BCWF Watershed Team

Introducing BCWF’s RIWHA Tool 

Across British Columbia, roads and industrial infrastructure continue to reshape wetland ecosystems—this is especially true in northern B.C., where decades of hydroelectric development and land-use change have left lasting marks on the landscape. 

To better understand and respond to these impacts, the B.C. Wildlife Federation has launched a new tool: the Road Impact Wetland Health Assessment (RIWHA) tool. 

The RIWHA tool is designed to help land stewards, restoration teams, and communities assess how roads are affecting wetland ecosystems—and to identify opportunities for protection or restoration. 

“The more attention and understanding wetlands receive—especially in northern B.C.—the better positioned we are to protect them,” says Katerina Sofos, BCWF Wetland Practitioner and project lead for the RIWHA project. 

Katerina has spent over three years navigating the sub-boreal north’s bogs and peatlands, captivated by its remote beauty and unique ecology.

“The northern landscape is simply a different world,” she says. “Its wetlands are underappreciated.” 

How Will the RIWHA Tool Function?

The RIWHA tool is a standardized, boots-on-the-ground assessment method. It helps field teams record visual indicators of disturbance in wetlands located near roads and other linear features. 

This includes things like: 

• Stress in native plants 
• Exposed peat or eroded soils 
• Altered water flow (e.g., blocked or redirected) 
• Invasive species dominance/increase 
• Changes in wetland type (e.g., shifting from fen to marsh) 
• Erosional processes like channel incision or headcutting, which both lead to unstable water drainage 

The goal is to create a clear picture of what’s happening on the ground and prioritize areas where restoration could make a difference. 

Why Northern B.C.? 

The project began in the Williston Reservoir area, where the legacy of hydro development is still visible. When the W.A.C. Bennett Dam was built in 1967, it flooded more than 1,760 km² of land, creating the largest body of freshwater in B.C.

Entire ecosystems were submerged, including critical habitat and the traditional territories of Indigenous communities like the Kwadacha Nation and Tsay Keh Dene First Nation. In the process, a dense network of access roads was created—many of which continue to disrupt natural wetland processes today. 

“With the dense network of industrial roads across northern B.C.—many of which intersect or run adjacent to wetlands—the RIWHA tool offers a targeted approach to identifying wetlands impacted by road infrastructure and prioritizing them for assessment and potential restoration,” says Katerina. 

What We’ve Learned So Far 

In 2022 and 2023, BCWF field crews piloted the RIWHA framework at 32 wetland sites near the reservoir. Some wetlands were relatively resilient; others showed signs of early-stage degradation. A few had been so heavily impacted that they may no longer be viable restoration candidates. 

These early findings helped refine the tool and confirmed what many suspected: that road impacts on wetlands are widespread—and often subtle or overlooked. 

A key partner in this work has been the McLeod Lake Indian Band, who brought local knowledge to the table, identified areas of cultural and ecological significance, and helped guide site access and planning. 

“We engage First Nations communities early in the process by asking where they’d like us to focus our assessments and offering training to build local capacity with the RIWHA tool,” says Katerina. “By working together on both monitoring and restoration planning, we’re supporting community-led stewardship and helping raise awareness of how roads and other infrastructure can affect wetland health.” 

Using the RIWHA Tool to Guide Restoration 

RIWHA isn’t just about assessment—it’s about action. By identifying visible signs of stress—such as erosion, drying, or vegetation loss—the tool helps guide restoration efforts. These may include reconnecting natural water pathways, stabilizing soils or streambanks, removing road fill or barriers, replanting native vegetation, and managing invasive species.

Even in areas that are hard to access—due to water levels, beaver activity, or deactivated roads—the information collected can still help shape larger-scale land-use and restoration planning. 

“The RIWHA tool can help people recognize how linear features like roads affect wetlands and encourage more thoughtful road planning,” says Katerina. “Ultimately, we hope this project supports a more informed, restoration-focused approach to wetland management in B.C.” 

A Vision for Better Wetland Stewardship 

The long-term vision for RIWHA is to support smarter, more ecologically aware road planning and wetland protection. This includes avoiding development in sensitive wetland areas, maintaining buffers between roads and wetlands, and designing infrastructure that allows water to flow naturally. RIWHA also highlights the importance of peatland conservation. Peatlands are powerful carbon sinks, but when damaged, they can release large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere. Protecting them isn’t just good for biodiversity—it’s essential for climate resilience.

Thank You to Our Partners 

The RIWHA project is made possible through generous support from the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) and Petronas Canada.

Their funding has helped bring the RIWHA tool to life, supported on-the-ground assessments.

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Have a wetland in mind for assessment? Want to collaborate on future restoration efforts? Get in touch—we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at wep@bcwf.bc.ca.