as of April 2026. Structure data were obtained from BCFishPass the Canadian Aquatic Barriers Database (aquaticbarriers.ca). The accessibility model represents areas of the watershed that Westslope Cutthroat Trout could access naturally in the absence of anthropogenic barriers. The habitat model represents the subset of accessible waterbodies that may be used by Westslope Cutthroat Trout for spawning or rearing. Available local knowledge and data were incorporated and overruled habitat model results. Thick red lines represent habitat considered to be disconnected (upstream of barriers or unassessed structures). Barriers that were rehabilitated through implementation of this plan are shown, but other excluded structures (e.g., those found to be passable) are not.

Habitat Accumulation Curves

Habitat Accumulation Curve (HAC) showing structures in the Elk River watershed (Qukin ?amak?is) upstream of Elko Dam as of April 2026. Structures are ranked based on how much (km) habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout is upstream. The y-axis represents the cumulative amount of potential habitat gain (km). Sets of structures are indicated by a grey line below the curve, indicating that gains from addressing the downstream structure alone would be less than the combined gains from addressing all structures in the set. Habitat upstream of unassessed structures is considered disconnected until field assessments are completed. Structures that were excluded as passable are not shown; however, rehabilitated barriers are shown to demonstrate the connectivity gains achieved through implementation of this plan.

Figure 9: Habitat Accumulation Curve (HAC) showing structures in the Elk River watershed (Qukin ?amak?is) downstream of Elko Dam as of April 2026. Structures are ranked based on how much (km) habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout is upstream. The y-axis represents the cumulative amount of potential habitat gain (km). Sets of structures are indicated by a grey line below the curve, indicating that gains from addressing the downstream structure alone would be less than the combined gains from addressing all structures in the set. Habitat upstream of unassessed structures is considered disconnected until field assessments are completed. Structures that were excluded as passable are not shown; however, rehabilitated barriers are shown to demonstrate the connectivity gains achieved through implementation of this plan.

Habitat Accumulation Summary Tables

Table 6: Labelled structures in the Habitat Accumulation Curve (Figure 8), their rank, and upstream habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Elk River (Qukin ?amak?is) upstream of Elko Dam. Habitat gain (averaged across sets) represents the amount (km) of habitat upstream of that structure to the next structure and depicts the potential gain in habitat if passage at that structure was restored.
Barrier ID	Site Name	Watershed Name	Structure Status	Rank Order	Average Habitat Gain (km)
1004600851	Leach Cr @ Unnamed Rd	ELKR	NULL	11	2.60
1004601519	NULL	ELKR	NULL	16	2.45
1004602074	NULL	ELKR	NULL	19	1.28
1004602974	Grace Cr @ Line Rd (4602947)	ELKR	Priority barrier	9	3.24
1004604005	Trib to Elk R @ unnamed	ELKR	NULL	15	1.74
1024734526	Trib to Alexander Cr @ Unnamed	ELKR	NULL	10	2.94
1024752563	Line Cr @ Sec.03 Rd	ELKR	NULL	4	9.01
1024760703	Michel Cr @ Sec.01 FSR	ELKR	NULL	6	4.49
13635d39-ee0f-4d0c-bb9c-9649ac9a5c63	Harmer Cr Dam (1100001086)	ELKR	Priority barrier	5	5.47
197526	Trib to Elk R @ Elk R Main FSR	ELKR	Data-deficient barrier	20	1.70
197533	Brule Cr @ Busato Rd	ELKR	Priority barrier	2	0.13
197534	Weigert Cr @ Hwy 43	ELKR	Priority barrier	3	10.32
197542	Hartley Cr @ Dicken Rd	ELKR	Priority barrier	8	0.01
197553	Lowe Cr @ Elk R Main FSR	ELKR	Data-deficient barrier	17	2.01
197559	Brule Creek @ Hwy 43	ELKR	Priority barrier	2	21.56
197825	Henretta Cr @ unnamed	ELKR	Priority barrier	18	10.00
197827	Fording R @ FRO Coal Haul Rd (4600762)	ELKR	Priority barrier	1	21.01
199904	Cokato Cr @ Supr (4601996)	ELKR	Data-deficient barrier	14	1.53
50185	Trib to Morrissey Cr @ River Rd	ELKR	Priority barrier	12	2.89
62181	Dry Cr @ Railway	ELKR	Priority barrier	13	4.53
62182	Dry Cr @ Fording Hwy	ELKR	Priority barrier	13	0.03
62245	Tobermory Cr @ Elk R Main FSR	ELKR	Rehabilitated barrier	7	5.33
98a6d14e-ea75-446a-80e5-8709bf2eb8e9	Hartley Cr @ dam 1	ELKR	Priority barrier	8	0.04
e86b513c-3dce-4b4a-a49e-e86e4dac935e	Hartley Cr @ dam 2	ELKR	Priority barrier	8	7.83

Table 7: Labelled structures in the Habitat Accumulation Curve (Figure 9), their rank, and upstream habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Elk River (Qukin ?amak?is) downstream of Elko Dam. Habitat gain (averaged across sets) represents the amount (km) of habitat upstream of that structure to the next structure and depicts the potential gain in habitat if passage at that structure was restored.
Barrier ID	Site Name	Watershed Name	Structure Status	Rank Order	Average Habitat Gain (km)
197845	Trib to Bighorn @ Cabin FSR (197845)	ELKR	Data-deficient barrier	1	1.85
197844	1004605514	ELKR	Priority barrier	2	1.71
1004601731	N Lodgepole Cr @ Lodgepole FSR - Flathead Ridge	ELKR	NULL	3	1.39
197787	1004606370	ELKR	Priority barrier	4	1.15
1004605528	Trib to Wigwam R @ Cabin Cr FSR	ELKR	NULL	5	0.87
1004603632	Trib to Lodgepole Cr @ S Lodgepole spur	ELKR	NULL	6	0.21
1004602683	Trib to Lodgepole Cr @ S Lodgepole spur	ELKR	NULL	6	1.13
197842	Trib to Bighorn @ Cabin Cr FSR (197842)	ELKR	Data-deficient barrier	7	0.79
1004603498	Trib to Wigwam R @ Tower FSR spur	ELKR	NULL	8	0.56
1004603497	NULL	ELKR	NULL	9	0.48
197786	1004606398	ELKR	Priority barrier	10	0.51
50175	NULL	ELKR	NULL	11	0.47
197843	Trib to Bighorn Cr @ Cabin Cr FSR (197843)	ELKR	Data-deficient barrier	12	0.45
1004605549	Trib to Bighorn Cr @ Cabin Cr FSR	ELKR	NULL	13	0.02
50177	NULL	ELKR	NULL	14	0.12