Cowichan Watershed Board

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • YouTube
MENUMENU
  • About
    • Indigenous Co-governance
    • Our Principles
    • Board Members
    • Non-Profit Society
    • Supporters (Coming Soon)
    • Contact Us
  • Targets
    • Water Quality
    • Estuary Health
    • Salmon Sustainability
    • Water Use
    • Watershed IQ
    • Water Supply
    • Riparian Plants
  • Projects
    • Twinned Watersheds Project
      • Riparian Plants
      • Indigenous Flows
      • Fish Habitats
      • Big Dancing Fish
    • Weir Ready (Coming Soon)
    • River Cleanup (Coming Soon)
    • Speakers Series
    • Past Projects (Coming Soon)
      • Water Challenge (Coming Soon)
      • Superheroes (Coming Soon)
  • Resources
    • News
      • LEGACY - News Releases
    • Board Meetings
    • Publications (Coming Soon)
    • Presentations (Coming Soon)
    • Videos (Coming Soon)
    • Reading Room (Coming Soon)
You are here: Home / Twinned Watersheds Project / Fish Habitats

Fish Habitats

Twinned Watersheds Project:

Fish Habitats

Salmon are a good measure of watershed health.

This project enabled robust research, lead by Geomorphic Consulting in collaboration with local scientists and field crews, to determine the necessary water levels and habitat conditions for salmon and other species to thrive, or at least survive, in the Koksilah and Chemainus Rivers. 

Throughout the summer of 2021, as water levels dropped, field crews walked the two rivers to monitor how various habitats were impacted by declining flow rates.  Pool, riffle, and glide habitats were inventoried to see if there was enough water for fish – specifically juvenile Coho and Steelhead fry, and returning adult Chinook.

See the Documents section on this page to  download the peer reviewed study results or an Executive Summary. 

Access the full Habitat Atlas that was generated by this project here, or see the map-sets on this page.

Photo Gallery

IMG_1282_Kok-training-day-May-2021-1-scaled

IMG_1282_Kok-training-day-May-2021-1-scaled
Image 1 of 12

Khowutzun Forestry Service crew on day one of training for aquatic research in the Koksilah River. CWB photo by Chloe Mitchell.

Videos

DOCUMENTS

Posted on April 15, 2022

Twinned Watershed Project: Executive Summary – Koksilah River Environmental Flow Assessment

Water holds a prominent place in culture, science, policy, community values and recreational pursuits. Yet,…

Posted on April 5, 2022

Twinned Watershed Project: FULL REPORT - Xwulqw'selu/Koksilah River Environmental Flow Assessment

Over the past number of years water has been elevated to the centre of planning,…

Check Out Other Parts of the Twinned Watersheds Project

Tim Kulchyski, Cowichan Tribes member, Fisheries biologist, Koksilah River. Taylor Roades
Tim Kulchyski, Cowichan Tribes member, Fisheries biologist, Koksilah River. Taylor Roades
INDIGENOUS FLOWS
Koksilah Ancient Forest, by Arcas Media
Koksilah Ancient Forest, by Arcas Media
RIPARIAN PLANTS
Stth'aqui the Big Dancing Fish meets friend, MLA Sonia Furstenau.
BIG DANCING FISH

Latest News

  • Job Posting: Executive Director
  • Report: Twinned Watershed Project – Xwulqw’selu/Koksilah River Environmental Flow Assessment
  • Media Release: BC’s First Water Sustainability Plan Being Developed for Koksilah Watershed
  • Cowichan Tribes and Province to develop BC’s first Water Sustainability Plan

Sign up for E-News

CWB Website

Home
About Us
Contact
Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan
Documents & Presentations
Privacy
Terms

Targets

Water Quality
Estuarine Health
Salmon Sustainability
Water Use
Watershed IQ
Water Supply
Riparian Area Protection

Cowichan Watershed

Introduction
Cowichan Lake
Quamichan & Somenos Lakes
Cowichan Estuary
The Weir

Logo Email

info@cowichanwatershedboard.ca

Mailing Address
4335 Riverside Road
Duncan, BC, V9L 6M8

Copyright © 2022 Cowichan Watershed Board - All Rights Reserved. | Design by MAC5 | Maintained by Shawn DeWolfe Consulting

sponsor logo
The Cowichan Watershed Board (CWB) gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the above organizations.