VIDEO: Langley Township has engineered several thriving ecosystems for its 1600 kilometres of watercourses
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The video and story below are reproduced with thanks to the Metro Vancouver Regional District. As part of its Metro Vancouver Close Up program, the region produces a monthly video series that highlights how local leaders advance sustainability and regional goals.
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A special kind of culvert on Yorkson Creek has a unique feature – allowing for easier passage for spawning salmon
A culvert upgrade was needed where Yorkson Creek passes under 86 Avenue but instead of the usual round shape, the replacement in 2016 was square.
Justin St. Andrassy, the Township’s Environmental Coordinator explains that the previous narrow culvert caused water to rush through and made it difficult for fish to swim through. The new culvert has angled baffles on the bottom side which creates a meandering watercourse.
Up the road at 84 Ave is Yorkson Pond, which was engineered to manage stormwater in the developing residential area, and at a 3rd site, on Glover Road, a farm field has been gradually turned into a vibrant creek.
St. Andrassy says the work started in 2009 and was phased over several years. “We installed pool and ripple sequences, habitat features, large woody debris, and we planted the entire restoration zone with native plantings over several years. This now has never flooded the farm or the property as it used to.”
Justin St. Andrassy, Township of Langley