Two wetland restoration projects in British Columbia have passed a real-world test. When spring snowmelt and rain raised the Kootenay and Columbia rivers, water moved into floodplains that had recently been reconnected to the rivers.
At North Bummers Flats near Cranbrook and Moberly Marsh near Golden, restoration teams opened sections of old dikes and changed the sites from heavily managed wetlands into more natural floodplains.
The first phases restored 155 hectares at North Bummers and 57 hectares at Moberly Marsh. During the high water, the floodplains slowed and spread some of the flow across shallow water, marsh, and shrub habitat.
Ducks Unlimited Canada is working with ʔaq̓am, the Nature Trust of BC, the Province of British Columbia, and BC Parks. Teams will keep monitoring the sites to guide future restoration.
