We are likely going to experience one of the worst drought seasons in the history of the Cowichan Valley this summer and the wheels are in motion when it comes to building a new weir in Lake Cowichan.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District has applied for funding to conduct an assessment to determine what is required to build a new weir.
Cowichan Valley Green Party MLA Sonia Furstenau said all levels of government are on board with raising the weir.
“There are agreements at all levels of government, including Cowichan Tribes, local government, the provincial government, and federal government that this is an urgent situation,” said Furtenau. “I’m hopeful that grant funding will come through so assessment work can happen.”
Furstenau said an assessment is one of the major obstacles left to tackle in raising the weir.
“It will take a while to do all the assessment work once that grant funding comes in, which I hope it does,” said Furstenau. “That is a very big step toward a new weir that can hold more water.”
Catalyst started reducing water flows at the Cowichan Weir on June 1 and by the end of today, only seven cubic metres a second of water will be released and the operators of the weir will reduce flow rates until they hit four and a half cubic metres a second.
