Weir Working Hard – CLRSS Editor, Judy Brayden Weir Very Hopeful – CLRSS President, Jim Deck Weir Stalled so Weir Writing Letters! - CLRSS Editor, Judy Brayden Weir Prepared – CVRD Weir Replacement Project Manager, Leroy Van Wieren Weir Partners – CLRSS Past President, Ken Traynor Weir Running Out of Time – Retired BCCF Executive Director, Craig Wightman Weir Concerned About Impacts on Indigenous Culture – Maureen Quested Weir Worried about Fish – CLRSS Past Treasurer, Lyndon Keeping Weir Endangering the Cowichan Lake Lamprey – Biologist, Joy Wade Weir Concerned About a Sustainable Future – Biologist, Chris Steeger Weir in this together! – Thanks to the CWB Weir Working Hard Judy Brayden CLRSS Vice President and Newsletter Editor |
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Here we are and still working for you. This month we have been running full bore on the Weir Ready Letter Writing Campaign! See below. This entire issue is dedicated to that campaign, so the regular articles are in the saved file for next |
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month. This edition includes updates and actual letters reprinted with the permission of the writers. Thanks to them all! Weir Very Hopeful Jim Deck CLRSS President Weir hopeful that construction of a new weir will be started soon. Based on recent reports the provincial government has responded positively to the request to make a new weir on Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu a priority. The stewardship movement in the Cowichan Valley is a big reason for the advancement of this construction. Groups like CLRSS, CWB, CSRT have collaborated to move this requirement to the top of the government’s agenda. I am proud to be part of the CLRSS and the stewardship leadership it has shown here. |
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Weir Prepared CVRD Weir Replacement Project Manager, Leroy Van Wieren Time keeps slipping by but time for climate adaptation is now! The study of Cowichan’s Lake and River Quw’utsun Xatsu and Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ have been going on for decades with very similar recommendations and little progress. I believe we now have the necessary work done to push through to a conclusion and build the dam/weir. In 1991 the Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu Storage assessment recommended raising the weir 57 centimeters to achieve a minimum flow for 19 years out of 20. Estimated cost of $1M. |
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The 2006-08 Cowichan Basin Plan recommended raising the weir 88 cm for greatest benefit. Estimated cost of $3M. In 2018 a formal Water Use Plan was initiated to support the Provincial permitting process and utilized a Public Advisory Group. The balanced recommendation was to raise the weir 70cm and to also perform additional detailed studies on a design and an impact assessment. These two studies – the Weir Design (complete 2021) and the Shoreline Assessment Project (complete 2022) – support the 70cm raise and with a cost estimate of $23.3M. Details of these studies can be found at the Project Website www.cowichanlakeweir.ca |
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One of the key issues for a new owner for the weir and the new conservation water license holder is to understand what it is they will be undertaking such as capital costs, maintenance and operating costs, and any liabilities. These commitments are important, long lasting and need to be well understood. I think we are at the stage where the majority of the work is complete, the commitments are known, and we now need leadership to finalize an ownership model so we can complete construction before further drought damage is felt throughout the watershed. |
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Weir Writing Letters We are aiming for 100 people to send the BC government (any Ministry that you choose) personal letters asking our elected officials for two things: There are many, many reasons that our watershed requires a new and upgraded weir at the head of the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’. Using at least two of these points plus any others that you believe are pertinent, compose a short, clear, polite letter stating that you would like to see your government lead by advancing the very urgent process of building a new weir and by providing the remainder of the funds needed to complete the project. Why do we need a new weir? the obvious need for fresh drinking water the inevitable climate changes that we will face in the future the survival of wild fish and the endangered Cowichan Lamprey the continuation of Indigenous culture and food security and the economic future of recreation and tourism in the region.
