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CITY OF KAMLOOPS
SUSTAINABLE KAMLOOPS PLAN

INFORMATION PACKAGE ON NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

(Final Version – 2009 December 08)

BACKGROUND AND BASELINE CONDITIONS

For many people, the integrity of our natural environment is synonymous with environmental
sustainability. In this context, the natural environment includes mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile, insect,
fish and plant species, as well as the habitats upon which they depend.

The natural environment is linked to sustainability at both the community level and beyond. In
Kamloops, the natural environment provides areas which absorb and retain moisture, take in carbon
dioxide and release oxygen, bind together streambanks and protect them from erosion, and offer
opportunities for biological discovery and viewing. In a broader context, the preservation of the natural
environment in Kamloops helps to safeguard species diversity, including that related to sensitive animals
and plants.

There is a close relationship in Kamloops between the natural environment and lands which are subject
to hazardous conditions. Examples include the Tranquille Marsh (bird sanctuary as well as floodplain),
Ord Road cliffs (rattlesnake habitat as well as steep slopes), and the southern silt bluffs along the South
Thompson River (grasslands as well as potentially unstable soils). Hazard lands are therefore also dealt
with in this document. They are linked to sustainability in terms of the protection of public safety, as well
as safeguarding property from damage.

Environmentally Sensitive Lands

Figure 1 depicts environmentally-sensitive lands within the City’s boundaries.

Figure 1 – Environmentally Sensitive Lands Within Kamloops’ Boundaries

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Riparian areas are included within these environmentally-sensitive lands. They include lands bordering
streams, lakes and wetlands along the Thompson Rivers, their tributaries, and various ponds. As
illustrated in Figure 2, the blending of water, soil and vegetation that occurs within riparian areas is
highly valuable to the natural environment.

Figure 2 – Riparian Areas

Grassland areas are among the most threatened ecosystems in the province. Kamloops is identified as a
critical junction between several major grassland regions within the province. A number of species-at-
risk are linked to Kamloops’ grasslands and their associated ecosystems. These include:

• Mammals – burrowing owl, western rattlesnake, bighorn sheep, badger and big-eared bat;
• Birds – sharp-tailed grouse, several hawk and owl species, American white pelican and trumpeter
swan, great blue heron;
• Amphibian – great basin spadefoot toad;
• Reptiles – western rattlesnake, rubber boa, western painted turtle;
• Insect – monarch butterfly; and
• Plants – rough pennyroyal, rusty-cord moss, awned cyperus.

The value of grasslands as carbon-sinks is also recognized.

Area-specific investigations have been conducted in selected portions of the City. These include:

• Aberdeen – this is a complex area comprising ten ecological communities that include grasslands,
shallow-soiled rock outcroppings, forests and wetlands. Approximately 110 plant species, five
mammal species and 45 bird species exist in the 17,000 hectares of grasslands extending from
Aberdeen to Shuwmay Lake. Elements which make the area especially unique include alkaline ponds,
geomorphic features (talus slopes at Coal Hill, glacial drumlins), and badger habitat.
• Lac du Bois – a complete grasslands ecosystem exists within the 17,000 hectare Lac du Bois area, of
which about 5,000 hectares fall within City boundaries. It is here where the intersection between
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several of British Columbia’s major grassland regions occurs. Many of the species-at-risk noted
above are present here, including the burrowing owl, great basin spadefoot toad, western
rattlesnake, sharp-tailed grouse, and bighorn sheep. Special geologic features, including hoodoos
and canyons, are located in Lac du Bois. From a climatic perspective, the Lac du Bois area provides
warm, dry grasslands with very low snowfall and an early spring melt, thus allowing animals food and
shelter at times when other areas are still snow-covered.
• Southern Silt Bluffs – Kamloops’ silt bluffs extend along a ridge south of the South Thompson River
and encompass about 1,300 hectares from the City’s eastern boundary to Peterson Creek. The bluffs
are a result of past glacial activity, and are an impressive natural land form as well a segment of
Kamloops’ grasslands and habitat for various species.

Hazard Lands

Lands within the City of Kamloops which are subject to hazardous conditions are shown on Figure 3.
They include:

• Steep slopes – these are areas where slopes are in excess of 25%;
• Silt Bluffs – these are areas where the soil consists largely of silt. This material presents special
challenges to development due to its unstable nature, particularly when water is introduced to the
soil;
• Fire Hazard – in areas located within the rural portions of Kamloops, as well as at the interface
between urban and undeveloped land, the threat of wildfires is enhanced. As witnessed in Kamloops,
other communities in the BC Southern Interior and beyond, wildfires can cause extensive property
damage as well as threaten lives. A more detailed illustration of the degree of risk present
throughout Kamloops is provided in Figure 4; and
• Floodplain – lands subject to inundation due to a flooding event with a recurrence interval of 200
years are shown. With respect to recurrence interval, the longer the time period, the larger the
flooding event (i.e. a flood event which occurs every year is much smaller than a flood event that
occurs only every 200 years).
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Figure 3 – Hazard Lands

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Figure 4 – Wildland Interface

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GOALS

• Protect and enhance all highly-valued environmentally-sensitive areas

• Ensure that hazardous conditions do not threaten public safety or damage property

• Ensure adequate natural areas are set aside within the City for conservation and outdoor
recreation purposes.

TARGETS

• Identify and classify all highly-valued environmentally-sensitive areas in Kamloops by 2012;

• Protect these highly-valued environmentally-sensitive areas from development;
• Identify measures to enhance highly-valued environmentally-sensitive areas by 2012; and
• Protect development from hazardous conditions through avoidance and/or acceptable
mitigative measures.

PROPOSED DIRECTIONS

City Influencing Community

• Encourage the retention of existing trees, and planting of new trees, within current and
future development areas. Tools which the City may use include incentive programs, as well
as regulations

• Promote natural landscaping techniques to mimic Kamloops’ natural environment, and

achieve attendant benefits including water conservation

• Preserve wildlife corridors through recognition as environmentally-sensitive areas

• Review the southern silt bluff hazard area, particularly the foreset and backset zones, with a
view toward making additional settlement land available in a safe manner

City Working with Others

• Explore approaches, including regulatory bylaws, which are available to protect grasslands
and other environmentally-sensitive areas from off-road vehicle use