the upper fraser watershed
The Upper Fraser watershed is located in the central interior of British Columbia. It is a vast area that spans all portions of the Fraser River from Deadman Creek to the headwaters of the Fraser, including all tributaries.
The Upper Fraser watershed is home to nursery grounds for many populations of Chinook, sockeye, coho, and pink salmon. This includes some of the largest Fraser salmon populations, as well as many highly vulnerable populations designated as Threatened or Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
The Upper Fraser also includes the territories of approximately 23 distinct First Nations communities who have stewarded the watershed since time immemorial. Among them are communities from the Southwestern Sekani, Southwestern Dakelh (Carrier), Wet’suwet’en, Tŝilhqot’in, and Northern Shuswap territories.
The Upper Fraser includes 5 watershed-based sub-regions, which are described in the original UFFCA Strategic Plan. The 8 seats on the UFFCA Board of Directors are based on these sub-regions:
Nechako-Stewart • Upper Fraser-McGregor • Cottonwood-Blackwater • Quesnel-Horsefly • Chilcotin-Chilko
The territories of some First Nations communities and organizations eligible for UFFCA membership extend beyond the Upper Fraser River watershed. To maintain the UFFCA’s watershed-based approach, these areas are considered to be beyond the boundaries of the UFFCA geographical area and are not included in UFFCA planning.