Draft Work Plan

Cowichan Watershed Society DRAFT WORK PLAN 2017 Year End Review

Tom Rutherford Jill Thompson 29/01/2018 DRAFT 2017 Work plan – Cowichan Watershed Society

Priorities

1. Green = highest immediate priority – funding secured 2. Orange = medium priority – if funding secured 3. Pink = lower priority OR unfunded

Funding Sources

OPS = Operations Budget contributed by the CVRD and Cowichan Tribes REFBC = Grant 2014-2018 from the Real Estate Foundation of BC for local governance readiness Legacy Fund = Grant(s) from BC Freshwater Legacy Fund for local governance work Sustainable Funding for Watershed Governance Initiative = Grant(s) to explore sustainable funding mechanisms for local water(shed) governance Eco Action = grants from Environment Canada for citizen engagement on climate (water quality, quantity) Summer Jobs = partial grants for summer students from Government of Canada (cover min. wage only) Sponsors = local business donors and sponsorships

Staff Tom = Tom Rutherford, Executive Director Jill = Jill Thompson, Community Coordinator

1) General Operations

Target/ Project Activities Lead Update

1 Organize and/or serve as a resource for All priority General Board Coordination Board/Society/Technical Advisory Committee, Ops. Activities Carried and Support selected Working Groups and related meetings out Successfully with 1 Liaise with Board/TAC members, Special Exception of 5 year Advisors/Government staff/ and stakeholders in the Review of targets interests of the CWB

1 Review policy documents relevant to the watershed and prepare briefings materials, position papers, letters of support, speaking notes etc.

1 Monitor/manage budget Financial Mgmt

1 Pursue funding for ops and projects Tom / Jill

1 TAC and Working Implement 5 year review of targets Group Coordination 1 Support and coordinate Target Working Groups

1 Build and Support Maintain relationships with stakeholders Partnerships –particularly stewardship groups within the Target/ Project Activities Lead Update watershed

2 Attend Agricultural Commission, Stewardship Roundtable, Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship etc. meetings as time permits. 3 Other initiatives as opportunities arise and based on Other Board direction and available funds. Regular Attendance at Partnership Meetings 3 Pursue opportunities that may benefit the CWB and in Cowichan Valley or the watershed

1 Jill, : Arthur Challenges with Website improvements Digital Presence Caldicott updating website.

Facebook presence – CWB, Water Woman, partner Ongoing Facebook 1 Jill sites. Presence Jill, Tom, 1 Media comms Articles in local media Periodic articles, E-Newsletter, radio interviews contracto outlets and E-Newsletter r 2 Participation in Upper River Cleanup- Participation in Upper River River Clean up cleanup and participation, support Community Organization and organization and promotion in the Lower Jill Engagement Events River Clean Up with CLRSS and Cowichan implementation of Tribes best attended lower river clean up

2) Local Governance

Target/Project Activities Lead Update

2 Work with Key partners to more clearly define relationship CWB between CWB,CVRD and CWB CO-Governance Organizational Tom Cowichan Tribes and role of CWB Conversations workshop Structure in local water(shed) governance series funded by BCFWLI moving forward 2 BC Water Work with Province of BC to Tom, Regular Meetings with Sustainability Act explore advisory function, critical Board FNLRORD Management Tools and flows and drought management Commit Team – Progress on Initiatives as defined under the WSA tee, Koksiah Critical Flow Flows Thresholds Working Target/Project Activities Lead Update Group

1 CVRD Working towards creation of Cowichan Water/watershed Sustainable Explore mechanisms for accessing Team(L. stewardship service Watershed sustainable funding for local water George, B. Governance and watershed governance in the Carruthers, Lydia Hwitsum working Funding Cowichan valley D. Slade, towards identifying Tom, Jill sustainable funding options for Cowichan tribes 2 Communications support for Local Communications Jill Ongoing Governance

3) Technical Working Groups

Target/Project Activities Lead Update FLOW TARGET 1 Tom Work with primary partners Partners/ (Cowichan Tribes, CVRD, Catalyst fish-flows Paper) to develop and implement Water Use Planning WG/ strategic plan to increase storage Process Possible capacity in Cowichan Lake contract 1 Fish-flows Complete – Structured decision making process WG Foundational to develop science based target and Document Target - Successfully minimum fish flows informing WUP Increase the ARTSG Probability of 1 Broadly scoped SD process to define CVRD Adequate Summer Cowichan flow targets for cultural, Flows in the Water Use Planning recreational, agricultural and Cowichan River Process industrial interests 1 Tom, Jill, One on one Build knowledge base and support Contract conversations with among community stakeholders Lake Front Property Owners 1 Public communications regarding Tom/Jill/ drought management. Monitoring Fish-flows and reporting to public and province WG

