News Release, CVRD, 12 Sep 2014
Duncan, BC – The Cowichan Valley Regional District Board voted Wednesday night to endorse the Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan's recommendation to store and/or access sufficient spring runoff in Cowichan Lake to sustain river flows during summer and fall.
Completed in 2007, the Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan consists of 89 recommendations designed to help ensure a reliable water supply for human use, thriving ecosystems, and a healthy economy.
To ensure progress on this initiative, the Board also agreed to take on a leadership role to investigate and coordinate long term measures to maintain adequate Cowichan River water flows in partnership with stakeholders and other agencies. Since the creation of the Cowichan Watershed Board in 2010, the CVRD has been an active partner in developing and implementing strategies to improve the management and stewardship of the Cowichan Watershed.
"The Cowichan River is in crisis and we are working very closely with Cowichan Tribes and our other partners to ensure there are sustainable water flows during these increasingly common drought conditions" stated CVRD Chair Rob Hutchins. On Tuesday, September 9, Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations toured the Cowichan Watershed to see first-hand the impacts of this summer's drought on river flows and to discuss opportunities to ensure adequate water flows on the Cowichan River in the future.
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For more information, please contact:
Rob Hutchins
Chair, CVRD
250-746-2500
[email protected]
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