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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.
  • Video – Warmerland: Changing Climate and Cowichan Salmon by Tom Rutherford, April 2019
  • 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 October 21, 2022

Comment: Drought renews urgency for action on Cowichan Lake Weir

A commentary by the co-chairs of the Cowichan Watershed Board. Lydia Hwitsum is Cowichan Tribes chief and Lori Iannidinardo is Cowichan Valley Regional District chair. Lydia Hwitsum, Lori Iannidinardo Oct 21, 2022 4:28 AM Victoria Times Colonist After several drought-stricken summers, this year’s cold, rainy spring was met with a sigh of relief by those

Posted on April 22, 2020

Work begins on new weir for Cowichan Lake, Cowichan Valley Citizen

Work begins on new weir for Cowichan Lake A contract has been awarded to Stantec Engineering Services to do designs, engineering and studies Andrea Rondeau Apr. 22, 2020 12:00 p.m. Work to bring a new weir to Cowichan Lake to control water flows into the Cowichan River has started. “On behalf of the project partners,

Posted on April 22, 2018

Drought has volunteers walking Cowichan Lake area’s dry rivers and creek-beds looking for stranded fish fry

Cowichan Valley Citizen / Lexi Banas / Aug. 22, 2018 4:30 p.m. Rescue squads have been busy this summer moving fish fry from the small pools that are all that’s been left of the creeks flowing into Cowichan Lake. Even rivers, like Mesachie Lake’s Robertson River, that can roar during the winter time, have become

Posted on September 26, 2016

Catalyst completes pump installation at Cowichan Lake weir

Lake Cowichan Gazette / James Goldie / Sep. 26, 2016 12:00 p.m. Twenty pumps are now underwater at the weir, installed and ready to go, which leaves one big question: will it be necessary to turn them on? Last week, crews were hard at work installing the equipment that will ensure water flow over the

Posted on October 7, 2012

Drought, low water levels in river force Cowichan Tribes to halt salmon fishery

Times Colonist / Judith Lavoie / Oct 7, 2012 1:00 AM Cowichan Tribes have stopped fishing for chinook salmon because low water in the Cowichan River is preventing fish from entering the river to spawn. “The fish just aren’’t able to get into the river and they’re gathering in the estuary,” said former band manager

DOCUMENTS

Posted on August 7, 2022

Developing a Water Use Plan for the Cowichan Watershed

The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), Cowichan Tribes, the Cowichan Watershed Board, and Catalyst Paper have…

Posted on August 3, 2022

Video: Why Fish Need Water

Cowichan Watershed Board’s Tim Kulchyski and Tom Rutherford answer common questions about the why, when,…

Posted on December 19, 2018

Cowichan River Weir Replacement Initiative

Posted on March 26, 2018

CWB Water Use Planning Update - 26Mar2018

Posted on February 29, 2016

Cowichan Weir Operations: 2015 Review, 2016 Conditions to Date

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

  • Speakers Series: Xwulqw’selu (Koksilah) Watershed Planning
  • Cowichan Tribes & Province Sign Historic Agreement Marking the launch of Xwulqw’selu (Koksilah) Watershed Planning
  • Speakers Series: Dr. Shannon Waters on Mon April 17th 7pm
  • Photos and Links from “Safeguarding XPey'” Speaker Night

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