Work underway as drought raises concern for fish in Cowichan River
Tuesday will mark 41 days since Vancouver Island has seen any measurable amount of rain, and that is drying up rivers in the Cowichan Valley.
Work is underway to rebuild the banks of the Cowichan River after heavy winter rainfalls eroded them away. With the banks eroded, homes are vulnerable to flooding when waterflows are high.
Dredging work will also be done to remove sedimentation from the river's floor. That work is to help save the upcoming salmon run.
"We’re losing pool habitat, quite simply. It’s a place for adult salmon to hold as they’re getting ready to go up the system," said Tim Kulchyski, a biologist with Cowichan Tribes.
Due to climate change, the potential for winter snowpack is being lost, which is important for fish and serves as the buffer that the river needs to make it through a drought season.
"It‘s nice to have that holdback," said Kulchyski "For fall fish, they’ll come in and they’ll spawn. Their eggs lie in the system for as long as a couple on months. They hatch, then they actually live in the river. They need to get to a basic size."
Max Scruton is an engineer with Kerr Wood Leidal and Associates. He has been working with the Cowichan Tribes for four years.
"This riverbank actually used to be way out over there, and it’s been progressively eroding it’s way in," said Scruton.
The repair and dredging work is all part of a $24 million project that will also include upgrades to the Cowichan River weir, which was originally built in 1955.
"The idea is to raise the weir, bring it up to date and allow greater storage and control so that more frequent droughts are less of an issue," said Kulchyski.
The river's source, Cowichan Lake, is also facing drought conditions. That has forced the weir's private operator, Catalyst Paper, to reduce flows and starve the river even further.
Intense droughts are a reality that Cowichan Tribes leaders hope can be avoided after their project to save the river is complete.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion, 1 person seriously injured: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.