Characteristics:

• Third largest watershed in West Vancouver
• Discharges into Capilano River just upstream of Marine Drive
• Originates on southeast side of Hollyburn Ridge, enters British Properties at the northwest corner
• Bordered by Vinson Creek and Lawson Creek watershed to the west and Hadden Creek watershed to the east
• Main tributaries: West Brothers Creek, Hadden Creek in urban area, above 610 m small east branch leads to Lost Lake (765 m), further upstream west branch leads to West Lake (855 m)
• Lakes: Elveden Lake in British Properties, West Lake and Lost Lake plus unnamed lakes and wetlands in headwaters
• Watershed developed to current upper limit of 366 m at Millstream Road, 50% of total watershed is developed
• Total impervious area over lower Brothers Creek catchment is 42%, over upper Brothers Creek-Hadden Creek watershed is 18%

History:

• Originally known locally as Sisters Creek. Confusion with other major Capilano tributary of the same name resulted in change.
• Used as water supply from July 1916. Intake at lot 1101 (213 m elevation) supplemented by the GVWD water main (connected in 1919) at the end of the Keith Road bridge over the Capilano River. The main supply passed down 11^th Avenue to Marine Drive. There were 6" headers to Queens, Mathers, Inglewood and Esquimalt Avenues
• West Lake used as water supply for the cabin area
• Hollyburn Ridge ski area and municipal cabin since the 1920’s
• Upstream spawning area restricted by highway construction in 1972 till remediation in 1998

Watershed Use:

• Residential
• Commercial: Capilano Golf Course on Hadden Creek, Hollyburn Winter Club between main and west arm of Brothers Creek, Hollyburn Ridge Nordic ski area in headwaters
• Recreational: Hollyburn Ridge cross country ski area, Trans Canada trail, Baden Powel trail, other trails, mountain biking
• Park: Cypress Provincial Park, Chartwell Park
• Cedardale Elementary School, Westcot Elementary School
• Fish:
• Chinook
• Chum
• Coho
• Pink, spawn below Taylor Way
• Cutthroat trout
• Rainbow
• Steelhead
• Wildlife: diverse populations of mammal, bird and amphibian inhabit the watershed (ie. black bear, otter, great blue heron, kingfisher, American Dipper, Tailed Frog, Ensatina, Western Red Backed Salamander)
• Several residential road crossings, Upper Level Highway, hydro lines

Concerns:

• Classified as endangered by Fisheries and Oceans Canada due to the effects of urbanization such as channelization and large amount of impermeable areas
• Morphology:
• channelization of creek and loss of tributaries through urban area
• bedrock chute 600 metres upstream of highway 1 at Southborough Road
• Water quality:
• altered through proximity to urban development and storm drain discharge
• sanitary sewer lines cross creek in approximately 15 places- potential for leakages
• Creek has problem with human predation of fish
• Future urban development, infill development and possible future expansion of commercial Nordic ski area in upper watershed, and associated problems, including:
• increase in imperviousness
• loss of wetlands and tributaries
• construction of storm drain network resulting in altered water quality and quantity
• encroachment into riparian zones
• tributary channelization, bank alteration
• increased erosion into creek

Key Interest Groups:

• West Vancouver Streamkeepers
• Federal: Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• Provincial: Ministry of Transportation and Highways; Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks
• District of West Vancouver, District Parks Department
• British Properties Area Homeowners Association
• School district 45: Westcot Elementary School, Cedardale Elementary School
• Hollyburn Country Club
• Capilano Golf and Country Club
• British Pacific Properties
• Cypress Bowl Recreation
• B.C. Hydro
• Local churches

Watershed Projects:

