30007120 - Prepare an Environmental Flow Needs (EFN) assessment for the Nanaimo River on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

This Statement of Work invites qualified consultants or organizations (the “Contractor”) to conduct a comprehensive EFN assessment for the Nanaimo River on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

The project is a component of the rebuilding planning process for Nanaimo Spring and Summer Chinook, led in partnership between Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Snuneymuxw First Nation (SFN). Funded under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI), the project aims to support the recovery and long-term sustainability of these Chinook populations. The primary goal is to develop flow management recommendations for the Nanaimo River Flow Committee (NRFC) to support fish and fish habitat throughout the watershed.

The primary focus of this EFN assessment is on the rearing, spawning, and migration needs of Nanaimo River Spring and Summer Chinook. The study will also incorporate ecosystem-level considerations - such as flow requirements for other aquatic species, habitat connectivity, water quality – where they directly support or inform flow recommendations for Spring and Summer Chinook and contribute to overall watershed health. This approach ensures that flow recommendations are ecologically robust within the constraints of the project scope.

Tasks

The Contractor must incorporate the following elements within the EFN assessment:

Detailed hydrologic assessment of the Nanaimo River to characterize return flows, low flows, and mean annual discharge (MAD). This assessment should consider climate change and its implications for EFN thresholds.

Undertake to acquire transects spanning five (5) flows at or near to 5,10,15,20, 25% of MAD at a minimum of five (5) locations.

Indigenous knowledge (IK) and cultural flow needs, particularly those of the Snuneymuxw First Nation (SFN).

Habitat-specific flow requirements, with emphasis on sensitive habitat types (e.g., prioritizing riffles).

Prioritization of Critical Summer Chinook reaches and fish passage locations (see Appendix one (1) to SOW), including but limited to:

a) Critical “Summer” Chinook Spawning Reach (Immediately downstream of 1st Lake),
b) Critical “Spring” Chinook reaches above Nanaimo 2nd lake,
c) Between 1st Lake downstream to the South Fork confluence,
d) Critical adult fish passage locations at the Borehole and, White Rapids Falls,

Important reaches for Chinook and other salmonid species (see Appendix one (1) to SOW):

a) Below South Fork confluence, and
b) Beneficial to include transect(s) in the South Nanaimo River.

Reservoir operations and water storage impacts, including:

a) Flow release strategies to stimulate fish movement,
b) Temperature implications of the Low Level Outlet at 4th Lake Dam (if feasible),
c) Role of South Nanaimo River and 4th Lake reservoirs in providing cold-water refugia (if feasible).

Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria

The Contractor must provide an inception/work plan report,

The Contractor must provide a report of the data collection, raw data (including modeling files) and analysis summary,

The Contractor must provide a report of the meeting summarizing initial findings, and discussion with DFO/SFN, following a kick-off meeting with DFO and SFN,

The Contractor must provide a draft EFN assessment report,

The Contractor must provide a presentation to the DFO, Snuneymuxw and stakeholders (Flow Committee participants; Harmac Pacific, City of Nanaimo, Province of British Columbia, Regional District of Nanaimo, Mosaic Forest Management),

The Contractor must provide a final EFN assessment report with detailed methods and recommendations, report and all data will be property of DFO and may be published as a contractor’s report in DFO library.