Response of riparian cottonwoods to experimental flows along the lower Bridge River, British Columbia

The Bridge River drains the east slope of the Coast Mountain Range and is a major tributary of the Fraser River in southwestern British Columbia. The lower Bridge River has been regulated since the installation of Terzaghi Dam in 1948, which left a section of dry riverbed for an interval of 52 years prior to 2000. An out-of-court settlement between BC Hydro and Federal and Provincial Fisheries regulatory agencies resulted in the required experimental discharge of 3 m3/s below Terzaghi Dam in 2000. This study investigated growth of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) trees in response to the experimental discharges. Mature trees did not show a significant response in radial trunk growth or branch elongation. In contrast, the juvenile trees displayed an increased growth response, and the successful establishment of saplings provided a dramatic response to the new flow regime. Thus, I conclude that cottonwoods have benefited from the experimental flow regime of the lower Bridge River.

Authors

• Hall, Alexis Anne
• University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science

• Cottonwood -- British Columbia -- Bridge River Basin
• Riparian ecology -- British Columbia -- Bridge River Basin
• Ecohydrology -- British Columbia -- Bridge River Basin
• Hydrology, Forest -- British Columbia -- Bridge River Basin
• Dissertations, Academic
• Dams -- British Columbia -- Bridge River

Identifier

hdl:10133/624

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/624