The Nashwaak Watershed

Make a difference, get involved.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About the Nashwaak Watershed
    • Membership
    • Partners and Supporters
    • Staff and Board of Directors
      • Board Nominations
  • News
  • Projects
    • Aquatic Connectivity
    • Campbell Creek Restoration
    • Cyanobacteria
    • Nashwaak Forest Stewardship Project
    • iNaturalist
    • The Nashwaak Greenway
    • Riverbank Stabilization
    • Watershed Monitoring
    • Water Classification
    • Education
    • Salmon Protection and Monitoring
    • Economic and Resource Development
  • Resources
    • Flood Mitigation & Community Resilience
    • Reports and Management Plans
    • State of the Nashwaak Watershed Report
    • Newsletter
    • Explore the Nashwaak
    • Natural Yard Pledge & Wildlife-Friendly Gardening
      • Build Your Own Rain Garden
    • Infographics & Education Resources
  • Action Plan
  • Events
  • Contact
    • Monthly E-blast

Campbell Creek Restoration

The Campbell Creek Restoration Project is a four-year project that started in 2019. The project is a partnership between NGOs, Wolastoqey communities and organizations, and the City of Fredericton. A major part of the restoration is the removal of the >100-year old Campbell Creek dam that was built to provide water to the Marysville Cotton Mill. The dam was undersized, a public safety liability, and has never provided fish passage.

By removing the dam and restoring access to Campbell Creek, anadromous species like Atlantic salmon will be provided with a net gain of quality spawning and rearing habitat. This will provide access to 33 km2 (over 22 km of stream length) of high-quality spawning and rearing habitat as well as a cold-water source.

Campbell Creek has now been removed – Jump to a video documenting the dam removal and restoration process.

Campbell Creek Dam, 2017

The NWAI has collected environmental, physical, and biological data at Campbell Creek since 2017. We have written a baseline conditions document that will allow us to compare pre- and post-removal conditions.

In 2020, the headpond was drawn down using gravity siphons and a notch was cut in the dam. Engineering plans were developed and the permitting process was initiated.

  • A notch was cut in the dam to prevent the headpond from filling up
  • The headpond in December 2020
  • The headpond began greening up quickly after it was drawndown
  • The headpond in October 2020

In September 2021 the Campbell Creek Dam was fully removed, and free flow to the stream was restored for the first time in 100 years. Multiple fish rescues were conducted throughout the removal process to mitigate fish mortality in the construction zone, and we were pleased to find numerous Atlantic salmon parr and American eel downstream of the dam. Requisite Watercourse and Wetland Alteration and Archeological Research permits were acquired prior to any construction work.

Due to the age of the dam and the location of the headpond along a potential paleo-shoreline that might have been utilized in the past by Wolastoqey, an archaeological survey of the site was necessary. Provincial archeologists completed 3-D photogrammetric scanning and dendrochronology of the oldest parts of the dam, which were comprised of timber. Test pitting and monitoring was carried out by Colbr Consulting prior to and during the construction process to document any evidence of historic land-use of the site.

Archeological technicians from Colbr Consulting conducting test pitting in the former headpond.

After being tested thoroughly for potential toxins and contaminants the concrete of the dam was laid to rest on-site, buried and covered in topsoil to be revegetated with grasses and trees. The newly-established stream channel was reconstructed to facilitate fish passage by roughening the stream bottom and creating a series of riffles and pools.

The newly constructed creek channel with buried dam concrete in the background. The concrete was covered in topsoil and geotextile erosion blankets, then seeded with grasses and planted with tree seedlings.

In addition, the planting of trees and shrubs to restore the former headpond to upland Acadian forest will provide approximately 6.5 acres of habitat to terrestrial species. The overarching goals of the headpond restoration were to facilitate restoration of riparian and upland forest community and structure, while allowing more vulnerable sites to revegetate naturally, as well as mitigating erosion of the streambanks and downstream sedimentation. 

The former headpond was planted with over 3000 native Acadian forest species including: red oak, eastern white pine, red spruce, yellow and white birch. Due to tricky site access, which did not allow vehicle entry into the headpond, all vegetation had to be carried into site by hand. Planting was carried out with the support of Community Forests Canada.

NWAI and Community Forests Canada staff coordinating the delivery of tree seedlings in August 2021.

In addition to tree planting, over 900 native riparian shrubs were staked and planted along the newly established river banks and the construction zone was seeded with the appropriate grass by hand to mitigate erosion and sedimentation.

Campbell Creek-post removal 2021 – looking upstream
Campbell Creek-post removal 2021 – looking downstream

Moving forward into 2022 and beyond, we will continue to plant additional riparian species along the streambanks, as needed. A heritage display commemorating the dam’s history, but most importantly aspects of the much longer history of traditional Indigenous use in the area will be installed in 2022. We will also continue to monitor biological, physical, chemical parameters to assess the impacts of this intervention through to 2024.  

