State of the River 2004-2005

Kicking Horse River (Yoho National Park, British Columbia)
“Out of the Ice”
Designated 1989

The upgraded Field Wastewater Treatment plant came on-stream in June 2004 with greatly improved effluent quality. River biomonitoring has shown that the ecological integrity of the river has already improved. Further work is required to upgrade waste facilities affecting the Emerald River and subsequently the Kicking Horse River. A recreational river use study is being undertaken in the summer of 2005. There have been no new facilities or developments on the Kicking Horse River within Yoho National Park. A 2000 hectare prescribed burn was recently undertaken in the south end of Yoho National Park, affecting a few small drainages to the Kicking Horse River. The state of this river has improved immediately downstream of the community of Field, has remained unimpacted above the community, but remains somewhat impacted from nutrient inputs from the Emerald River.

Joanne Williams
Aquatics Specialist
Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay Field Unit
Box 220, Radium Hot Springs
British Columbia, V0A 1M0
(250) 347-6159
FAX (250) 347-6150
Joanne.Williams@pc.gc.ca