Safety Plan Fraser 2025

Al Irvine


Al Irvine
New Graph Environment Ltd.

250-777-1518
Date Original: 2025-07-30
Date Revised: 2025-07-31



Safety Plan - 2025-076-sern-skeena-fraser-fish-passage

The latest version of this pdf can be downloaded here.


This project has two primary goals. The first is to conduct fish passage (Phase 1) and habitat confirmation (Phase 2) assessments within the Tabor River, Willow River, and Lower Salmon River watershed groups. The second goal is to implement baseline monitoring at previously assessed and/or remediated crossings in the Nechako River, Upper Fraser River, Morkill River, and Francois Lake watershed groups. Fieldwork will include electrofishing at permitted sites and collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples.


A summary of potential sites for fish passage assessments, habitat confirmation assessments, and electrofishing is provided in Table 7 and Figure 3. Google Earth (KML) and Garmin (GPX) files for the proposed sites are available for download here.


New Graph Environment Employee Information

Al Irvine
Vehicle: 2013 Toyota Tundra black w/flatdeck and yellow can-am quad
Accommodation: 3396 Rosia Road, Prince George, BC V2K 4Y5


Lucy Schick
Vehicle: 2006 Pontiac Vibe red
Accommodation: 3990 Larisa Court, Prince George, BC V2K 0B1


Crew Members

New Graph Employees Al Irvine and Lucy Schick may be joined by other groups/individuals from the area. All crew member information and emergency contacts can be found below.


Table 1: Crew members details and emergency contacts
name email phone satellite emerg_name emerg_email emerg_phone
Allan Irvine 250-777-1518 must be contacted by inreach first. Cannot cold call Tara Stark 250-505-9854
Lucy Schick 604-741-2032 807-790-9843 Sa Boothroyd 604-740-7199


Equipment Checklists

PLEASE NOTE THAT EQUIPMENT CHECKLISTS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE OVERALL TEAM AND NOT ALL CREWS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ALL EQUIPMENT. ALTHOUGH ENCOURAGED FOR ALL ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TECHNICIANS AND MONITORS TO HAVE THE PERSONAL EQUIPMENT NEW GRAPH ENVIRONMENT WILL HAVE ALL EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE WORK.


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH CREW MEMBER INCLUDES GOOD QUALITY AND APPROPRIATELY FITTING LIGHT WEIGHT WADERS AND SEPERATE WADING BOOTS (RUBBER SOLED), HAT, WATER AND A FOOD.


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR FIELD TRUCKS INCLUDE A QUALITY RADIO APPROPRIATE FOR FOREST SERVICE ROADS, OFF-ROAD CAPABLE TIRES IN GOOD CONDITION, SPARE TIRE, JACK, AND TOOLS.




Table 2: Personal Equipment Checklist - SEE NOTE ABOVE FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Equipment
GPS Suncreen Bugspray Polarized glasses
Bear Spray phone/camera battery pack booster for phone Hat
first aid kit personal Waders Wading Boots (Rubber-soled only) Ski poles
water food gloves work headlamp
clinometer field vest (surveyors) note book Extra clothes
rain gear hand lens range finder –


Table 3: Crew Equipment Checklist - SEE NOTE ABOVE FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Crew Equipment Checklist
glasses safety Oakton Multimeter Hand saw Backpack Electrofisher
stop nets x 4 salt blocks loose salt dip nets x 2
Linesman Gloves x 3 tape measure hand tape measure eslon pilon x 2
Measuring board Scale Permits Backroads Mapbook
Locational maps Fish ID book Background Documents radio handheld
Satelite communicator Field Safety Plan first aid kit level 1 First Aid binder stocked
Site Cards / Field Guide Minnow Traps Catfood Flagging
Laptop w/basecamp GPS cable Lazer level Assessment cards fish passage
UAV radio UAV UAV landing pad UAV GC tape
UAV safety plan (when required) UAV registration UAV license UAV radio license
UAV backpack Flow meter ATV Throw bags
polaski shovel fire extinguisher backpack fire extinguisher pressurized
bucket rigid x 2 bucket foldable clove oil kit w/ instructions gloves leather
hard hat steel toed boots sharpies ATV gas
ATV lock UAV battery charger wader disinfectant kit GPS batteries
ATV helmets Battery booster Compressor 12V Rubber boots (no-slip soles)
Small BT Speaker (for bears) large backpack – –


