From Cowichan Valley Regional District
Colwood, BC – Major grant funding from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Province
of British Columbia will enable the Cowichan Valley Regional District to explore the feasibility of
increasing water storage levels in Cowichan Lake to provide sustainable water resources for
fisheries in the Cowichan River system.
A multi-party proposal for $4 million to the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF)
was put forward by the CVRD in collaboration with Cowichan Tribes, Paper Excellence and the
Cowichan Watershed Board to focus on two key activities necessary to move forward on attaining
a long term water supply for the Cowichan River. The first component will be development of
detailed engineering designs and permitting for a new weir in Cowichan Lake, as well as strategies
for the removal of the existing weir. The second component of the project will be determining the
Cowichan Lake natural boundary in order to conduct private property impact assessment
associated with an increase to lake levels if and when a new dam is constructed in the future.
