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[chris gadsden]

It looks like the gravel excavation projects on Lower Gill of this year have changed the flow in the Peg Leg area when I looked at it today. It seems that the current has cut a deeper channel in the river bed than it was in previous seasons.

[lovetofish]

Why would you say that gravel extraction was the reason for changes at Peg Leg? This river is a living thing and since it is held between the rocked banks, it routinely moves around in its confined space. Bars are built up and then they are washed away. The river cannot move Hopyard mountain or Woodside Mountain so it wanders around between them. The bar across from the tunnel has been receding for several years and the main channel has moved from the Agassiz side back to the Chilliwack side. When we have a low freshet year like this year, most of the channel changes will be in existing channels.

[Morty]

Thanks for posting that Chris - I ran my boat part way up that part of the river last weekend and the sounder showed 4'-6' of water along the dike at the north end of McSween.  Although it's far too deep to wade or drive across, it may be deep enough for fish to run through.  There were a couple of bar rods setup there.

I agree with lovetofish  about not blaming the gravel extraction.  The extraction out of Jespersen's was nowhere near that channel, nor anywhere near the upstream end of that channel.  The gravel extraction was upstream (east) of Jespersen's.  The river below the extraction: passes the slough at Jespersen's, runs past a large farm, then mainflow shifts north around a major point of land before this channel we're discussing ever starts.  The start of the channel you've mentioned actually runs south-west from that point whereas the river flow would be tending north due to the obstructing point of land.  If anything, I would say the extra flow causing this channel to deepen is being caused by the main channel (from Jespersen's to Harrison) becoming filled in and shallower.  My soundings through the traditional main channel show it being a couple of feet shallower than last year.  The river is moving.

[Robert_G]

I've lived in Chilliwack my whole life, and have watched the river change from time to time.
It won't be long before the main river channel runs along balam road to the Island 22 boat launch. Right now, the main channel that goes past the Harrision is filling with gravel. The area I'm talking about is at Pegleg where the river splits into 2 channels. As soon as you go West of the split...the water is extremely shallow and is filling in more each year.

[chris gadsden]

Why would you say that gravel extraction was the reason for changes at Peg Leg? This river is a living thing and since it is held between the rocked banks, it routinely moves around in its confined space. Bars are built up and then they are washed away. The river cannot move Hopyard mountain or Woodside Mountain so it wanders around between them. The bar across from the tunnel has been receding for several years and the main channel has moved from the Agassiz side back to the Chilliwack side. When we have a low freshet year like this year, most of the channel changes will be in existing channels.

I am only go by what some scientist and others have told me, once you start interfering with a river many different scenarios arise. Of course scientists differ on lots of things. The channel movement you mention is a prime example of what gravel removal will do as those that study rivers say this was the cause and much good spawning habitat has now been lost.

Remember Island 22 campground was there for years but once major gravel extraction started erosion happened big time and now the channel above is hard to navigate later in the season. Of course over hundred's of years lots of things change but once man gets involved things happen faster.

At one time around Yale the glaciers were a mile thick and the Fraser did not flow where it is now.

I am not an authority on this at all just repeating what people that should know have once again told me.

[lovetofish]

I am only go by what some scientist and others have told me, once you start interfering with a river many different scenarios arise. Of course scientists differ on lots of things. The channel movement you mention is a prime example of what gravel removal will do as those that study rivers say this was the cause and much good spawning habitat has now been lost.

Remember Island 22 campground was there for years but once major gravel extraction started erosion happened big time and now the channel above is hard to navigate later in the season. Of course over hundred's of years lots of things change but once man gets involved things happen faster.

At one time around Yale the glaciers were a mile thick and the Fraser did not flow where it is now.

I am not an authority on this at all just repeating what people that should know have once again told me.

So many people see nature as a picture, when in fact they should realize they are looking at a parade. Nature and the Fraser River are constantly changing. In the late 1800s or early 1900s there was supposed to be a 80 acre cherry orchard out from the tunnel. It wasn't gravel removal that caused this orchard to be washed away, it was the power of the river.  Many acres of land have been washed away on the north side of the river in Agassiz in my lifetime before the riprapping was placed in the late 60s or early 70s. Look at how close the river is to Norm Knott's chicken barn below Jesperson. There used to be a lot of field between his barn and the river. To blame this on gravel removal would not make sense either.  Sometimes a big stump or small sandbar that builds up and collects debris can cause a change in river hydraulics and the direction of flow will change slightly causing one bar to be built up and one to be washed downstream.  Check out the Chehalis.
  
The river used to be dredged to maintain a main channel but that has stopped and now the river is free to wander within its rocked banks.  And it will.

[Morty]

Good discussion guys - helps others and newer fishiers understand the river a little better.

We likely all hear stories about: my dad used to do really well at X channel, or my uncle caught lots at Y bar but it's changing every year.  Reading these forums can really help everyone have better understandings and better days on the flow. The constant change is why it's called "Fishing" instead of being named "Catching."

[chris gadsden]

I will seek some information from the scientific people before I comment further.

[chris gadsden]

Not sure if I posted this before.
http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/top-stories/2010/06/03/gravel-extraction-bc039s-fraser-river

[lovetofish]

Nobody should disagree that the Ferry Island debacle of a few years ago was a disaster that never should have happened. Most of the other dry bar gravel removal operations require many reports by different engineers and experts before they are allowed to procede. Blocking a river channel or operating in water is taboo. Site monitors are required.
 The one gravel operator I am near, on Hamilton Bar, levels his removal area at the end of the removal so there are no holes or edges to change the water flow other than depth.  I have seen this bar revert back to pre gravel removal level once we have had another spring freshet, each time gravel has been allowed to be removed. Once the water level covers the bar, the gravel will once again be suitable for fish habitat, but sooner than if the river had to rise a few feet higher to cover the bar.