Friends of Swan Creek Watershed

1) Who are you?

Friends of Swan Creek Watershed

2) What does your group do?

The purpose of the Friends of Swan Creek Watershed is to promote the restoration of the Swan Creek Watershed by:

• Re-establishing healthy aquatic and riparian ecosystems;
• Facilitating public education and awareness of the issues affecting the Swan Creek watershed;
• Maintaining relationships with key agencies and groups with the common goal of improving the ecological health of the Swan Creek watershed;
• Developing and implementing a plan of action that sets short-term, mid-term and long-term goals; and;
• Raising funds to support the activities of the organization.

The actual activities are:

• Building riffles and adding gravel to improve the spawning habitat
• Removing invasive plants and planting native plants to improve the riparian areas around the creek
• Water quality testing
• Counting spawning Coho salmon October – December
• Counting Coho smolts leaving the creek for the ocean from March to May
• Outreach at community events to raise awareness of Swan Creek and the related watersheds

3) When does your group meet?

• Quarterly board meetings.
• Monthly riparian area work parties
• Work in the creek between August 15 and September 15
• Counting spawning fish in the fall/winter;  counting smolts in the spring

4) What is your geographical jurisdiction with respect to the Colquitz watershed?

Swan Creek Watershed

5) What projects have you accomplished with respect to the Colquitz watershed?

• Riparian workparties (planting, invasive plant species removal)
• Riffle construction at three locations on Swan Creek
• Water quality readings (oxygen, pH, turbidity, temperature)

6) What are your current projects with respect to the Colquitz watershed?

• Capital City Allotment Gardens Creek Restoration project
• Clearing invasive species from a 10 foot strip along the creek edge (this is a very long term goal)
• More work in the creek this fall to repair existing riffles and add more spawning gravel
• More counting of spawning salmon in the fall

7) How can others participate in your groups’ projects? Are there any requirements?

Volunteers welcome! Contact us by email.

8) How is your group funded?

Membership fees.

9) Contact info: More info upper left

2015 Saanich Environmental Award Winners – Our Backyard – Fall 2015

Swan Creek restoration within the Capital City Allotment Gardens – July 2015

Focus on Swan Creek and Goward Springs Creek in Saanich Our Backyard – Winter 2014 Edition