• Spawner surveys, 1997 to present
• Water quality sampling, North Shore Streamkeepers, 1999
• Drainage system inventory, McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd., 1998
• Side channel dug, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 1998
• Westcot pond and fishway constructed, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 1998
• Fishway installed, habitat improvement, West Brothers Creek, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1998
• Creek restoration, baffles installed in culvert, culvert entrance modified, Hadden Creek, British Pacific Properties Ltd, 1997
• Juvenile fish ladder constructed, bank planting, McBeth Tributary, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1997
• Fishway constructed in culvert under Wildwood Lane, Brothers Creek, District of West Vancouver engineering department, 1997
• Environmental study of Brothers, West Brothers and Hadden Creeks, BCIT study, 1997
• Biophysical inventory and assessment, Coast River Environmental Services Ltd., 1994
• Stocking of cutthroat trout & steelhead, 1985
• Biophysical inventory, Ministry of Environment, 1980
• Biophysical surveys, 1984-1992
• Timber bolted in herringbone pattern under Upper Levels Highway and Taylor Way, 1977

Recommendations:

• Placement of large woody debris and weir boulders in the lower reaches of West Brothers branch to improve instream cover and pool habitat
• Removal of concrete in the Hadden Creek streambed upstream of the Upper Levels Highway
• Disposal of garbage on stretches of Brothers and Hadden Creeks
• Planting of native vegetation in denuded stream banks
• Regular monitoring of sewage and water lines in and around the creek and periodic coliform sampling
• Monitoring of construction in the British Properties as well as below the highway to protect riparian areas from degradation and sediment input
• Improved communication to increase awareness and foster stewardship of the creek among neighbours
• Maintenance of regular contract with government staff, Streamkeepers and other stakeholders

Available Sources of Information:

• Maps: TRIM/UTM 92G035

Web Sites:

• http://www.pskf.ca The Pacific Streamkeepers Federation
• www.bcfisheries.gov.bc.ca/fishinv/fiss.html Fisheries Information Summary System (FISS)
• www.bcfisheries.gov.bc.ca/fishinv/index.html includes FISS, Survey Data, Base Maps, Methods
• http://www-heb.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/English/maps.htm includes Fish Wizard, Fisheries Project Registry, SHIM Data with Orthophotos, Wild Threatened, Endangered and Lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley
• www.shim.bc.ca Sensitive Habitat Information and Mapping

Reports:

• District of West Vancouver Task Force Inquiry into Drainage Policies and Problems. Working Paper #3 Brothers Creek. 1977
• District of West Vancouver Drainage Survey. Dayton and Knight ltd, 1973
• Assessment of Current and Future GVS&DD Area Watershed and Catchment Conditions. Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, 1999
• Creeks in West Vancouver. Hugh Johnston?, 1990
• West Vancouver Water Supply. Muckleston, H.B., 1930
• A Place of Excellence; A Chronicle of West Vancouver 1912- 1987. Ramsey, B., 1986
• Lower Fraser Valley Stream Review, Vol. 1. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fraser River Action Plan, 1999
• Wild Threatened, Endangered and lost Streams of the Lower Fraser Valley, Summary Report. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fraser River Action Plan, 1997
• North Shore Streams- Nutrient Impacts. North Shore Streamkeepers, 1999
• Cypress Provincial Park Hydrology Study and Master Drainage Plan. McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd., 1998
• Summary of 1998 Activities. West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1998
• Revitalizing West Vancouver’s Major Remaining Salmon Stream. Brothers Creek Task Committee, 1998
• A Habitat Study of Brothers Creek and its Major Tributaries. Goody, K. and Schroeder, G., 1997
• Survey of Biophysical Features Fish Habitat and Enhancement Opportunities in Brothers Creek, West Vancouver, B.C. Coast River Environmental Services Ltd, 1994
• Anadromous Trout Production of Brothers Creek. Ministry of Environment, 1980
• Post Construction Monitoring Report- Sanitary Sewer Installation Across Brothers Creek, 1340 Taylor Way, West Vancouver. Coast River Environmental Services Ltd., 1997
• Selection of Control Rivers for the Cheakamus River Monitoring Program: A Comparative Analysis based on Time Series of Salmon and Steelhead Abundance Indices. 1995