Write directly to any of the following Ministers and email to others saying you have done so. |
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Weir Partners – CLRSS Past President, Ken Traynor Weir partners in the Cowichan Valley have accomplished much since they first went public with the call to raise the weir in the Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan in 2007. The unique partnership of Cowichan Tribes and the Cowichan Valley Regional District has built the Cowichan Watershed Board into the benchmark for co-governance, watershed management in BC. Now that climate change, with the predicted low river flows and longer, drier summer/fall seasons is upon us it is time for the BC government to act on all the research, planning and design work that has been done over the intervening sixteen years and match the funding from the Federal government to get the weir built. It would be an excellent example of how reconciliation and respect for Indigenous rights can be built in BC benefiting all. |
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Weir Running Out of Time – Biologist, Craig Wightman Critical Need for a New Water Storage Weir in Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu I am writing to express my strong support for a new water storage weir in Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu, and the need for provincial funding in collaboration with Cowichan Tribes, Cowichan Valley Regional District and Paper Excellence (Crofton Pulp and Paper Mill). Hon. Premier, you and your Cabinet colleagues, George Heyman, Nathan Cullen and Josie Osborne are very familiar with the issue of tenuous summer water security in the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’, as currently provided by a small and seasonally operated weir in the outlet of Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu, owned/licenced by Paper Excellence (formerly Catalyst Paper Corp.). This weir was originally built in the mid-1950’s by BC Forest Products Ltd., in support of their kraft pulp mill operation at Crofton. While the 97 cm high weir served a useful purpose in maintaining reliable summer river flows for several decades, its licenced seasonal storage has proven increasingly inadequate over the last 20+ years due to the effects of climate change. Frequent and intensifying summer droughts mean flows in this BC and Canadian Heritage River are regularly compromised to well below safe environmental health standards, putting world class wild salmon, steelhead and trout production at high risk. This was sadly brought to public attention in July of this year when a massive fish kill occurred upstream of Skutz Falls over approximately 10 km of the river’s length (The Mystery of Massive Fish Die-Off in Cowichan River Now Has an Explanation - West Coast NOW). This event could have been completely avoided, or greatly reduced in scope, if a new and modestly higher storage weir had been in place at the outlet of Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu. Hon. Premier, a modern weir to provide an additional 70 cm of seasonal storage has already been proposed, designed and extensively studied by Cowichan Tribes and the Cowichan Valley Regional District, through auspices of the Cowichan Watershed Board (Cowichan River Water Supply – Help Shape our Water Future (cowichanlakeweir.ca). Your responsible Ministers, and their senior officials, have been fully briefed on this new plan, including projected capital costs, over the last few years. This is a project that embraces many of your government’s highest priorities, including UNDRIP obligations, shared water governance, adaptation to climate change, environmental conservation and wild salmon restoration. After a disastrous and record-breaking 2023 drought and wildfire season, the value of reliable clean water for wide-ranging ecological and public benefits is patently obvious. Your government has an opportunity to establish clear leadership on this issue by tangibly supporting construction of a new weir at Cowichan Lake. If this project proceeds in a timely manner it will be recognized as a beacon of what can be achieved when governments, First Nations and the private sector collaborate to ensure water security both for the environment and BC communities. Hon. Premier, we are counting on you to make the right decision to support this visionary project! |
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Weir Concerned About Impacts on Indigenous Culture – CLRSS Secretary, Maureen Quested to the Honourable Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation The Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ is in crisis. The summer of 2023 saw a fish kill in the upper river, endangering future stocks of vitally important salmon to the Quw’utsun people. A new weir with 70 cm. of increased storage would have prevented this disaster. Until the weir is raised, Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ will continue to be in danger of going dry in late summer to early fall. How many more years can this be repeated before the fish stocks are wiped out? The deleterious effects on Quw’utsun rights to practise cultural, spiritual, traditional harvesting activities on the river are shocking to imagine. You can avert a potential tragedy by providing the remainder of funds necessary to complete a new weir and, as a government, underwrite the liabilities that may be faced. It would be best if the Province held the water licence, but Cowichan Tribes have stated they are willing to do so if the issue of liability can be overcome. The weir project will provide a template for all communities in British Columbia and will demonstrate what success looks like, both for our community and the Government of B. C., in tackling climate change impacts. The collaboration among Cowichan Tribes, the CVRD and Catalyst, Paper Excellence, is unique and shows that the greater community is united behind this project. Please help! |
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Weir Worried about Fish – CLRSS Past Treasurer, Lyndon Keeping https://youtu.be/ZsD4X1zPmTw - courtesy of the Cowichan Watershed Board I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the urgent need for a new weir on the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’. Although over two decades have been used getting all stakeholders to agree to the need, and over two million dollars has been spent on design feasibility and liability issues, there has still been no progress on a physical structure. The holdup is the need for a licence holder for the weir and the final securing of funds. I believe the BC Government is the natural choice to be the licence holder and therefore the key to brining the project to fruition. You are fully aware of the vital role the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ plays in our region. Its waters are critical for the survival of a variety of fish species, including salmon and trout, in addition to its necessity in running the Crofton Mill, and its use in removing stagnant water from many communities along its banks. Moreover, the river plays a significant role in our cultural and recreational activities, attracting outdoor enthusiasts, tourists, and angler. However, you are also aware that in recent years, we have witnessed a concerning decline in Sta’lo’, which has already led to the unprecedented use of pumps to maintain minimum flow in the river. The Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ remains one of the most productive rivers on the east coast of Vancouver Island because, in 1950, a 97 cm weir was built to store water in the lake for release down the river in dry summers. Storing water means that the level of water in the lake is kept higher than it otherwise would