Coleman Creek Watershed Profile

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)

Before mid-1800’s -North Vancouver District was inhabited by Coast Salish peoples
Hastings Creek and its numerous tributaries make up the prime spawning area for most of the Lynn’s migratory runs of cutthroat, steelhead, coho and chinook
1860’s - The first significant non-native settlement began. The Lynn-Hastings community is the 2^nd oldest on the North Shore
1870-1926 – Old growth forest in Lynn Valley logged (trees over 90 m. high & 11 m. in circumference)
1902 – Keith Road built opening up Western Seymour for development?.
1958 – Second Narrows Bridge opens

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

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 Demsey 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

Municipal Gov’t: District of North Vancouver (DNV); District Parks Department; Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre
Regional: GVRD (regional parks, sewers and air quality); GVWD
Provincial Gov’t: Ministry of Transportation and Highways; Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
Federal Gov’t: Department of Fisheries and Oceans; Environment Canada; Transport Canada
Local NGO’s: North Shore Streamkeepers; North Shore Fish and Game Club; Pacific Streamkeepers Federation; Lynn Valley Community Association
BC Hydro
School District 44
North (Shore/Vancouver) Historical Society

The issue of the wooden dam in the creek needs to be addressed – especially as the structure is aging (Streamkeepers)

Map: TRIM/UTM - BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
Map: District of North Vancouver
Bouton, Cherry. (2000). North Shore History www.cherrybouton.com/nshistory.html
Clark, B. (1985). Hastings Creek Habitat Evaluation. MoE: Fish and Wildlife Branch. Surrey, B.C.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans. (1989). Stream Summary Catalogue.
District of North Vancouver. (2001). GIS Database.
District of North Vancouver. Lynn Valley Official Community Plan
District of North Vancouver. (1974). "Summer Project: A Study of Fish Habitats". North Vancouver: District of North Vancouver.
Draycot, Walter. (1912). "Lynn Valley: From the Wilds of Nature to Civilization". North Vancouver.
Gabby. "Logging History of the North Shore". (1994). North Vancouver: Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre Library.
The Lynn-Seymour Rivers and the Hastings Stream: Geologic History of Their Origin.
Maynard, Denny. (1977). Guidebook for Geologic Field Trips in the Lynn Canyon-Seymour Area of North Vancouver. Dept. of Geologic Science, UBC.
Methven, Sharon. (1987). "Bio-Physical Survey of Lower Lynn Creek and Tributaries". North Vancouver: Lynnmour Community School Association.
Stevens, Victoria and A. Eriksson. "Current Trends Along the Lower Fraser River". Government of Canada. Vancouver, 1997.
Steward, Barry. "Lynn Valley’s Creeks and Fish Habitats". (1975). North Vancouver: Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre.
Wheeler, Lynn. (March 12, 1975). ‘Copy of a talk given by Lynn Wheeler’. Housed at the North Shore Archives.

Coleman Creek WatershedProfile