Length:

Watershed Area:

Orientation:

Elevation Range:

Tributaries:

Originates on the forested slopes between Grouse Mountain and Fromme Mountain, flows south through the District and City of North Vancouver and Squamish Nation, discharges into Burrard Inlet.

Endangered/Declining. (ref-DFO-1998)
Mosquito Creek has been impacted by urbanization (riparian removal, channelization, high effective impermeable area, reduced/fluctuating water quantity) and storm water discharge (poor water quality). The mouth of the steam historically supported a large estuary, which has been dredged and filled, and no longer exists.

8% overall, 44% Wagg Creek

Hydrology:

Risk of further loss of quantity and increased peak flows from increased development and densification.

Stream Channel:

Has been significantly altered by flood control engineering works above the Trans Canada Highway, and below.

Water Quality:

Fish and Wildlife Habitat:

Many attributes have been eliminated by development.
Lack of refugia, for fish and aquatic animals, is a major problem in the main stem.
Fish passage upstream is blocked by Queens culvert (Thain) and Jones culvert (Wagg).

Estuary:

Most of the estuary has been lost.

Intensive Development:

Development and proposed redevelopment in the watershed increases the risk of further water quality and quantity impact from storm water, spills, encroachment, loss of riparian area, unauthorized stream works, recreational/conservation trail use conflicts and bank/channel alterations.(ref-DFO-1998)

Fish and Wildlife:

Second growth forest throughout Upper watershed.
Habitat linear in Mid and Lower watershed. Second growth forest along stream corridor, interrupted by Highway 1 and other bridges. Widest in and along ravines. A few small wetland areas. Loss of riparian due to trails all along stream bank. Outside of ravines, urban development (residential land use) dominant.
Migratory routes are North-South along stream and East-West along lanes and residential properties between Mosquito Creek and adjacent creeks and watersheds.

Human:

Upper watershed is second growth forest. Lower elevations logged prior to 1915. Upper elevations logged 1950-1970, last in 1970. Recreational ski area (toll road to top of Grouse Mountain constructed 1926), trails.
Mid and Lower watershed urban development began around 1910. Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Recreational. Heavily urbanized. Encroachment into riparian areas.
The mouth of the steam historically supported a large estuary which no longer exists.
The foreshore between Fell and Bewicke was filled and extended 500m into the inlet for industrial use (1912-1915).
The eastern part of the Mosquito Creek Estuary was filled in 1960.
Water quality problems. High impervious (44% Wagg).

Water Quality Monitoring:

Continuous monitoring for 1 year - Wagg Creek (CNV 1998)
Benthic Assessment - Mosquito Creek, Wagg Creek (GVRD 2000)

Fish Habitat:

Wagg Creek - Slot Fish Ladder 1985 (CNV)
Mosquito Creek - East Bank Back Channel 1996 (BC MoTH)
Mosquito Creek - Fish Ladder 1996 (GVRD)
Mosquito Creek - West Bank Back Channel 1998 (CNV)
Mosquito Creek - Griffin Side Channel 1998 (DFO, DNV)
Mosquito Creek - Fell Side Channel 1999 (DFO, CNV)
Thain Creek - Daylight Thain Culvert 1999 (CNV)
Thain Creek - Fish Baffles Westview Culvert 1999 (CNV)
Upper Mission Creek - Fish Baffles Cartelier Culvert 2000 (DNV)
Thain Creek - Fish Ladder 2003 (DNV)
Thain Creek - Fish Baffles Queens Culvert 2003 (DNV)

Fish Management::

Spawner Survey - 1995-2003 (MCSS) 1998 (DFO)
Fish Sample - 1996-2002 (CNV), 1998 (MCSS), 2000 (DFO), 2003 (DFO)
Fish Ladder Maintenance - 1996-2004 (MCSS)

Revegetation:

Mosquito Creek - East Bank Slope Stabilization and Planting 1995 (CNV)
Mosquito Creek Park - Trail Entry 2000 (CNV)
Thain Creek - Slope Stabilization 2000 (DNV)
Mosquito Creek Trail 2001 (CNV), 2002 (DNV)
Mosquito Creek Lane - Bank Replanting 2003 (Evergreen Foundation)
Wagg Creek - Bank Stabilization 2003 (CNV)
Mahon Park - Invasive Removal and Replanting 2003 (CNV & Evergreen Foundation)

Mapping:

GIS - Streams, Streets, Schools, Parcels, Contour (DNV),
Streets, Parcels, Buildings, Streams, Catchments, Contour (CNV)
GPS - All streams 1997 (DNV)
Orthophotos - All lands 1995 (CNV, DNV)
Stream Features - measurements, photos - Mosquito Creek, Thain Creek 1997 (NSK/MCSS)
Stream Erosion Points - photos - Mosquito, Wagg, Lower Mission, MacKay Creek 1998 (CNV)
ESA - Identification and Mapping 1997 (CNV)

Federal:

Canada Coast Guard, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Provincial:

Province of BC - MWLAP, MoT, MoSRM

Municipal:

City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver

Other:

Squamish Nation, Vancouver Port Authority

Schools:

School District 44 (10) Private (2)

Residents Associations:

Courthouse Area Residents' Association
Delbrook Community Association
Edgemont Community Association
Lonsdale Citizens' Association
Mosquito Creek Neighbourhood Association
Queensdale Ratepayers Association
Upper Delbrook Community Association
Federation of North Vancouver Community Associations (FONVCA)

Business Associations:

Lower Lonsdale Business Association

Interest Groups:

Community - North Shore Historical Society, North Shore Search and Rescue, RCMP Block Watch
Environment - Mosquito Creek Stewardship Society, North Shore Fish and Game Club, North Shore Streamkeepers, Vancouver Natural History Society, Wild Bird Trust
Recreation - North Vancouver Recreation Commission, North Vancouver Sport Council, Outdoor Recreation Council

City of North Vancouver

604 - 985-7761

www.cnv.org

District of North Vancouver

604 - 987-7131

www.dnv.org

Lower Fraser River - Strategic Review
DFO
1998-99
(Contains errors)

Wild, Threatened, Endangered and Lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley - Summary Report 1997
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
1998
Prepared by: Precision Identification Biological Consultants, Vancouver, BC

Protection of Aquatic and Riparian Habitat by Local Governments - An Inventory of Measures Adopted in the Lower Fraser Valley, 1995
Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Fraser River Action Plan
1995
Prepared by: Quadra Planning Consultants, West Vancouver, BC

Fish Habitat Inventory & Information Program
Stream Summary Catalogue - Subdistrict #28A Vancouver
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
April 1989

Report on Creek Systems and Storm Water Control - Summary Report
District of North Vancouver
1982
Prepared by: Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd., North Vancouver, BC

Parks of North Vancouver
City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver
1998
Access: Municipal Hall - District of North Vancouver, City Hall - City of North Vancouver

Orthophotos - District of North Vancouver
1995
Access: Municipal Hall, District of North Vancouver

Historical Aerial Photographs
Access: UBC Geography Department Library

TRIM Map: 92G035
Access: BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Mosquito Creek Watershed

www.mosquitocreek.org/maps.shtml