Assessing the impacts of nonpoint source pollution in the Cowichan River
Date
2024
Authors
Janke, Liam
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Abstract
The Cowichan Watershed is located on south-central Vancouver island and covers an area of approximately 930 km2, with a mountainous topography achieving a maximum elevation of 1483m and descending to sea level (S. B. Foster & Allen, 2015). The 47 km-long Cowichan River flows out of Cowichan Lake, and east through the municipalities of Lake Cowichan and Duncan before emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Cowichan Bay. The watershed and surrounding area experiences warm, dry summers and mild rainy winters, with hydrology affected by both groundwater and precipitation effects, including snowmelt (S. Foster, 2014; S. B. Foster & Allen, 2015). The river is of great cultural and historical significance, particularity to the people of the Cowichan Tribes who have inhabited the region for thousands of years (Cowichan Tribes, 2024; Government of BC, 2023). It remains for them a vital food source, hosting tens of thousands of spawning chinook, coho, chum, and steelhead salmon each year, and four species of trout. The Cowichan is a designated heritage river, and its estuary is recognized as one of the world’s most biologically important areas for fish and wildlife (CVRD, 2024). In addition to its ecological importance and natural beauty, the river provides recreational value for fishing, swimming, and paddling, and is a major draw for the tourism industry on which the surrounding communities rely heavily on. The history of the river and its strong ties to the people is storied with community efforts to monitor and maintain the water quality of the river.
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Keywords
watersheds, Cowichan Watershed, history, culture, Cowichan Tribes, Sustainability Scholars Program