Brothers Creek

Complete Profile

Brothers Creek Watershed

Area: 5.63 km²
Length: 6.9 km
Orientation: Northwest-southeast
Elevation range: 10 – 1060 m

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

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