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Quamichan Watershed Management PlanTo be presented at the Community Forum, Duncan B.C. Saturday, June 5TRANSCRIPT
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