UPPER McLEOD RIVER TROUT HABITAT REHABILITATION PROJECT

Back in about 1982, the Cadomin/Hinton area was subjected to a major flood event that washed out roads, bridges, rail lines and threatened to destroy several houses and cabins in the hamlet of Cadomin,50 km south of Hinton.

As a result, Alberta Environment decided to channelize a section of the McLeod River that runs through Cadomin. When this was done, it effectively destroyed all trout habitat that existed prior to the channelization. Since then the only salmonids (bull trout, Athabasca rainbows,mountain whitefish and arctic grayling) that have remained have been forced to take up residence in what little habitat is available in this once productive stretch of the McLeod River. Much of all the other fish-holding structures have been eliminated or negatively affected by these actions.

What once was a valued fishery prior to this disturbance is now nothing more then a drainage ditch.