2 Project - Building Tom/ Knowledge re Organize Working forest tour for Riparian WG implications of community leaders and decision climate change and makers to increase knowledge of Completed May land use current practices and continued 2017 management on dialogue around land use in the health of lake and Cowichan Valley river Tom Participated in Calls Ad Hoc flows Represent CWB perspective on Successful 2017 committee weekly Catalyst Ad Hoc Flow calls Season Project - Cowichan Watershed Water Assist in identifying remaining Budget and Meetings with Pat knowledge gaps regarding relationships Lapcevic regarding groundwater and between Surface and reporting out on groundwater/surface water issues. Ground water completed work

1 Ongoing collaboration with others regarding continued standard monitoring of key sites: Koksilah River, Cowichan Bay Water quality bench and Cowichan River/Fish Gut alley; sampling completed marine – e-coli sampling; spot checking Water Surface Water Nov. 2017, report farms; microbial source tracking at Quality WG Quality Monitoring freshwater and marine sites due Feb. 2018. 2016-2018 MOE Agricultural CCLT Outreach to farming community – outreach after livestock producers: results completed • communication materials • Farm visits/workshops 2 Ongoing collaboration to fully Water implement VORR in Cowichan Bay to Quality/ Est. First Buoys installed Cowichan Bay Vessel protect sensitive habitats Health WG (CVRD Parks lead) Operators Fund raise, purchase and install Proposal for Restriction buoys additional funding Implementation Outreach education initiative to be submitted Compliance program (CT, DFO, Feb. 2018 RCMP) 2 Water Planning for clam garden pilot in Quality Est. Cowichan Bay Health WG Funding Tech support No Progress in 2017 Clam Garden Kim Lagimodiere to Site survey Lead efforts in 201 Traditional Knowledge Eng/feasibility Permitting 3 Collaborate with others and assess results of completed study Tom Groundwater Quality coordinated by MFLNRO, identify Report not yet Monitoring ongoing monitoring requirements released and help seek funds as appropriate.

1 Restore 10% of Continue to work with Riparian WG Riparian WG Major CRF funded 5 impacted shoreline to coordinate and support Riparian year riparian habitat by 2021 restoration works including restoration program Prioritization (restoration & for Cowichan Lake, acquisition) river and Koksilah Standardized Monitoring Development of riparian outreach/Education messaging Inventory of current riparian habitats, issues and opportunities Invasive Plant Issues and Strategies

2 Continue to work with local Tom Stewardship Groups, the CVRD, Formal protection No Progress with Cowichan Tribes and of 50% of remaining Land Acquisition national/provincial scale shoreline conservation organizations to acquire the Shaw Creek Properties 3 Work with Working Group to set Riparian WG priorities for acquisition or alternate Ongoing forms of protection 3 Meet with TimberWest senior Tom management to discuss targets and possible mutually beneficial means After forestry tour of formally protecting riparian habitats.

2 Support Chinook restoration Fish-flows Support to DFO initiative and development of WG Chinook rebuilding Chinook Chinook target utilizing the Flows Framework and Fish Working Group as a forum. 3 Encourage MOE/BCCF to monitor Fish-flows Steelhead and report status to Board. WG Ongoing Prepare letters of support for BCCF as required.

2 Residential Water Water Challenge reporting and Jill, David S., Completed and Conservation analysis, and public announcement Water extended Challenge 2014-2018 of results Suppliers 2 Organize attend meeting with Catalyst Management to continue Tom, Jill, discussion on water conservation David Encourage water within its operations – (and how to conservation by May assist with getting conservation major water users initiative messaging out) as well as strategic planning related to increased storage 3 Water conservation and awareness Public Engagement outreach program, educational Jill, May – Sept workshops. youth

1 Working Group to carry out gap Watershed Coordination and analysis to determine potential areas IQ working In progress, support gap analysis of engagement required to meet group from Social Planning Watershed IQ targets Cowichan 2 Organize/promote Watershed Jill, Tom Speaker Series Speaker Series With VIU ONGOING 3 Watershed Field Ongoing as funding Tom Trips permits 2 Jill, Door to Door Survey Analysis of water knowledge survey contractor Not yet Completed