Characteristics

• Coleman Creek is a tributary of Thames Creek and flows into Thames between Church St. and Upton Road north of Lynn Valley Road.
• Originates north of McNair Drive near the intersection of McNair and Mountain Highway.
• bordered by Thames (east) and Kilmer (west) Creeks.
• 21% impervious area in watershed (GVRD, 1999).

Watershed Use

• Fish: coho as far as Frederick Road and cuttroat as far as Wellington Drive.
• Vegetation: Coastal Western Hemlock Zone
• Wildlife – besides providing habitat for various species, the riparian corridor serves as a travel corridor.
• Residential

Concerns

• Coho head found in creek; the head had been cut off with a knife –Fall 2000 (Streamkeepers)
• Homeowners in area have pipe discharging substances into the creek.
• Water quality – 27 storm drains discharge into Coleman.
• The area has been highly urbanized. Coleman has been culverted and channelized and many landowners have removed the vegetation protecting the creek and/or built structures in or close to the creek.
• Culverts at and above McNair Drive, Mill Street and a channelized cement flume above Dempsey Road are likely impassable to fish.
• Wooden structure in creek acts as dam and is preventing the passage of fish. Wood is aging and in danger of giving way.

Watershed Projects

• The North Shore Streamkeepers have just begun conducting spawner surveys (2000).
• School District released fry above Lynn Valley Road.
• 1997 – GIS mapping - District of North Vancouver