Road Impact Wetland Health Assessment (RIWHA)
The B.C. Wildlife Federation has launched the Road Impact Wetland Health Assessment (RIWHA)—a rapid field assessment tool designed to identify how roads and linear infrastructure may be impacting wetland ecosystems and to support future restoration planning across British Columbia.
The RIWHA tool uses standardized forms to gather field-based observations at wetlands where roads intersect or run nearby, capturing key indicators such as vegetation stress and composition; soil exposure, peat degradation, and erosion; changes to water flow or signs of drought; the presence of invasive species; shifts in wetland type (such as transitions from fen to marsh); and signs of channel incision or headcutting (which both lead to unstable water drainage).
Our objective is for this information to help land stewards understand the condition of wetlands, prioritize areas for further investigation or restoration, and promote better road planning practices that support wetland conservation. This includes maintaining buffer zones between roads and wetlands, avoiding development in sensitive ecosystems, and designing infrastructure that allows for natural water flow.
We also see peatland protection as central to this work. Peatlands are essential carbon sinks that, when damaged, can release stored carbon into the atmosphere. By identifying vulnerable peatlands, RIWHA can help highlight areas where proactive protection or restoration may offer climate and ecological benefits.
In 2022 and 2023, we piloted the RIWHA framework in the Williston Reservoir region. Our field teams conducted rapid assessments at 32 wetland sites, gathering baseline data on visible impacts from road infrastructure. What we observed reinforced our view that wetland conditions vary widely. Some wetlands appeared resilient and remained relatively intact. Others showed early signs of stress, which we identified as strong candidates for proactive restoration. A few sites were so severely degraded that meaningful restoration may no longer be possible.
The McLeod Lake Indian Band has been an essential partner in this work. Their knowledge of the land has helped guide site access, identify ecologically and culturally important areas, and ensure that assessments are grounded in local context and community priorities.
What’s Next?
In 2025, BCWF will continue to apply the Road Impact Wetland Health Assessment (RIWHA) in the Williston region and expand into new areas with support from Indigenous communities and other partners. Guided by a combination of GIS analysis and local knowledge, we will focus on sites where roads intersect or closely border wetlands. A revised RIWHA field form will also be introduced to improve clarity and usability.
New funding will allow us to expand RIWHA assessments, Indigenous collaboration, and training into the Peace Region—east of the Rocky Mountains in the Boreal and Taiga Plains Ecoprovinces—while continuing our work west of the Rockies around the Williston Reservoir. Our vision is for RIWHA to integrate rigorous scientific methods with community values, helping to identify meaningful paths forward for wetland conservation across these diverse regions.
Supporting Future Conservation
The RIWHA tool is part of our broader plan to support restoration-focused wetland management. By identifying early signs of stress—such as erosion or hydrological change—the tool supports evidence-based decisions that can lead to meaningful conservation outcomes. In many cases, restoration could involve re-establishing natural water movement, removing invasive species, or stabilizing soils. In areas that are difficult to access—due to overgrown roads, high water tables, or beaver activity—the information gathered still contributes to long-term planning and prioritization. Our goal is for RIWHA to serve as a practical foundation for identifying restoration opportunities across B.C.
Why We Developed This Tool
The RIWHA tool was created in response to a request from the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) to explore ways to mitigate environmental impacts linked to the Williston Reservoir. The reservoir was formed by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, which flooded more than 1,760 km² of forested and culturally important land in northeastern B.C.
This large-scale hydroelectric project altered entire watersheds, displaced wildlife and Indigenous communities—including the Kwadacha Nation and the Tsay Keh Dene First Nation—and left behind a dense network of access roads, many of which intersect or border wetlands. These changes continue to affect the landscape today.
Our perspective is that tools like RIWHA are needed to better understand these lasting impacts, and that this kind of assessment can help inform more responsible land-use decisions going forward.
All photos by BCWF, taken in the Sub-Boreal and Central Interior regions of British Columbia.
Project Support
We are grateful for the support that has made this work possible. Funding from the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program has enabled critical fieldwork, tool development, and the completion of restoration projects such as the McIntyre Wetland Restoration Project*. Additional funding from Petronas Canada has allowed us to continue and expand these efforts, ensuring ongoing progress in wetland assessment and restoration.
Equally important, this support has strengthened partnerships with northern communities, aligned our work with regional conservation priorities, and advanced our shared vision for long‑term wetland health across British Columbia.
*Learn more about the McIntyre Wetland Restoration project and other Low-Tech Process-Based restoration projects here.
RIWHA Updates
Assessing Road Impacts on Wetlands in Northern B.C.
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…
BCWF Watershed Team 