Table 4: eDNA Equipment Checklist - SEE NOTE ABOVE FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
eDNA Equipment Checklist
field vest (surveyors) note book GPS eDNA sampler
Car adaptor for charging eDNA batteries Aluminium filter membrane housings x10 Filters Extra hose
Nalgene bottles Bleach Decontamination Bottle Rinse bottle Forceps/tweezers
95% ethanol Colman cooler Ice Silica beads
Coin envelopes Ziploc snack bags -medium Ziploc snack bags -large Nitrile gloves
3 jars/bowl/cups – – –


Table 5: CABIN Equipment Checklist - SEE NOTE ABOVE FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
CABIN Equipment Checklist
clinometer field vest (surveyors) note book GPS
phone/camera Waders Wading Boots (Rubber-soled only) Turbidity Meter LaMotte 2020e
bucket rigid x 2 sharpies wader disinfectant kit GPS batteries
Colman cooler Ice Ziploc snack bags -medium CABIN field sheets
clipboard Gloves (rubber, neoprene) Inside bottle waterproof label - use waterproof paper Duct tape and tool kit
Densiometer Velocity metre OR Meter stick Measuring Tape 15 or 30cm ruler
Hand Level Calculator Tent pegs CABIN Benthic Kick Net
Sieve White tray Squeeze Bottles Spoon/tweezers
Bucket Cabin sample jars Formalin –


Table 6: Truck Equipment Checklist - SEE NOTE ABOVE FOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Equipment
Hand saw radio truck Satelite communicator first aid kit level 1
polaski shovel fire extinguisher backpack truck tow rope
truck/car jack Battery booster Compressor 12V pilon x 2
Tow strap cloth or paper towel – –


Nearest Hospitals

University Hospital of Northern British Columbia - 1475 Edmonton St., Prince George, BC V2M 1S2 - 250-565-2000

Figure 1: University Hospital of Northern British Columbia - 1475 Edmonton St., Prince George, BC V2M 1S2 - 250-565-2000


Emergency Response Plan

New Graph Environment’s detailed emergency response procedures can be found here. These procedures should be reviewed and an emergency response plan should be completed for each job site. Our Emergency Responce Plan template can be downloaded here.


Driving

We will be driving on forest service roads where it is essential to exercise caution and adhere strictly to all radio use protocols to ensure our safety. Proper communication on these roads helps prevent accidents by keeping everyone informed about vehicle movements and road conditions. Please review the resource road safety and radio use sections of our Health and Safety plan so that everyone stays safe.


Field Plan

Fieldwork will focus on baseline monitoring in the Nechako River, Upper Fraser River, Morkill River, and Francois Lake watershed groups, and fish passage (Phase 1) and habitat confirmation (Phase 2) assessments in the Tabor River, Willow River, Lower Salmon River. Activities will include electrofishing at permitted sites and the collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. Crews from McLeod Lake Indian Band and other partners will support the fieldwork.


Fieldwork methods will result in products feeding reporting formats such as our 2023/2024 report. We generally follow procedures in:


Information on fish presence/absence, species composition, density, and distribution limits is useful for prioritizing crossings for fish passage restoration and informing follow-up monitoring. To support this, electrofishing, minnow trapping, and eDNA sampling may be conducted where appropriate. Standard Fish and Fish Habitat Inventory Field Forms (site cards) are used to collect habitat data. The field guide for completing these forms is available here.


Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging equipment is available and may be used to mark fish captured at electrofishing sites. Tagging can support long-term monitoring by providing data on population size and fish movement upstream and downstream of crossings. An overview of the tagging process is available here. To anesthetize fish prior to PIT tagging, we use a clove oil solution at 0.1mL/L (1:10,000), which provides effective sedation with minimal residual effects (Fernandes et al. 2017). The solution is prepared by dissolving clove oil in ethyl alcohol at a 1:9 ratio before mixing into water (Fernandes et al. 2017).


