Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), in collaboration with ʔaq̓am First Nation, The Nature Trust of BC (NTBC), and the B.C. Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship (WLRS), have begun construction on the first phase of the Bummers Flats Floodplain and Wetland Restoration Project at the North Bummers Conservation Area.

Located approximately 25 kilometres northeast of Cranbrook, Bummers Flats is a large floodplain situated along the east side of the Kootenay River. The floodplain is part of a 4,941-acre conservation complex collaboratively managed by DUC, NTBC and WLRS.

Originally engineered in the 1970s and 1980s, the goal of the existing project was to create stable water levels for nesting waterfowl and to increase waterfowl productivity. However, the long-term impacts of separating wetlands from the natural floodplain processes led to habitat degradation and declining biodiversity.

Additionally, the infrastructure used to create the existing project is expensive to maintain, repair and replace over time. As an organization committed to adaptive management, DUC is continually learning from the past, and applying the latest knowledge integrated with inclusive engagement and collaboration.

At Bummers Flats, the project team is working to restore the natural connectivity of the system to a wetland complex for a broad range of species.

This five-year restoration project will return wetland and riparian habitat to a natural, self-sustaining state by breaching dikes and excavating deeper wetland areas to provide additional water storage and habitat. The breaches will allow water from the Kootenay River to enter and flood the area during spring snowmelt runoff in some years.

Phase 1 construction is expected to begin at North Bummers in October 2025 and will restore 167 acres of wetland area. Work, including contractors and heavy equipment mobilized to the site to begin earthworks, is timed to occur outside of sensitive nesting and breeding periods.

Why it matters

• The project restores natural river-floodplain connections, improving ecosystem health and resilience.
• Enhances habitat for waterfowl, songbirds, amphibians and ungulates.
• Boosts climate change adaptation by improving water storage and providing downstream flood mitigation.
• Enhances collaboration with ʔaq̓am recognizing that the project is adjacent to ʔaq̓am lands and in ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa.

Extensive planning and design by experts has been completed, including archaeological assessments, hydraulic modelling, monitoring and revegetation plans.

This project is made possible through the financial support of the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, Columbia Basin Trust, Elk Valley Resources, Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, The Province of B.C. and the B.C. Watersheds Grant, and NTBC as well as in-kind support from ʔaq̓am, NTBC and WLRS.

Photos courtesy Ducks Unlimited Canada

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