About Cougar Creek
Cougar Creek is a local stream that begins in the Newton area of Surrey, flows through North Delta, and then ends in the Fraser River. The creek’s path houses many native plants and animals. Plants include Douglas-fir, western redcedar, western hemlock, sitka spruce, and bigleaf maple. Prominent shrubs include salmonberry, snowberry, sword fern, Oregon grape and skunk cabbage. Three salmon species occur here: coho, chum, and cutthroat trout. However, there are also invasive plant species such as Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, and Himalayan balsam (aka policeman’s helmet). The Cougar Creek Streamkeepers engage in regular restoration projects, including invasive species removal and native planting. (See list of animal and plant species present below).
Many portions of Cougar Creek are surrounded by suburbia, including neighborhoods, schools, malls, and parking lots. Due to this, the creek has relatively high foot traffic, which results in harm to both the stream and the surrounding natural areas. In addition, large amounts of rainwater drain from paved areas straight into the creek. This results in pollutants being fed into the creek, as well as erosion occurring amongst a large portion of the creek.
Location of Cougar Creek
Cougar Creek has 3 main sections:
- Cougar Creek Park
- Address: 6979 123 St., Surrey, BC
- Cougar Canyon Environmental Reserve
- Address: 11300 72 Ave, Delta, BC
- Lower Cougar Creek
History of Cougar Creek Development
When North Delta began to develop seriously in the 1960s and 1970s, there was a huge increase in urban runoff being emptied by storm sewers into Cougar Creek. Flow became so voluminous that it was no longer safe to pipe the creek under the railroad track as had been done up until that time. Therefore, Cougar Creek was diverted northward, and joined up with Blake Creek in a mostly-straight human-made channel to the Fraser River. This channel was called “Northeast Interceptor Canal” (it’s in the northeast corner of Delta as a political jurisdiction). Streamkeepers and Delta Climate Action & Environment campaigned and got it officially renamed Lower Cougar Creek in 2017. (Thanks to Deb Jones for providing this info.)
Photos from the three sections of Cougar Creek
Cougar Creek Park
Cougar Canyon Environmental Reserve
Lower Cougar Creek
Species at Cougar Creek
| Animals | Plants |
|---|---|
| Beaver (Castor canadensis) | Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) |
| Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) | Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) |
| Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) | Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) |
| Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) | Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) |
| sculpin | Dogwood (Cornus spp.) |
| Threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) | Birch (Betula spp.) |
| Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) | Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) |
| Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) | Vine maple (Acer circinatum) |
| Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) | |
| Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) | |
| Sword fern (Polystichum munitum) | |
| Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) | |
| Invasive Plants: Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) English ivy (Hedera helix) Giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis) Old man’s beard clematis (Clematis vitalba) Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) | |
Cougar Creek is a 12 minute walk from KPU Surrey. KPU Wild Spaces holds interpretive walks here, often facilitated by Deb Jones of Cougar Creek Streamkeepers.
To get involved with Cougar Creek Streamkeepers:
https://cougarcreekstreamkeepers.ca
For a detailed write-up on Cougar Creek, download the PDF below:
https://dev.wordpress.kpu.ca/wildspaces/files/2023/06/Cougar-Creek-Information-.pdf