Flow monitoring
eDNA for species-at-risk
CABIN Sampling
Post-removal monitoring will continue through to 2024, and will include water quality monitoring, eDNA, CABIN, and flow monitoring.

The removal of old dams is critical for restoring ecosystem health, fish habitat, and fostering climate change resiliency. A free-flowing Campbell Creek provides improved water quality, landscape connectivity, and regulation of the flow of water and sediment downstream.

Check out this video documenting the dam removal and restoration process:

The Campbell Creek Restoration Project is a partnership between the Nashwaak Watershed Association, the Maliseet Nation Conservation Council, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, St. Mary’s First Nation, the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick, and the City of Fredericton

Stay in-touch!

Donate Now

Recent News

Earth Day Actions – CBC Morning (April 21, 2022)

April 21, 2022

Campbell Creek Dam Removal

March 1, 2022

NWAI – A Year in Review

January 4, 2022

Conservationists work to save dwindling population of bur oak trees, CBC News (Dec 23, 2021)

December 23, 2021

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

NWAI on Twitter

Today on Endangered Species Day we celebrate and commit to protecting biodiversity. Please consider volunteering with us or one of wonderful NB organizations working to protect species at risk in our province. #endangeredspeciesday #protectbiodiversity #volunteer https://t.co/e68zkeGxNE

- 2 days ago

We took part in a Wilderness First Aid Course this week. Blair Doyle ran us through realistic wilderness scenarios that taught us to keep a cool head and figure it out how to care for injured people in the great outdoors. Special thanks to @MCFTfredericton for hosting us! https://t.co/qUOHs7LYDO

- 8 days ago

World Migratory Bird Day was yesterday, 2022's theme is light pollution. Migratory birds travel throughout the day and night. Consider having your outdoor lighting on a timer and or motion sensor to reduce impact in the evening hours. #migratorybirdday2022 #lightpollution https://t.co/LVB2OR3q3o

- 9 days ago

Bio-diversify your yard like landscape photographer Jason Nugent of Devon, NB! Take the NWAI "Natural Yard Pledge" and commit to 3 of our 10 pledge actions to encourage native flora and fauna on your property and in your neighborhood. #MyNashwaak #NaturalYardPledge #nativespecies https://t.co/F7z5my7hnQ

- 17 days ago

Everyday is a great day for citizen science and yesterday was no exception when Bridgette L'Heureux her daughter partnered with NWAI to install @DucksUnlimited duck boxes on Marysville flats. https://t.co/tycwIAQijn #MyNashwaak #duckboxes #citizenscience #familyvolunteering https://t.co/xI14888UT3

- 17 days ago

Follow @NashwaakWater

NWAI on Facebook

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

2 days ago

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
Today folks all over the planet are coming together on Endangered Species Day to celebrate biodiversity and further action plans to protect and support endangered species. In New Brunswick we have a growing list of species at risk who warrant our attention. These species are at risk by various combinations of habitat/resource loss and negative human interactions. This list includes but is not limited to Piping plover, Peregrine falcon, Bald Eagle, Harlequin duck, Painted turtle, Eastern leatherback turtle, Maritime ringlet butterfly, Monarch butterfly, American eel, Atlantic salmon and Canada Lynx. Efforts to protect the wild places these charismatic creatures call home is increasingly urgent with the changing climate. We can make an impact by sharing our energy and passion with our communities. Please consider volunteering with us or one of the many wonderful New Brunswick organizations working to protect the threatened habitats these creatures rely on. Nature NB Conservation Council of New Brunswick Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society New Brunswick - CPAWS NB The Nature Trust of New Brunswick Community Forests International #EndangeredSpeciesDay #protectbiodiversity #keepnaturewild #volunteer #MyNashwaak #eauNBwater ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

1 week ago

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
Ian, Mariah, Lauren and Marieka took part in a Wilderness First Aid Course in Fredericton this week. Blair Doyle ran us through realistic wilderness scenarios that taught us to keep a cool head and figure out how to care for injured people in the great outdoors. Special thanks to Maritime College of Forest Technology for hosting us! #wildernessfirstaid #eauNBwater ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

1 week ago

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
We have been busy this week at the NWAI with training and field work and so we are a day late in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day. All the same, the ways we can help with 2022's theme of light pollution are just as relevant today! Many migratory birds travel continuously throughout the day and night and the decisions we make about lighting our homes and properties matter. Consider having your outdoor lighting on a timer and or motion sensor to reduce the impact of unnatural light in the evening hours. These efforts are important as navigation by way of the stars is key to migrating birds. Tell your neighbors, share with friends, our community efforts have an impact. To learn more visit www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/#migratorybirdday2022 #lightpollution #migration ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Contact Us

Mail:
Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
P.O. Box 314, Station “A”
Fredericton, NB
E3B 4Y2

Office:
181 Westmorland Street
Fredericton, NB
E3B 3L6
Google Map

Phone: 506 261-4664
Email

Copyright © 2022 · Nashwaak Watershed Association · Log in