Cool Water Salmon Refuge

During the heat of summer, cold-water refuges provide a lifeline for species like Atlantic salmon and brook trout. These cooler areas, often found where tributaries, groundwater, or wetlands feed into rivers, give fish a place to escape periods of thermal stress and improve their chances of survival.

Understanding where these important refuges occur is key to protecting them. Research on New Brunswick's Cains River found that landscape features such as wetlands, forest cover, and watershed characteristics all play a role in creating and maintaining these cool-water habitats. The findings help support informed forest and watershed management decisions that can conserve critical fish habitat for generations to come.