Publications and Data

Colquitz Coalition Annual Meeting Minutes

Colquitz Coalition Annual Meeting – February 8 2018 Notes
Colquitz Coalition Annual Meeting – January 25 2017 notes
Colquitz Coalition Annual Meeting – November 10 2015 notes
Colquitz Watershed Stewards Meeting – March 1, 2014 REPORT

Click here to access, view and download more files related to the Colquitz Watershed, including historical and planning documents.

Elk Lake Documents

Elk/Beaver Lake as Featured Watershed on CRD website

– PowerPoint Presentations

North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Presentation by Nordin et al (Nov 2016)

Elk Lake : Past and Present –What’s Going on Inside Elk Lake. Rick Nordin, British Columbia Stewardship Society

Progress Report on Remediation Options in Elk/Beaver Lake. Michelle Hawryluk, Ministry of Environment

Elk and Beaver Lakes: Restoration Lessons from other lakes. Erin Gray, JD, Articled student, UVic Environmental Law Centre

– Reports

CRD fish inventory report for Elk/Beaver Lake by Hemmera Envirochem Inc., Nov. 6, 2017

Bottom Sediment Analysis of Elk Lake, Victoria BC by Julio Flores and Esther Nankabirwa, June 16, 2017

Lake Sediment Particle Analysis B prepared by Julio Flores, 2017

Aquatic Plant Workshop and Survey Summary Sep 2016

Elk Lake Sediment Report 110816 FINAL by Dr Said Yasseri and Patrick Van Goethem

Evaluation of remediation options for Elk/Beaver Lake, Victoria BC. Gertrud Nurnberg, Ph.D.

Cleaning Up Elk and Beaver Lakes: What can be learned from other lakes. Roisin Lyder, Law student and Erin Gray, Articled student, UVic Environmental Law Centre

Water Quality Sampling Program for Elk Lake 2014-2015: Overview, Status and Phosphorus Budget. Rick Nordin, Ph.D.

A Strategic Approach for Improving Ecosystem Health in Elk/Beaver Lake Capital Regional District Park, by Mick Collins and Robert McConnell, Co-Chairs Elk/Beaver Lake Initiative, Victoria Golden Rods and Reels Fishing and Social Club.

Synthesis of Water Quality Data and Modeling Non-Point Loading in Four Coastal B.C. Watersheds: Implications for Lake and Watershed Health and Management. Lisa Rodgers, Masters of Science thesis, UVic Biology Dept.

“Elk Lake Benthos Field Sampling Guide” Maleen Mund, Michael Rutter and Miles Wang. Camosun College, Victoria.

“Assessing Benthic Invertebrate Biomass and Family Assemblages as Indicators of Organic Pollution in the Profundal Zone of Elk Lake, a Pilot Study, Victoria BC” Michael Rutter, Miles Wang and Maleen Mund. Camosun College, Victoria.

Paleolimnological study of Elk Lake: 150 – 500 years of inferred water quality developments – Roel Groeneveld – 20 December 2002 – University of Victoria and Wageningen University.

Elk Lake Public Forum Oct 29 2015 (Youtube video)

Other Reports

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, South Coast Salmon Bulletin #15, 2017 Escapement Update. All salmon species – Strait of Georgia Stock Assessment. December 8, 2017.

Protecting Public Green Space by UVic Environmental Law Centre, June 2017

Preventing Home Heating Oil Spills in British Columbia by UVic Environmental Law Centre, November 2012.

Colquitz River Watershed In the News

2019

December 21, 2019 – Saanich News – Salmon counters ‘disappointed’ with 119 cohos in Colquitz this season – Long-time volunteer blames predators, sediment contamination for lower numbers

November 14, 2019 – Goldstream News Gazette – Saanich schoolkids observe salmon dissections in Cuthbert Holmes Park – Researchers, volunteers teach about salmon lifecycles and anatomy

November 12, 2019 – Sooke News Mirror – Bright red salmon appear at Saanich’s Colquitz River fish fence – Local preschool group looks on in delight while volunteers work

October 22, 2019 -Saanich News – Colquitz River salmon draw school kids and passerbys alike – Seventy salmon counted passing through the fish fence since September

October 11, 2019 – Saanich News – First coho of the season spotted in the Colquitz River – Excess rain in September is good for the fish, says Salmon in the City volunteer

October 11, 2019 – CBC All Points West – Salmon start to return to the Colquitz River

September 10, 2019 – Vic News – Work to resume in Colquitz River after sediment contamination in August – Night work to take place this week as wastewater treatment project continues

September 6, 2019 – Vic News – Construction in Colquitz River still on hold due to water contamination, equipment left on-site – Residents are concerned about the effects on wildlife

August 30, 2019 – Saanich News – WATCH: Water contamination halts CRD project construction at Colquitz River – Crews were issued stop-work orders two days in a row due to sediments contaminating the river

August 7, 2019 – Saanich News – Salmon restoration and new viewing platforms planned for Colquitz River – Peninsula Streams Society and District of Saanich team up to protect natural resource

June 28, 2019 – Creatively United Community – Mudflats in the Colquitz River Estuary & Cuthbert Holmes Park

January 7, 2019 – Peninsula News Review – Saanich accused of abandoning community over derelict boat – District failed to seize boat but continues to pursue legal actions

