The Tsilhqot鈥檌n National Government says river conditions are 鈥渟lowly improving鈥� after the massive landslide that temporarily dammed the Chilcotin River last month, but salmon spawning activity is being delayed.
An update from the Tsilhqot鈥檌n emergency salmon task force says debris and sediment from the slide are 鈥渄ramatically鈥� impacting sockeye and Chinook salmon spawning runs.
The task force鈥檚 latest situation report says observations from a helicopter show the river flow is 鈥渆vening out,鈥� and murky conditions are getting better, though the flow is still much higher than normal.
The report says the improving conditions are only part of a 鈥渃omplex puzzle,鈥� and fish likely still lack an 鈥渦nimpeded鈥� path at the slide site.
It says fish monitoring equipment has only detected 31 Chinook and 16 sockeye passing through the slide site at a time when thousands of sockeye should be moving through.
The task force says some fish populations made it through to their spawning grounds before the slide, and others make their runs later in the year.
It says it鈥檚 hoped fish make it past the slide zone without intervention 鈥渦nless absolutely necessary.鈥�
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