Credit: Eastern Georgian Bay Council |
The Shebeshekong River watershed is a fairly small catchment area, beginning at Shebeshekong Lake and meandering for 15km before reaching Georgian Bay. Historically, Walleye and Sucker species from Georgian Bay would swim up the river, past the first two sets of rapids (Dillon and Young’s), and spawn in rapids farther upstream. Changes were made to Dillon and Young’s Rapids many years ago, in order to make it easier to drive logs down the river. Because of these changes, it has become more challenging for fish to swim upstream to historical spawning areas. |
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The Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council (EGBSC) identified fish passage and spawning issues in the Shebeshekong River during a site visit in 2015, as part of a fish habitat project on eight rivers in eastern Georgian Bay. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and local residents had already done restoration work at Dillon Rapids in the 1980s; however, challenges have remained, and the number of Walleye moving up the Shebeshekong River to spawn has been declining over the last several years.
During EGBSC’s study of the Shebeshekong River in 2016 and 2017, very few Walleye were seen during spawning. EGBSC did see Walleye at the bottom of Dillon Rapids, but not upstream. No Walleye were seen at Young’s Rapids. There is some Walleye spawning that occurs at Dillon Rapids, but this area is vulnerable to changes in water levels. As water levels recede, many eggs in the nearshore areas are left out of water and dry out before hatching, even in years with higher water levels. It is for this reason that EGBSC chose to restore fish passage through Dillon Rapids, as opposed to adding more spawning habitat. There is better spawning habitat farther upstream of Young’s Rapids, and fish used to use a side channel to get to those areas. This channel had filled in over time, after the rapids were changed for the logging industry. |
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