be. This sounds like a liability issue, but the water level is kept higher than it would be in the spring and summer. Rain and snow in the winter months can fill the lake to levels where flooding of lakefront property is a risk. The presence of a weir does not affect that risk because winter flow is not restricted by the weir, it is restricted by a natural landscape feature, the Greendale dyke, just downriver from the weir. A weir does not affect the high-water mark of a lake, so the natural shorelines and riparian habitats are left intact. The stored water in the lake ran out for the first time in 2019. That year pumps were used for four days in the beginning of September to maintain minimum water flow in the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’. Without the pumps, the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ would have stopped flowing, shutting down the mill, polluting communities, and stranding fish. In 2022, significant rain did not arrive until late October. Fortunately, an unusually deep snowpack and late spring rainfall prevented the need to install the pumps a second time. This year again saw a late start to adverse impacts on both its ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. The reduced water flow has compromised fish habitats, and increased water temperatures resulting in a significant die-off of tens of thousands of trout and salmon. We need to store more water so that sufficient flows can be maintained throughout the long dry spells the region is now experiencing regularly in the summer. I applaud the funding the province has already provided for this project through the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund. I urge you to prioritize this matter and approach it with the urgency that it deserves. I encourage you to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, local governments, and environmental experts, to develop and implement a plan for the construction of a new weir. It is a sign of our current climate reality that these measures are necessary to preserve and protect this invaluable natural resource. I thank you for your attention to this critical matter and for your commitment to the people and environment of British Columbia. I look forward to hearing about the progress on this issue. Weir Stewards of the Endangered Cowichan Lamprey – Biologist, Joy Wade I am writing to remind everyone that Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu is the home to the federally protected Cowichan Lake lamprey and its habitat. This fish species is found here, and no where else in the world! The nearshore area, where the fish spawns and juveniles rear, is protected Critical Habitat. Although the need to pump water out of Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu is a significant concern for the species and its habitat; the more significant issue is the drying up of critical habitat during "normal" operations which is now exacerbated due to our changing climate. In years such as this, by the time pumping is needed, lamprey have already been stranded. This situation is amplified by other threats such as overaccumulation of gravel and sand from tributaries. We can mitigate these threats and support many other sensitive species in both Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ and Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu by building a new weir. A new weir, adaptively managed, will be able to hold back more water in the lake to prevent the drying out of protected habitat during spawning and early rearing for lamprey as well as sustain vital ecosystem functions. |
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Weir Concerned About a Sustainable Future – Biologist, Chris Steeger I’m writing to encourage you to fund the Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu weir construction and find a way to resolve the outstanding issue of a licence holder for the additional water storage in Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu. I’m a resident of the Cowichan Valley and have been working as a professional biologist in BC for over 30 years. I have a deep connection to the river and its riparian ecosystem and understandthe urgent issues facing the health of the river. Please consider the following thoughts and suggestions in your decisions about the future of this important project. First, the ecology of the river ecosystem is undoubtably severely threatened by climate change, destructive changes since the beginning of settlement, and continued industrial and development pressures. One the other hand, the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ has great potential to recover because of its large headwater lake which could supply a steady and sufficient water regime if, and only if, it is managed with a higher weir. This year the poor water regime caused a catastrophic fish die-off which may reoccur in future. Expert analysis suggested that had the new weir been in place this year, the death of tens of thousands of fish would have been prevented. Secondly, there is a solution with respect to the water licence issue that would be a win-win solution. The river with its outstanding fish populations and other values has always been an essential part of the culture of the Quw'utsun (Cowichan) First Nations. It is my understanding that Cowichan Tribes would be willing to hold the water licence with the province being the underwriter that ensures potential liabilities are duly managed. This water licence solution would be a great opportunity to show that Reconciliation is truly practiced in British Columbia. Lastly, there has been a massive community effort over many years, with immeasurable volunteer efforts along with highly professional work, to maintain the fish populations and improve the health of the river. This local engagement will continue unabated, and it is the ambition of the community to take responsibility and help manage the river. What is not possible for the community and the Quw'utsun people is to provide the required funding and the financial aspects of liability risk of the water licence. Therefore, the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ needs our government’s help now more than ever. You are the leaders of our precious province and I urge you to provide responsible leadership now, to make the new Cowichan Lake Quw’utsun Xatsu weir a reality. Without a new weir, anticipated future impacts to the Cowichan River Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ will be devastating for the many lives that so depend on it. Weir all in this together and Weir Getting There! - Jill Thompson, Education and Engagement Coordinator, Cowichan Watershed Board The Cowichan Lake and River Stewards have been, and continue to be, so important to the advancement of the weir project. They contributed to the Water Use Plan, educated shoreline residents about what a higher weir would (and wouldn’t) alter on their beaches, co-lead the Weir Ready campaign with us, and much more. Irreplaceable partners!” Water Use Plan https://cowichanlakeweir.ca/water-use-plan/ Educated Shoreline Residents https://youtu.be/MVs__gN0CCs?feature=shared Weir Ready https://cowichanwatershedboard.ca/weir-ready/ |
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CLRSS meets on the first Monday of each month, unless it falls on a statutory holiday, then the next Monday. Next meeting: 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 4th 2023 on Zoom. All members and interested folk welcome. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85263296374?pwd=Tm53NbgUGS8DFbKUQVmxfDrvCfHohd.1 Meeting ID: 852 6329 6374 Passcode: 822015 All members and interested folk welcome. Contact mquested@shaw.ca to confirm. |
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