The Coquitlam River (/koʊˈkwɪtləm/ or /kəˈkwɪtləm/) is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The river's name comes from the word Kʷikʷəƛ̓əm which translates to "Red fish up the river". The name is a reference to a sockeye salmon species that once occupied the river's waters.
The river is an 18 km meandering river with 30 tributaries and various morphological features. Owing to the size and area of its location, the river has a history of disastrous floods.
The Kwikwetlem first nations were the first humans to live in the area, followed by settlers thousands of years later.
The river's long history and importance have led to conservation efforts by different organizations for some of the various mammals, birds, fish, and plants. Some attempts have been made to rejuvenate the salmonid species with hatcheries and direct human intervention to assist wild salmonids. The area is also known to have some species which are included on the BC Species at Risk Act and The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) lists.
Setting
The Coquitlam River is located within the Coquitlam River Watershed, which has a total area of 340 km<sup>2</sup> and formed during the last glacial advance. Its source is Disappointment Lake, which is in the Coast Mountains near Indian Arm. It flows south into Coquitlam Lake, a reservoir behind the Coquitlam Dam. The Coquitlam River then continues past the dam flowing south until it reaches the Fraser River at the border between Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
The Coquitlam River spans a total of 18 km from the dam to its outlet and receives sediment and water from 30 tributaries.
This climatic zone and its position on a mountain means that it has a mean annual precipitation of 3498 mm.
Ecology
thumb|Example of riparian vegetation along Coquitlam River, species shown is Douglas fir.
The Coquitlam River is a part of the Fraser Lowland ecosection and Coastal Western Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone. The undeveloped land surrounding the river includes an oxbow lake, wetlands, and side channels. This riparian habitat includes a variety of vegetation from evergreens such as western red cedars to deciduous black cottonwoods. This forested area provides cover for animals such as black-tailed deer and racoons within the urban landscape in the lower reaches of the river. The river and its tributaries are home to 24 different species of fish, 5 of these salmonids. After spawning, the fish carcasses decompose on banks and release nutrients in the soil for vegetation such as salmonberries.
Species
Species status's are classified under the BC's conservation ranks. Red list: "Any species or ecosystem that is at risk of being lost (extirpated, endangered or threatened)". Blue list: "Any species or ecosystem that is of special concern". Yellow list: "Any species or ecosystem that is at the least risk of being lost".
The following lists are not exhaustive, and were created using personal observations as well as observations from previous habitat assessments and reports of the area.
Mammals
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable mw-collapsed"
!Name
!Species
!Status
|-
|American black bear
|Ursus americanus
|Yellow
|-
|Black-tailed/mule deer
|Odocoileus hemionus
|Yellow
|-
|Coyote
|Canis latrans
|Yellow
|-
|Racoon
|Procyon lotor
|Yellow
|-
|American beaver
|Castor canadensis
|Yellow
|-
|Muskrat
|Ondatra zibethicus
|Yellow
|-
|American mink
|Neogale vison
|Yellow
|}
Amphibians
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable mw-collapsed"
!Name
!Species
!Status
|-
|Northern red-legged frog
|Rana aurora
|Blue
|}
Birds
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable mw-collapsed"
!Name
!Species
!Status
|-
|Great blue heron
|Ardea herodias
|Blue
|-
|Bald eagle
|Haliaeetus leucocephalus
|Yellow
|-
|Red-tailed hawk
|Buteo jamaicensis
|Yellow
|-
|Wood duck
|Aix sponsa
|Yellow
|-
|Canada geese
|Branta canadensis
|Yellow
|-
|Merganser
|Mergus merganser
|Yellow
|-
|Black-capped chickadees
|Poecile atricapillus
|Yellow
|-
|Belted kingfisher
|Megaceryle alcyon
|Yellow
|-
