GMSMON-17 WILLISTON RESERVOIR TRIBUTARY - BC Hydro

May 22, 2012
Report No. 1114920016-R-Rev0-2000 5
GMSMON-17 WILLISTON RESERVOIR TRIBUTARY HABITAT
REVIEW
The key management questions relating to the amphibian inventory and abundance section of the Tributary
Habitat Review monitoring program are:
1) Does amphibian abundance and diversity in tributaries change as a result of enhancement?; and,
2) Does tributary enhancement change the area and quality of amphibian breeding habitat over time? If so, is
the area and quality maintained over time?
The primary sampling objective of the amphibian inventory and abundance task is to address the management
questions posed above by collecting data for the study areas necessary to draw inferences and to test the
following null hypothesis’ that:
� Ho: Amphibian abundance and diversity in and near tributaries does not change following tributary
enhancement; and,
� Ho: Total amphibian breeding area does not change following enhancement.
1.1.3 Songbird Inventory and Abundance
Waterfowl and bird of prey monitoring was conducted in the reservoir during 2000 and 2003 (Booth and
Corbould 2003, Corbould and Hengeveld 2000, respectively). The breeding period for passerines (songbirds) is
thought to be from May to July in the area surrounding the Williston Reservoir (RIC 1999). Due to the fact that
there have been limited surveys of songbirds in the Williston Reservoir area, the Tributary Monitoring Program of
selected tributaries aimed to complete reconnaissance surveys for songbirds to provide baseline information to
test whether proposed enhancement works would affect songbird abundance and diversity.
The key management question relating to the songbird inventory and abundance portion of the tributary habitat
review monitoring program is: does abundance and diversity of songbirds (passerines) around tributaries change
as a result of enhancement? The primary sampling objective of the songbird inventory and abundance task is to
address the management question posed above by collecting data necessary to draw inferences and to test the
following null hypothesis:
� Ho: Songbird abundance and diversity near tributaries does not change following tributary enhancement.
1.1.4 Vegetation
The key management question relating to the riparian vegetation section of the Tributary Habitat Review
monitoring program is: does riparian vegetation along tributaries increase in abundance and diversity as a result
of enhancement? The primary sampling objective of the riparian vegetation task is to address the management
question posed above by collecting data necessary to draw inferences and to test the following null hypothesis:
� Ho: Riparian vegetation abundance and diversity in and near tributaries does not change following
enhancement to tributaries.