Bee Creek

MDI worked with volunteer project manager John Bergbusch,  Aqua-tex Scientific Consulting Ltd. and a whole host of additional volunteers, funders and in-kind materials suppliers to undertake a phased creek restoration project at Bee Creek near Esquimalt Lagoon.  Phase 1 of the project involved the removal of a small dam and hundreds of cubic metres of sediment that had accumulated behind the dam.  A new stream channel and riparin plantings were established in place of the removed dam structure and former impoundment area.  The second phase of the project involved restoration of creek reaches from the former dam and impoundment area all the way down to Esquimalt lagoon – several hundred metres of channel in all.  MDI also oversaw the production of hundreds of native plants in a small production nursery established on site.

There were two unique attributes to this project.  First, within a relatively short section of creek, several different design morphologies were required, including a section of low gradient stream that entered the lagoon, and steeper upstream sections with differing meander patterns.  Secondly, the creek’s flow regime was unique in the sense that it was highly homogeneuous.  Bee Creek is almost entirely fed by groundwater emerging from the large Colwood sands and gravels deposit, making the flow of the creek largely non-responsive to rainfall events.  This feature allowed for more creativity in the design process, and a stable – and in our opinion, stunningly beautiful – resulting landscape.  However, the consistent, year-round flow also created complexity in the project since the entire flow needed to be diverted and managed throughout the project (there is simply no dry season at Bee Creek).  Creative use of a  wooden flume (that looked much like a sluice-box!) enabled the diversion of water around the worksite and on to the lagoon.  This temporary diversion faciliated restoration work in and around the creek bed.