|Spotted towhee
|Pipilo maculatus
|Yellow
|-
|Mallard duck
|Anas platyrhynchos
|Yellow
|-
|Varied thrush
|Ixoreus naevius
|Yellow
|-
|Winter wren
|Troglodytes hiemalis
|Blue
|}
Fish
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable mw-collapsed"
!Name
!Species
!Status
|-
|Chinook salmon
|Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
|No Status
|-
|Pink salmon
|Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
|No Status
|-
|Steelhead trout
|Oncorhynchus mykiss
|No Status
|-
|Chum salmon
|Oncorhynchus keta
|No Status
|-
|Coho salmon
|Oncorhynchus kisutch
|No Status
|-
|Long-nosed dace
|Rhinichthys cataractae
|Yellow
|-
|Coastrange sculpin
|Cottus aleuticus
|Yellow
|-
|Prickly sculpin
|Cottus asper
|Yellow
|-
|Three-spined stickleback
|Gasterosteus aculeatus
|Yellow
|-
|Red-sided shiner
|Richardsonius balteatus
|Yellow
|-
|Northern squawfish
|Ptychocheilus oregonensis
|Yellow
|-
|Black crappie
|Pomoxis nigromaculatus
|Exotic
|-
|Pacific lamprey
|Entosphenus tridentatus
|Yellow
|}
Vegetation
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable mw-collapsed"
!Name
!Species
!Status
|-
|Black cottonwood
|Populus trichocarpa
|Yellow
|-
|Red alder
|Alnus rubra
|Yellow
|-
|Pacific willow
|Salix lasiandra var. lasiandra
|Yellow
|-
|Vine maple
|Acer circinatum
|Yellow
|-
|Salmonberry
|Rubus spectabilis
|Yellow
|-
|Skunk cabbage
|Lysichiton americanus
|Yellow
|-
|Pacific ninebark
|Physocarpus capitatus
|Yellow
|-
|Western hemlock
|Tsuga heterophylla
|Yellow
|-
|Pacific silver fir
|Abies amabilis
|Yellow
|-
|Western red cedar
|Thuja plicata
|Yellow
|-
|Douglas fir
|Pseudotsuga menziesii
|Yellow
|-
|Himalayan blackberry
|Rubus armeniacus
|Exotic
|-
|Sword fern
|Polystichum munitum
|Yellow
|-
|Licorice fern
|Polypodium glycyrrhiza
|Yellow
|-
|English holly
|Ilex aquifolium
|Exotic
|-
|False lily-of-the-valley
|Maianthemum dilatatum
|Yellow
|-
|Red huckleberry
|Vaccinium parvifolium
|Yellow
|-
|Robert's geranium
|Geranium robertianum
|Exotic
|}
Human use and impacts
Historic
The Coquitlam River is named for the Kwikwetlem First Nations (kʷikʷəƛ̓əm) who have lived in the region for at least the last nine thousand years. kʷikʷəƛ̓əm translates to "Red fish up the river" in reference to an early sockeye salmon species that once spawned in Coquitlam Lake. The Kwikwetlem were renowned for their canoe and paddle craftsmanship. The Kwikwetlem lived throughout the Coquitlam River watershed and would have relied on fishing, gathering, and trade with other First Nations living along the Fraser River.
European settlers first arrived in the region in the mid-1800s and began using the river for their own purposes. The first dam was built at the mouth of Coquitlam Lake in 1892 to provide a source of drinking water for the growing colony of New Westminster.
Modern
The Coquitlam Lake dam continues to provide power to the residents of Metro Vancouver and is owned and operated by the provincial energy authority, BC hydro. The lake is also one of three reservoirs used by Metro Vancouver and provides drinking water to 900,000 people.
The flow reduction caused by the dam and the water diversion to Buntzen Lake affects fish and wildlife in the river and surrounding riparian zone. The barrier created by the dam restricts migration between the upper and lower parts of the watershed, which impacts salmon species in particular who used the lake as a hatching site. As a result, sockeye salmon have become almost entirely extirpated in the Coquitlam River. The dam also reduces the accumulation of woody debris in the lower reaches of the river which could be used for habitats.
There are several popular parks and trails along the banks of the river including Coquitlam River Park, Lions Parks, and Gates Parks. The river is also popular with local fishermen.
Conservation and threats
Conservation groups
There have been numerous initiatives to address and educate the public about the issues that threaten the Coquitlam River. These began in 1996 with the Coquitlam River Watershed Community Initiative, and continue today with others, such as the Coquitlam River Watershed Society established in 1998.