Streamkeeper training

A streamkeeper training course will be held on the weekend of July 11 and 12, 2015, in the Maple Creek Watershed.  Learn about the creek, and how to gather information about watersheds.

Citizen Science in action

Modules covered: 1,2,3,4 and time permitting 7 and 11 see this PAGE for more information about the individual modules of the program.
ZoAnn Morten will be the teacher, contact her at:  604-986-5059
Email her at:  zmorten@shaw.ca

Presented by the Pacific StreamKeepers Federation, PSKF

water flow meter chamber

Apparently Metro Vancouver is digging up Davies Avenue, near its junction with Westwood Street,(Pipe line Road, to some of us )  and has the traffic in one direction only.
  All in aid of a water flow meter chamber.

Cloudy water safe: PoCo   [ But Fox Creek, is being made unsafe, to do this ]
Could not find a description at Metro Vancouver's typical cryptic, secretive website

Apparently this construction is from February 3 and March 7, 2014. 

As per usual they are making a mess of the area, a sane person would think that the water department, would be more careful around water courses than other government departments, well you would be wrong.
"Familiarity breeds contempt" they say.

Looking down Davies Avenue, from Westwood Street.

Google Street View, of essentially the same area; but in better days.

Below the concrete barrier, is the westernmost tributary of Fox Creek. I should note that it was probably an overzealous crew of C.P.R. contractors, that cleared away the trees, and shrubs here;
 even though this really is a creek protection area, in theory

There is a creek in there somewhere

In better days, and weather it looks like this photo from Google street view

Looking upstream, from Davies Avenue; Fox Creek, now a waste tip.

Note the dark green cabinet on the left, in this and the below image

The dark Green cabinet, in better days.  Google Street View photo

Buried in the ground; apparently the water will flow in a different direction in portions of this area, so the water may be fairly turbid for a while.

Thanks Metro, for  reopening  the festering wounds that our creeks have become.
A simple  15 Metres of silt fence, and a bale or two of straw would have gone a long way to protect the stream along here.

UPDATE: March 12, 2014
Shot a quick pic on my way through the area today, still a mess there, no respect for our watercourses.

UPDATE: April 12, 2014
Four views of what they left behind, certainly in worse shape than the way that they found it in.
Photos at Flickr:  ONE  -  TWO  -  THREE  -  FOUR

a few photos

Nice group of Cottonwood trees, in the CPR pond area. Great place to see Wood ducks.

A large panorama HERE

 Sign along the trail between the Coquitlam River dyke, and Chine.

"Skanky Creek" unnamed tiny manmade stream.

A panorama of the Floodbox area;  and the pond near Beford St.
And two pictures of the gas pipeline Row, looking WEST and EAST.

Next meeting and a work party

Next meeting  July 10, at 7:10 pm   in the Common Room,( Location in Google Maps ) Jane Gardens, 2620 Jane St, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6J3.   Come one, come ALL, everyone welcome, we will solve the worlds problems all in one meeting.
This will be the last meeting until September 11

      And finally,  a work party on Sunday, July 14 – Salmon Cementi – 9:30 A.M. at the foot of Bedford and Chine.
Cheers!

Invasive plant slayers unite!

There will be a work party on Sunday,
June 23. At 9:30 A.M., foot of Bedford and Chine at Salmon Cemente.

Bring your pruners if you have them, and it is recommended to wear boots and suitable clothes, gloves.

Maple Creek award winners!

Maple Creek Streamkeepers won Coquitlam's environment award in the adult group category, on June 8.
Congratulations to all involved.
A rather poor picture of some of the members;

          And after the event I went to visit my Tree, which was dedicated to me by the City of Coquitlam, for my work in Maple Creek, in ancient times!.

Fish release into Maple Creek

On Tuesday, June 5, 2013, students from Hastings Middle School walked from their school down to Maple Creek, and helped to release over 6,000 coho fry.
NOTE:  New Maple Creek website address, bookmark.

(Click pictures to enlarge)

Looks more like streamkeepers at rest, to me

 

A few pictures from the last release are contained

 in these tagged photos of Maple Creek found at Panoramio