North Vancouver’s Seymour River is now on an endangered rivers list.
The designation comes from the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.
In December, 2014, part of the Seymour River was blocked by a huge, 50,000 cubic meter landslide, creating an entirely new lake and affecting coho and summer steelhead runs.
READ MORE: North Shore rock slide turns part of Seymour River into lake
Beyond the slide, there are 14 kilometers of pristine spotting habitat that the salmon can’t reach.
Volunteers have been trying to save the run by catching the fish below the slide and bringing them to a local hatchery.
But advocates say the effort is not sustainable. Instead, they want money from the federal government and the province to help clear the way for the fish.
The Outdoor Recreation Council says a proposal to restore the river has now been put forward.
It’s a two to five year plan to recreate an access channel for fish through the slide area using low-velocity explosives that could cost as much as one million dollars.
Other rivers on this year’s endangered rivers list include Cowichan River, Skeena Estuary, Peace River, Thompson River, Shawnigan Creek and Fraser River.
Experts say some of the threats facing B.C. rivers include pollution, urbanization, industrial development, climate change, the excessive extraction of water and the building of dams.
The list has been compiled since 1993.
With files from Linda Aylesworth