Week 6: August 5th – 9th was a not-so-great week for the Chéticamp River salmon association. Because of the Natal Day holiday on Monday, and heavy rainfall Monday night, which resulted in high water levels Tuesday, both days were spent indoors catching up on office work. Wednesday morning, the group was shocked to see the damage on Aucoin’s Brook done by the heavy Monday night rainfall: the river banks overflowed, resulting in water flowing through the forest, digger logs were ripped out of the river, bank logs and cribs were destroyed, but most shockingly, the river took a new course just above the area of heavy sediment build up, leaving the original channel for the forest, and reconnecting to the original channel just above the culvert bridge. The group spent all day Wednesday, as well as Thursday morning, assessing the damage, and coming up with a plan of action. Amy, from Adopt-a-Stream, as well as Charlie and Danielle from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, were contacted, and it was decided that nothing would be done downstream from where the brook leaves the original channel until the water levels dropped and the area was surveyed. Thursday afternoon the group worked with Albert Deveau to removed digger logs that were severely damaged and cleaning up debris on Aucoin’s brook. The group spent Friday morning assessing the damage on Fiset brook near Le Platin. It was discovered that there are some serious problems on Fiset brook that need immediate attention, but have been put on the back burner because of the priority work on Aucoin’s. The group spent Friday afternoon on Aucoin’s brook removing blockages as a result of the “great flood”.