2018

December 18, 2018 – Vic News – McKenzie Interchange pump failure sends contaminated water into Colquitz River – Sediment release in salmon-bearing river a serious threat to aquatic life, says local activist

April 11, 2018 – Times Colonist – Neighbours’ cry: End ‘shantytown’ in Saanich’s Cuthbert Holmes Park

March 22, 2018 – Chek News – Concerns over runoff from McKenzie interchange construction into Colquitz River

March 22, 2018 – Saanich News – Cement the latest McKenzie Interchange runoff in Cuthbert Holmes Park

March 5, 2018 – CTV News Vancouver Island – Neighbours of Saanich homeless camp beg police, district for action

March 3, 2018 – Saanich News – Residents fed up with permanent campsites, trash piles in Cuthbert Holmes Park

March 2, 2018 – CFAX 1070 – Campers Impacting Ecologically Sensitive Cuthbert Holmes Park (article)

March 2, 2018 – CFAX 1070 – Rob Wickson, President Gorge Tillicum Community Association (audio)

February 21, 2018 – Peninsula News Review – ‘Where the hell are the environmental monitors?’ says Colquitz activist

February 20, 2018 – CFAX 1070 – Calvin Sandborn, legal director for UVIC’s Environmental Law Centre

February 20, 2018 – Saanich News – Environmentalists call on Saanich to protect public waterfront

2017

November 26, 2017 – Saanich News – Where’s the fish? Early returns for South Island salmon show ‘doom and gloom’

November 19, 2017 – Saanich News – Video suggests new McKenzie Interchange berm has already breached a mandated setback

November 9, 2017 – Saanich News – Coast Guard quickly retrieves sunken boat from Gorge

November 8, 2017 – Victoria News – Leaking oil tank threatens spawning Colquitz coho

October 20, 2017 – Saanich News – Salmon have arrived in Saanich

October 6, 2017 – Saanich News – Saanich counts down to salmon run

October 3, 2017 – Times Colonist – Saanich wants answers before approving berm at new McKenzie interchange

October 1, 2017 – Saanich News – UPDATED: Saanich sends back plans for highway berm for additional work

May 17, 2017 – Creatively United for the Planet – Colquitz River Stewardship presentation with Dorothy Chambers

Feb 21, 2017 – Saanich News – Contractor sends raw sewage onto Saanich streets – Sewage spilled Dec. 11 and Feb. 9 from McKenzie interchange project

2016

December 29, 2016 – Times Colonist – Colquitz coho run disappoints; construction cited as possible cause

December 4, 2016 – Times Colonist – At Colquitz River, a trail of controversy

December 3, 2016 – Times Colonist – Editorial_ Ball dropped on Colquitz spill

December 1, 2016 – Times Colonist – McKenzie interchange site upgraded to protect Colquitz River

November 30, 2016 – Saanich News – Crews respond to sediment runoff into Colquitz River

August 17, 2016 – Saanich News – MLA Report: Action needed to preserve Saanich lakes

July 13, 2016 – CTV News Vancouver Island – Underwater weed whacker used to clean up Elk Lake

April 28, 2016 – Saanich News – Interchange impacts more than just traffic

April 7, 2016 – Saanich News – McKenzie interchange could jeopardize park setting

2015

October 25, 2015 – Times Colonist – Everyone’s help needed to save Elk, Beaver lakes

October 22, 2015 – Times Colonist – Elk Lake cleanup gets green light from CRD parks committee

Watch Ian Bruce (PSS) and Robert McConnell (Golden Rods and Reels) speak in support of the ‘Elk/Beaver Lake Stewardship Initiative’ at the CRD Regional Parks Committee meeting on Oct. 21, 2015 (agenda).

September 30, 2015 – Times Colonist – Elk/Beaver Lake water quality needs fixing, CRD directors agree

September 10, 2015 – Saanich News – Colquitz stewardship group aims to conserve and protect

August 27, 2015 – Saanich News – Restoration funding on stream

August 23, 2015 – Times Colonist – $40,000 in awards aid Pacific salmon projects

April 29, 2015 – Saanich News – Garrison fights to get Colquitz, Sooke rivers under federal protection

April 24, 2015 – Shaw TV South VI – “Did You Know?” Beaver Lake Dam (Youtube video)

2013

November 9, 2013 – Victoria News – Colquitz creek in Saanich no worse for wear

October 13, 2013 – Saanich News – Saanich volunteers have fingers crossed for solid salmon season

March 18, 2013 – CTV News – Concrete River Bank Possibility Worries Neighbours (Youtube video)

2012

November 9, 2012 – CTV News – Another Oil Spill at the Colquitz River (Youtube video)

February 27, 2012 – CTV News – Another Oil Spill in Colquitz River (Youtube video)

2011

December 5, 2011 – CTV News – Oil Leak Still Cause for Concern (Youtube video)

November 29, 2011 – Victoria News – Oil spill stains urban miracle in Colquitz Creek

November 28, 2011 – CTV News – Salmon Dead After Home-Oil Line Leak (Youtube video)

2010

November 10, 2010 – Times Colonist – Fears for cliff jumpers keep taps turned off at Thetis Lake

October 25, 2010 – ANewsVanIsland – Annual Coho Count Keeps Climbing (Youtube video)