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You are here: Home / Weir Ready

Weir Ready

WEIR READY

What's a Weir?

In the 1950’s, a 97 cm high weir was built at Cowichan Lake to store enough water so that Cowichan River flows could be sustained throughout the dry season. It is a cement structure, spanning the lake at the head of the river, and includes a boat lock and several ‘spill gates’. The weir is owned and operated by Catalyst Paper under license from the BC Government.

This weir has served an important function economically and ecologically. Unlike a dam, the Cowichan Lake weir controls seasonal water level fluctuations but does not exceed natural “high water” levels, so that the natural shorelines and riparian habitats are intact.

What's the Problem?

Low river flows effect our collective well-being.  They impact indigenous cultures that are interconnected with healthy watersheds; they threaten union jobs at the Crofton mill; they could cause water quality issues tied to sewage dilution or impact drinking water supplies for some. River-based recreation and tourism are major contributors to the local economy and the quality of life of citizens. Many wildlife species are also negatively affected by drought and low river flows.

This weir is no longer adequate to meet the demands of our longer drier summers due to climate change. In most summers over the past decade, the river level could not be maintained at ecologically acceptable flows, even above the mill’s water intake pipe in Duncan, because there is not enough water storage in the lake. This trend is predicted to worsen. Scientists recently concluded that:

 “The Cowichan River is one of the most productive rivers on the eastern side of Vancouver Island and without action it will look radically different by the 2050s. Salmon stocks that utilize the river to spawn and rear during the summer and early fall period will be decimated. Chinook, Coho and Steelhead are particularly vulnerable.” 
- Source: Cowichan Water Use Plan (2018) www.cowichanwup.ca

Cowichan Valley Regional District published Climate Projections for the Cowichan Valley Regional District in 2017. The report provides detailed projections of wetter winters, hotter, drier summers, and an increase in extreme weather events for the 2050s and 2080s. See the Cowichan Lake water level chart (at right) for water levels at the weir over the past decade.

Resources

  • Cowichan Lake Water Supply website. https://cowichanlakeweir.ca/
  • Cowichan Valley Regional District Climate projections – Climate Change studies specific to Cowichan Region
  • Cowichan Tribes fisheries background and history in the watershed (note that the fishing weirs referred to on this page are different from the water storage weir at Cowichan Lake)
  • Catalyst Paper – monitoring data and resources for Cowichan water levels and snowpack
  • Cowichan Water Use Plan  – community interests, studies and consensus recommendation about Cowichan watershed water supplies.
  • Cowichan Lake Shoreline Property View Tool. 
  • Video – Why Fish Need Water.
  • Environment Canada Hydrometric data for Cowichan River
  • BC Drought portal

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions received by the Cowichan Watershed Board, with replies from Tom Rutherford (tom@cowichanwatershedboard.ca). Last updated October 2020. Also check cowichanlakeweir.ca for current information.

Read our FAQs

Videos

In the News

Posted on September 8, 2023

Environmental stress likely cause of fish die-off on Vancouver Island

CBC News – British Columbia Advocates say they’re not surprised, but the news is another…

Posted on September 8, 2023

Water to be pumped from Lake Cowichan into Cowichan River amid drought

Crews are preparing to pump water from Lake Cowichan into the Cowichan River as the…

Posted on August 31, 2023

In a storied river, fish are dying in droves as climate change scorches Canada

By Norimitsu Onishi The New York Times Re-published in The Seattle Times, August 30, 2023…

Posted on July 27, 2023

CTV News: Cowichan River Fish Die-Off; Urgent Calls for Higher Weir

Cowichan River fish die-off has many concerned There is a mystery unfolding on the Cowichan…

Posted on July 24, 2023

As river levels drop, people on Vancouver Island say a weir would help them adapt.

Cowichan Tribes, local governments call on province to help fund project. CBC News · Posted:…

DOCUMENTS

Posted on April 27, 2023

Why "Weir" Ready: with Chris Morley

Originally published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen Nov. 17, 2019 11:00 a.m. / COLUMNISTS/ OPINION…

Posted on April 27, 2023

Why "Weir" Ready: with Rick Bryan

Originally published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen Oct. 7, 2019 12:00 a.m. / COLUMNISTS/ OPINION…

Posted on April 27, 2023

Why "Weir" Ready: with Diana Gunderson

Originally published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen Sep. 29, 2019 3:00 p.m. / COLUMNISTS/ OPINION…

Posted on April 27, 2023

Why "Weir" Ready: with James Buchan

Originally published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen Sep. 22, 2019 10:00 a.m. / COLUMNISTS/ OPINION…

Posted on April 27, 2023

Why "Weir" Ready: with Dr. Shannon Waters

Originally published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen Sep. 15, 2019 9:00 a.m. / COLUMNISTS /…

5 Local Perspectives

Cowichan Valley residents were interviewed about why they support replacing the weir, published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen, summer 2019.

Dr. Shannon Waters, Cowichan Valley Medical Health Officer
READ INTERVIEW
James Buchan, steam plant field operator, Catalyst Crofton
READ INTERVIEW
Diana Gunderson, lakeshore resident, Cowichan Lake
READ INTERVIEW
Rick Bryan, whitewater paddler
READ INTERVIEW
Chris Morley, biologist, Lake Cowichan
READ INTERVIEW

Check out our Twinned Watershed Project on the lower Koksilah & Chemainus rivers

Khowutzun Forest Services Flows and Fish habitat field crew training. Koksilah River.
Khowutzun Forest Services Flows and Fish habitat field crew training. Koksilah River.
FISH HABITATS
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'aqwi' the Big Dancing Fish meets friend, MLA Sonia Furstenau.
Stth'aqwi' the Big Dancing Fish meets friend, MLA Sonia Furstenau.
BIG DANCING FISH

Latest News

  • Changing Conditions Force Difficult Decisions for Managing Cowichan River
  • Workers to pump water into Cowichan River amid drought
  • CBC Radio – On The Island Interview with Tom Rutherford -Cowichan River water levels.
  • Prolonged drought, low flows behind mass fish kill on Cowichan River, says DFO

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