Quamichan Watershed Management Plan Update

Quw’utsun’ Conference Centre 10:25 am – 10:50 am

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Agenda Introduction Management Plan Guiding Principles Vision Goals and Objectives Responsibility Matrix Implementation Strategy Questions?

Kwamustun Xatsa’

The Quamichan Watershed has been an important source of food, drinking water, and resources for millennia

Quamichan Village was the largest settlement in the area

People are still attracted to living in the watershed

Satelite photos clearly show the level of development

Closer examination shows the impact •  Increased nutrient levels as a result of:

  Increased development in the watershed   Past and continued residential and agricultural

practices   Removal and degradation of riparian areas

•  Increased water temperatures, low oxygen levels, and record fish kills as a result of:   Dredging of the outflow stream   Shallow lake bed   Global warming

•  Increased health hazards with high cyanobacteria levels

•  Acceleration of downward spiral through invasive fish and vegetation species

Quamichan Lake Management Plan

o  Watershed Context o  Guiding Principles o  Vision Statement o  Goals, Objectives and Actions

Guiding Principles o  Foster stewardship and work cooperatively

with all stakeholders to improve the ecological integrity of the watershed

o  Treat all lands within the watershed as one unit, while recognizing the diversity of land use activities, ownership needs and their influence on the watershed

o  Promote long-term strategies that will benefit the overall ecological system

o  Strike a balance between ecological preservation and recreational diversity

Watershed Approach

Vision: The Quamichan Lake Watershed is valued as in important feature in the Cowichan Valley

To enact this Vision the Management Plan contains o  5 Goals o  15 Objectives o  55 Actions

Goal #1: Inspire the people of the Cowichan Valley to truly value the Quamichan Watershed

Inspire the people of the Cowichan Valley to truly value the Quamichan Watershed •  Increase the visibility of the Quamichan

Watershed through promoting recreation and educational activities

•  Increase the awareness of the Quamichan Watershed as a place to experience and support wildlife Promote long-term strategies that will benefit the overall ecological system.

•  Increase public involvement in watershed management to create a culture of “Community Ownership” within the Cowichan Valley

Goal #2 Improve the Water Quality of Quamichan Lake and the watershed

Improve the Water Quality of Quamichan Lake and the Watershed •  Reduce the amount of source nutrient

(internal load) in Quamichan Lake

•  Reduce non-source nutrient input from land and water activities in the Quamichan Watershed

•  Monitor the water quality in Quamichan Lake

Goal #3: Ensure that the water levels of Quamichan Lake support multiple uses within the watershed

Ensure that the water level of Quamichan Lake supports multiple uses within the watershed •  Develop a hydrology model of the

Quamichan Watershed

•  Ensure adequate spring and fall water flows in the lake

Goal #4: Champion ecologically sustainable land use practices within the watershed

Champion ecologically sustainable land use practices within the watershed

•  Complete the Quamichan Watershed Definition

•  Ensure that the Quamichan Watershed is integrated into other land and water planning efforts within the Cowichan Valley

•  Support the implementation of environmental farm practices within the watershed

•  Support the adoption of ecologically sound landowner activities

Goal # 5 Improve habitat in the watershed to support a sustainable fishery and overall biodiversity

Improve the habitat in the watershed to support a sustainable fishery and overall biodiversity •  Protect the riparian habitat within the

Quamichan Watershed •  Protect native animal and fish species,

particularly those that are endangered within the Quamichan Watershed

•  Conduct a viability assessment of re-introducing an anadromous fish (salmon) habitat to the Quamichan Watershed s

n

 Management Plan   Implementation Strategy

•  Responsibility Matrix •  Prioritization and Sequencing of

Actions •  Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy •  Communications Plan

Quamichan Watershed Management Plan

Responsibility Matrix

•  Cowichan Tribes/HTG •  TimberWest/Couverdon •  Municipality of North Cowichan •  Department of Fisheries and Oceans •  Ministry of Environment •  Watershed Property Owners •  Covenant Holders

 Implementation Strategy

o  Prioritization and sequencing of Actions

o  Integration of Actions into the Implementation Strategy

o  Secure funding

o  Take ACTION

o  Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy

Questions and

Answers