Water Quality Improvement GrantsNEW! As of January 2020, the Shuswap Watershed Council has launched a new Water Quality Grant Program to support farmers, agri-businesses and landowners reduce or divert the flow of nutrient-rich waters from land to the Shuswap River and Salmon River.New research from the University of British Columbia – Okanagan has found that a significant portion of phosphorus (P) in Shuswap River and Salmon River is coming from seasonal streams, ditches, groundwater and surface run-off in the settled valley bottoms. Although the research found that P also comes from the large tributaries and the upper reaches of the watershed, the highest concentrations come from the valley bottoms, in regions of the watershed known as incremental flow sub-watersheds, or IFSWs. For more information about these research findings, please see the SWC’s new report, Understanding Nutrients and Water Quality in the Shuswap River and Salmon River. About the new Water Quality Improvement GrantThe SWC would like to help you keep nutrients on the land, and out of the waterUp to $100,000 is available for eligible applicants, subject to approval by the Shuswap Watershed Council. The application period is now closed. The deadline for grant applications was April 30, 2020. Successful applicants will be contacted after June 17, 2020. For more information, contact: Mike Simpson E: Previous water quality improvement and restorationThe Shuswap Watershed Council has also provided two grants of $10,000 to support two projects for water quality improvement and restoration in the Shuswap watershed. Gardom Lake Wetlands RestorationIn 2017-18, the SWC partnered with the Gardom Lake Stewardship Society on a wetland restoration project near Gardom Lake. This project is being done in phases; to-date, a small wetland has been created near a creek flowing into Gardom Lake. Wetlands are exceptional at improving water quality because they capture nutrients and sediment as water flows slowly through them. As a result of the new wetland, water flowing into Gardom Lake will be cleaner.
A volunteer with the Gardom Lake Stewardship Society is marking out where the wetland would be established near Gardom Lake. Photo: Gardom Lake Stewardship Society. The newly created wetland near Gardom Lake, which will improve water quality in a nearby creek as it flows into Gardom Lake. The local stewardship society has plans to continue working on the wetland in subsequent phases, including planting native riparian species and creating wildlife habitat. Photo: Gardom Lake Stewardship Society.
Members of the Shuswap Water Protection Advisory Committee toured the wetland in May 2019. Alderson Creek Exclusion FencingIn 2016 the SWC partnered with Yucwmenlucwu, a resource management company owned and managed by Splatsin Indian Band, to install livestock exclusion fencing and plant riparian vegetation along the edges of Alderson Creek in the Shuswap River drainage. These techniques reduce erosion, siltation, and fecal pollution by livestock. The stream bank is stabilized, and the newly planted vegetation provides more shade and cover to the creek.
A crew works to install livestock exclusion fencing at Alderson Creek. Photo: Yucwmenlucwu. One of the restored sites along Alderson Creek, with new livestock exclusion fencing and newly planted shrubs and trees. Photo: Yucwmenlucwu |
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