Redfish Creek is a steep and heavily forested watershed that drains into the West Arm of Kootenay Lake.  Redfish Creek exhibits a snowmelt dominated hydrological regime. Rain and snowfall varies considerably with elevation. At lower elevations about 20% of annual precipitation falls as snow, while at higher elevations snow comprises approximately 67% of total precipitation. The underlying geology is granitic and impermeable.  The lower elevations fall within the Interior Cedar-Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone, while the upper elevations fall within the Engelmann Spruce – Subalpine Fir biogeoclimatic zone. A sparsely vegetated subalpine parkland occupies the upper 40% of the catchment.