Eagle Creek

Complete Profile

Eagle Creek
Watershed

Area: 3.8 km²
Length: 2.21 km
Orientation: Northeast-southwest
Elevation Range: 0-460 m

Characteristics:

Twelfth largest watershed in West Vancouver
Discharges into Burrard Inlet at Eagle Harbour
Originates near Eagle Lake
Bordered by Nelson Creek, Cypress Creek and Wood Creek watersheds
Main tributary is Wood Creek at 140 metres from mouth
Twenty-seven percent of watershed lies between Upper Levels highway and Marine Drive

History:

Named for the large number of eagles which nested in this area
Proposed sawmill at the mouth of Eagle Creek was never completed and later the foundations were used for a fish cannery which burned in June 1910
Keith Road was constructed through West Vancouver to Eagle Harbour in 1892

Watershed use:

Fish: chum salmon, coho salmon to Marine Drive, cutthroat trout
Wildlife: diverse populations of mammal, bird and amphibians (i.e. otter, mink, black bear, coyote, Great Blue Herron, Kingfisher, American Dipper tailed frog, Western Red Backed Salamander, Ensatina)

Concerns:

Classified as threatened by Fisheries and Oceans Canada due to impact of urbanization
Infill development and future development in the 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
Creek channelization, bank alteration
Increased erosion into creek

siltation potential from BC Ferries rock sorting platform adjacent to riparian zone, between upper Westport Road and Upper Levels Highway
altered through proximity to urban development and storm drain discharge
potential sewage leaks: two sewage lift stations in the watershed (on Eagle Harbour Road and Gallagher Place), and at least two sewer line crossings of the creek
potential for contamination in the harbour at the mouth of the creek from Eagle Harbour Yacht Club boats

channelization through urban areas
culverted near mouth, under Marine Drive and Daffodil Lane and under several private driveways, and extensive culverting (550+ m) under Westhaven Wynd, Upper Levels highway and Westport Road.

Damming of Eagle Lake may have cut off high water overflow contribution to Eagle Creek

Key Interest Groups:

West Vancouver Streamkeepers
Federal: Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Provincial: Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks; Ministry of Transportation and Highways
District of West Vancouver, District Parks Department
Community associations
Eagle Harbour Yacht Club
BC Rail

Watershed Projects:

Digitized map of urban watershed including storm drain network, SHIM website, 2001
Turnbuckle-style baffles installed in culvert at mouth of creek to improve fish access to Marine Drive and rock steps at mouth reworked, Coast Environmental Services, 2000
Stocked with coho and chum fry, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, from 1991
Construction of diversion pipes from Eagle Lake to augment low summer flow, not yet in use, District of West Vancouver, 1999
Water quality samples taken, North Shore Streamkeepers, 1999
Spawner surveys, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1997 onwards
Stream survey, West Vancouver Streamkeepers, 1997
Series of drops and pools created at the mouth to improve access for fish, 1979

Available Sources of Information:

Maps: TRIM/UTM 92G034

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 Summary
www.elp.gov.bc.ca:8000/pls/wtrwhse/water_licences.input water licence information

Reports:

District of West Vancouver Drainage Survey. Dayton and Knight Ltd., 1973
Task Force Inquiry into Drainage Policies and Problems. District of West Vancouver, 1977.
Creeks in West Vancouver. Hugh Johnston? 1990
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
Habitat Compensation for 5674 Westport Road Development, West Vancouver, B.C. Coast River Environmental Services Ltd, 2000
North Shore Streams- Nutrient Impacts. North Shore Streamkeepers, 1999
Fish Habitat Inventory and Information Program, Stream Information Summary. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 1989