Portage Brule Rapids Ecological Reserve and Protected Area Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan

Primary Role
The primary role of the Portage Brule Rapids Ecological Reserve (ER), located downstream of the junction of
the Coal and Liard rivers along the Alaska Highway, is to protect unique hotsprings with unusual vegetation and a forest community of different ages that has developed on alluvial terraces along the river bank. The hot springs are found on the south bank of the Liard River. The springs, which range in temperature from 32 o to 44.4 oC, have built up yellowish tufa terraces. There are several small pools with the largest being approximately 1 m deep and 3 m in diameter. The primary role of the Portage Brule Rapids Protected Area is to protect representative example of the Liard Plain ecosection, and the unique feature of the
hotsprings while accommodating the possibility of pipeline construction through the area.
The area around the ecological reserve and the protected area were used as staging or stopover areas by trappers paddling the Liard River. The slope above the springs has a portage trail which was in active use during the Hudson’s Bay Company explorations of the area in the 1830s. On the flat terrace above the hot springs are the remains of log cabins associated with the portage trail.
See the Full PDF with management issues.portage_brule_ps

Includes several maps.