Mill Creek Riparian Management Plan

2011

$95,000

$25,000

While reviewing its planning processes, the City of Kelowna identified a number of anticipated essential infrastructure projects that would have the ability to significantly impact Mill Creek’s channel, water quality, and productive capacity for fish habitat. The Mill Creek Riparian Management Plan was initiated to estimate future compensation needs for no net loss to Mill Creek habitat within city limits. Existing conditions along the creek corridor were evaluated and areas in need of protection and restoration were identified. Also identified were areas of possible mitigation or compensation, sustainable strategies to minimize storm water runoff, and the locations of any land acquisitions necessary for compensation areas. The Habitat Balance Worksheet was developed as a tool to quantify proposed areas to be restored or projects to be used as compensation for encroachment by development, and to record actual areas of improvement. The final report titled “Mill Creek Infrastructure Impact Management Strategy” is a comprehensive document that identifies science-based strategies to increase biodiversity of the creek and neutralize the impact of municipal infrastructure projects. It will serve as a template for creek corridor management plans within the Okanagan Basin as it sets a framework of high level guiding principles for how individual civic infrastructure projects should proceed along creek corridors, including priority locations for riparian mitigation using a creek system wide approach.