Cottonwood Island Park Side Channel
Restored: Year-Round Flow Returns to Salmon Habitat
Cottonwood Island Park is one of Prince George’s most cherished natural spaces — a place where thousands of residents and visitors walk, cycle, and connect with the Nechako River each year.
Today, this beloved park is also home to a fully restored side channel that once again flows year-round, providing vital habitat for juvenile salmon and other aquatic species in the heart of the city.
Spruce City Wildlife Association (SCWA) has successfully completed the Cottonwood Island Park Side Channel Restoration Project, restoring natural function to a 1.4-kilometer side channel of the Nechako River and securing long-term fish habitat within this important urban greenspace.
A Channel Reconnected to Water
Historically, the Cottonwood side channel functioned as valuable rearing habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon and other native fish species. Over time, sediment buildup and altered river processes reduced its connection to the Nechako River.
Seasonal disconnection meant portions of the channel would lose flow as river levels dropped, leaving isolated pools where fish could become stranded, experience low oxygen, freeze in winter, or dry completely.
After four years of monitoring and fish salvages, the restoration has now returned permanent flow to the channel.
The side channel was carefully excavated below the surrounding groundwater level, ensuring water remains present even during low river conditions. This design allows the channel to maintain continuous connectivity and aquatic habitat throughout the year.
Restoring Habitat for Salmon and Aquatic Life
With year-round flow re-established, the Cottonwood side channel once again provides:
- Continuous aquatic habitat through all seasons
- Safe refuge areas for juvenile salmon during high water
- Reliable rearing habitat during summer low flows
- Reduced risk of fish stranding and mortality
- Improved habitat conditions for diverse aquatic species
This restored hydrology returns the channel to a functioning side-channel ecosystem connected to the Nechako River.
Conservation right here in Prince George
Cottonwood Island Park is unique — it is both a heavily used urban park and an ecologically significant river environment.
Restoring the side channel demonstrates how meaningful salmon habitat can exist within city landscapes when ecological function is prioritized alongside recreation and access. Visitors can now experience a living example of river restoration and salmon habitat within Prince George’s trail network.
Monitoring the Restored Channel
Although physical restoration is complete, stewardship continues.
SCWA will carry out ongoing monitoring to document how the restored channel functions over time, including:
- Fish presence and seasonal use
- Water levels and flow continuity
- Habitat conditions and channel stability
- Long-term ecological response
This monitoring ensures the restored habitat continues to meet conservation objectives and provides valuable data on urban side-channel restoration in northern British Columbia.
Volunteer Stewardship and Community Effort
Community volunteers played a vital role in bringing the Cottonwood Island Park Side Channel Restoration Project to life. Over the course of planning, monitoring, preparation, and restoration, more than 120 volunteers contributed almost 3000 hours in support of the project.
SCWA volunteers assisted with long-term habitat monitoring, fish salvage activities, site preparation, and stewardship initiatives that helped guide and support restoration implementation. Their efforts provided essential field observations, labour, and community presence throughout the project’s development and completion.
This extraordinary volunteer contribution reflects the strong community commitment to salmon conservation and healthy rivers in Prince George. The restored side channel stands not only as ecological habitat, but also as a lasting result of collective stewardship and local action.
A Community Conservation Achievement
The Cottonwood Island Park Side Channel Restoration Project reflects years of stewardship, monitoring, planning, and community support.
Through this work, SCWA has restored permanent salmon habitat within one of Prince George’s most valued public spaces — ensuring fish, wildlife, and people can benefit from a healthy Nechako River ecosystem.
This achievement represents SCWA’s mission in action:
Conservation for Future Generations.