Digital field forms are used to collected data, utilizing Mergin Maps, which syncs with QGIS and supports offline use. Instructions for setting up Mergin Maps and using the digital field forms can be found in the Fish Passage Guidebook. Users should send their Mergin usernames to enable project sharing and form access.


A field guide to freshwater fish identification, such as Field Key to the Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia by McPhail and Carveth (1993), can be useful during fieldwork. It is available for download here.


Check In Procedures

Call, text, or InReach Tara Stark (2505059854) each morning to share the plan for the day (i.e. name of roads and sites). Check in time is before 7pm each evening although we regularly check in throughout the day (ex. at arrival to site, 1pm and 4pm) on the InReach or by text and report position/provide updates.


Procedures for Failed Check-In - for Check in person

Procedures are summarized in Figure 2. If phone call or InReach check-in is not received by 7pm send text to InReach units, call or text cell phones of field crew members. If no response please call accommodations then personal emergency contacts to see if they have heard anything. Wait 1 hour and text InReach, text or call cell phones and personal emergency contacts and accommodations again. Repeat after 2 hours (9 pm) - if no response then notify the RCMP of a missing persons in field.


Procedures for failed check-in

Figure 2: Procedures for failed check-in




Map of potential sampling areas.

Figure 3: Map of potential sampling areas.


