The Cowichan River has been named one of the province’s most endangered waterways by the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC.

“The Cowichan is an important salmon stream, culturally significant to the Cowichan people, and a recreational asset for anglers and paddlers,” the council said in a news release Wednesday. “All this is at risk.”

The Cowichan River tied with the so-called Heart of the Fraser, between Mission and Hope, for first place on the endangered rivers list.

Climate change is the “biggest threat” to the Cowichan River, the council said.

“As the climate warms, low summer flows are becoming more common on the Cowichan River. The resulting high water temperatures and algae blooms kill fish, particularly juvenile salmon and steelhead.

“An estimated 85,000 juvenile steelhead died in just one low-flow event in 2023. There are additional concerns about construction waste and garbage dumping that threatens to leach toxic chemicals into the river. (Read more: https://www.sixmountains.ca/article/fdaaf885-11e9-432e-9041-aa3c4f965a5e )

“On a positive note, Cowichan Tribes, the Cowichan Valley Regional District and the Cowichan Watershed Board have developed a plan to raise the weir at the mouth of the lake by 70 centimetres.

“This would enable the storage of extra water in the spring, which would then be released into the river over the summer to maintain higher and healthier flows for fish.”

The weir would “keep the lake level well below winter peaks, while also preventing the extreme lows that have grounded docks and boats in the past,” the council said.

“The provincial and federal governments have agreed to provide $28 million in funding towards the new weir. However, the project budget is now estimated at $40 million.”

Read more about the list: https://www.orcbc.ca/blog/2026-endangered-rivers-list

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— Larry Pynn, Jan. 7, 2026