Water Quality Improvement Grants

NEW! 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.

How to Apply for a Water Quality Improvement Grant

The SWC would like to help you keep nutrients on the land, and out of the water

Up to $100,000 is available for eligible applicants, subject to approval by the Shuswap Watershed Council. For more information and to apply for a grant, please see the program guide and application form and other supporting documents.

• SWC Granting Program Guide and Application Form*
  • PDF Form (Updated Feb 2020) - Fill out and save with Adobe Reader
  • Word Form (Updated Feb 2020) - Fill out and save with Microsoft Word
• Map of the Shuswap River and Salmon River watersheds, illustrating IFSWs
• New research summary report, Understanding Nutrients and Water Quality in the Shuswap River and Salmon River.

* NOTE: TO FILL OUT THE PDF VERSION OF THE FORM, you must first download and save the application form to your computer. Then open the form using the free Adobe Reader (downloadable here from Adobe) to be able to fill in your information and save it. DO NOT fill out the form in your browser window because you will not be able to save your information.

It’s strongly suggested that prospective applicants contact the SWC, care of the Fraser Basin Council, to discuss their project idea before submitting an application.

Applications are due by 4:00 pm on April 17, 2020.

Contact:

Mike Simpson
SWC Program Manager
c/o Fraser Basin Council
200A – 1383 McGill Road
Kamloops, BC  V2C 6K7

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Previous water quality improvement and restoration

The 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 Restoration

In 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.
Photo: Erin Vieira

Alderson Creek Exclusion Fencing

In 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