Chilcotin Landslide Comment

August 7, 2024

An update from the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Michael Meneer, President and CEO, and Jason Hwang, Chief Programs Officer and VP of Salmon.

The Chilcotin Landslide is a major issue for wild salmon. The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) has been actively engaged since it occurred on July 30.

Recognizing the devastating impact on First Nations and local residents, PSF emphasizes that public safety is the immediate priority, though the implications for salmon are also significant.

On August 5, water breached the dam created by the landslide, resulting in torrential flows with significant sediment and debris, which caused erosion of riverbanks and introduced significant woody debris into the Chilcotin and Fraser Rivers. While the Province of B.C. has stated that the risk of a worst-case scenario is decreasing, the potential impacts on salmon remain uncertain. Footage shows habitat damage from sediment, debris, and collapsing banks, which the river will naturally recover from over time, though the short-term impact is severe.

Salmon returning to the Fraser River were already facing stress due to above-average water temperatures. The sediment and debris from the landslide present an additional difficulty, but one that we hope is temporary. Key to monitoring will be whether salmon can bypass the landslide and continue their migration upstream. We will be closely monitoring to see if the river will carve out a new, passable channel in time for the salmon to get through.

PSF is engaging with First Nations and government agencies to offer resources, advice, and support. There are a number of salmon populations in the area, and at this time, the impacts and possible remedies are unclear.

During previous large landslides in this area, the river has been able to work a channel through naturally that has allowed salmon to get through. However, we are unsure if this will occur in the case of the Chilcotin slide. Some of the salmon populations in the area, such as Chilcotin Chinook, have likely already made it past the landslide site, but others, including the Chilko sockeye run, are still on their way and are expected to arrive soon.

In recent years, PSF has been involved in supporting emergency response measures for salmon following the atmospheric river floods in 2021, as well as the significant droughts we have seen in 2023 and now in 2024.  We have established a Climate Emergency Fund that we have drawn on to implement emergency actions for salmon in collaboration with First Nations and government agencies, and we are ready to assist and support emergency measures for salmon in response to this major landslide in the Chilcotin. The salmon in this area were impacted by the 2019 Big Bar landslide that year and in 2020, but they are incredibly resilient, and PSF will be doing everything we can to help the salmon and the people in the area respond to this situation.