Table 7: Potential Phase 1 assessment, Phase 2 assessment, and Electrofishing Locations
id stream_name utm_zone utm_easting utm_northing watershed_group_code pscis_assessment_comment
7622 Unn Flows Into Fraser Lake 10 388738 5997154 FRAN Pipe is a potential barrier to fish passage - failed threshold for length, gradient, not embedded, constricted inlet, Inlet drop, and outlet drop. There are bars vertically agains the inlet and the sies of the stream are eroding around them.
126267 Stephanie Cr. 10 583374 5911978 WILL –
126290 Hay Creek 10 537250 5991350 WILL –
126316 Wansa Creek 10 551588 5970657 WILL –
196051 Unnamed 10 526285 5978523 TABR –
196072 Cale Creek 10 522679 5956610 TABR –
196085 Tabor Creek 10 518502 5962002 TABR Fish observed at outlet.
196151 Cale Creek 10 524160 5957999 TABR Beaver dam at inlet.
196201 Haggith Creek 10 521127 5965112 TABR 14m fill depth.
196207 Hudson Bay Slough 10 516996 5972733 TABR Outlet control.
196264 Parkridge Creek 10 515025 5966533 TABR –
196328 Archer Creek 10 573972 5894796 WILL –
196340 Slough Creek 10 590481 5882133 WILL –
199171 Tributary To Fraser Lake 10 388945 5997015 FRAN Very nice stream with good flow and abundant gravels upstream and downstream. Landowner indicated sockeye spotted along shoreline years ago. Massive outlet drop. Deserves habitat confirmation and consideration for replacement if no natural barriers upstream. There is a PSCIS assessed site (assessment_id = 7622) upstream that is a barrier. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1790951. 12:12:56
199172 Scotch Creek 10 388276 5996951 FRAN Very nice little stream with excellent flow for this time of year on a dry year. Crossing downstream on Gala Bay Road was fully embedded and passible at the time of the assessment. There is a historic chinook observation within this stream. This could be valuable Chinook rearing habitat and connectivity within the system should be restored, should no natural barriers be observed on a habitat confirmation assessment. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1794198, 1794199. 12:47:26
199173 Tributary To Nechako River 10 398947 5996427 NECR Very nice stream with excellent flow for this time of year on a dry year. Very large deep outlet pool with extensive erosion undercutting the main pipe and 0.6 m overflow. Locally known as Dog Creek. Chinook captured upstream and downstream of Dog Creek FSR in 2021, 2022, and 2023 reported here https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/acat/public/viewReport.do?reportId=62942. Connected to the Nechako River with observed chinook points downstream adjacent to the confluence. Road edge is failing at the culvert and eroding into stream. Highly degraded site upstream that would be a good candidate for restoration. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1794340. 13:43:26
199190 Clear Creek 10 425559 5996140 NECR High value habitat, wide channel with good flow and gravels. Known chinook system downstream. Culvert is very damaged near outlet. There are holes on bottom of pipe about 5m from outlet where water is running through and under the pipe. Culvert is angled down near outlet. Good candidate for replacement. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1806163. 12:15:10
199237 Snowshoe Creek 10 650784 5934858 MORK High value spawning and rearing habitat upstream. Massive outlet pool with erosion indicates culvert is extremely under sized. Candy et al 2002 notes chinoook spawning in this system. MoTi chris_hwy_structure_road_id: 3751. 17:54:33
199260 Tributary To Sugarbowl Creek 10 587921 5972449 MORK Large stream with abundant gravels present upstream suitable for spawning. Massive outlet drop with powerline riparian cleared downstream of the highway. Old growth cedar hemlock riparian within Sugar bowl grizzly den provincial park. Follow up with habitat confirmation recommended. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1992815. 11:30:20
199267 Driscoll Creek 10 606373 5965784 MORK Big beaver dam near inlet of culvert spanning across whole channel approx 1.2m high. Boulders in pipe near inlet creating small drop and increasing velocity. Channel widens downstream, high value habitat. RB and CCG confirmed upstream and downstream with chinook observed way downstream at mouth. Low gradient upstream and downsteram with decent outlet drop so resampling to determine chinook presence could be insightful. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1992674. 14:54:00
199278 Teepee Creek 11 344022 5862734 UFRA Very nice stream with salmon point in FISS located upstream. Very good flow with some pools present to 80cm deep upstream. Unassessed railway crossing approximately 200m upstream. There is no crossing at the pipeline but construction activities have resulted in a small cascade of boulders at the pipe which is similar to the natural cascade section observed approximately 50m upstream. Railway crossing downstream which is ranked as a barrier. MoTi chris_culvert_id: 1467202. 12:56:09
12200024 – 10 515409 5989806 LSAL –
12202167 – 10 496209 5999657 LSAL –
19702777 – 10 517279 5936628 TABR –
19703257 Tabor Creek 10 518845 5961982 TABR –
19703286 Bittner Creek 10 521864 5976392 TABR –
19703295 – 10 526448 5985791 TABR –
19703303 Bertschi Creek 10 522978 5980978 TABR –
19703358 Trapping Creek 10 520105 5935908 TABR –
24400646 Rucheon Creek 10 577020 5886032 WILL –
24401504 Tsadestsa Creek 10 536470 5981315 WILL –
24401692 – 10 541465 5981577 WILL –
24402183 – 10 541358 5981709 WILL –
24723694 Cale Creek 10 521645 5955176 TABR –
24723695 Red Rock Creek 10 521513 5949553 TABR –
24727190 Wansa Creek 10 556416 5962053 WILL –


References

Fernandes, I. M., Y. F. Bastos, D. S. Barreto, L. S. Lourenço, and J. M. Penha. 2017. “The Efficacy of Clove Oil as an Anaesthetic and in Euthanasia Procedure for Small-Sized Tropical Fishes.” Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista Brasleira De Biologia 77 (3): 444–50. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.15015.
Fish Passage Technical Working Group. 2011. “A Checklist for Fish Habitat Confirmation Prior to the Rehabilitation Fo a Stream Crossing.” https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/land-based-investment/forests-for-tomorrow/checklist-for-fish-habitat-confirmation-201112.pdf.
McPhail, J. D., and R Carveth. 1993. “Field Key to the Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia.” https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/nr-laws-policy/risc/field_key_to_freshwater_fishes_of_bc_field_size_water_resistant_version.pdf.
Ministry of Environment. 2011. “Field Assessment for Determining Fish Passage Status of Closed Bottom Structures.” BC Ministry of Environment (MoE). https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/land-based-investment/forests-for-tomorrow/field-assessment-for-determining-fish-passage-status-of-cbs.pdf.