OUR OUTCOMES

what we have learned so far…

We’re just starting our project but we already have some useful outcomes…

Preliminary Learnings from the Community Monitoring of Groundwater - Surface Water Interactions in the Xwulqw'selu Watershed for 2021/2022 Field Seasons

Key Summary Points:

  • Volunteer monitors are producing large amounts of quality data consistent with data logger and expert data
  • Discharge is sustained during low flows by the higher elevation, fractured bedrock found in the upper watershed such that streamflow from the upper watershed is equivalent to gauged flow Water Survey of Canada (WSC) in the lower watershed through August and into September
  • The 12 tributaries measured above the WSC gauge in mid-August 2022 accounts for 50- 60% of mainstem streamflow
  • Future work will focus on short- and long-term applications of the monitoring program
  • We are requesting participation in monitoring program evaluation.
Download Report

Stories and posts about our outcomes

If you like pictures…
here are highlights from our second summer in 2022

(check out this blog post for a deeper dive)

The upper watershed contributes 80-90% of streamflow of Xwulqw’selu Sta’lo’ in the dry summer season

Specific tributaries contribute more to the streamflow of the Xwulqw’selu Sta’lo’ than expected based on their drainage area

(including WildDeer, West Koksilah and Patrolas Creeks as well as some unnamed tributaries)

Over 700 observations were gathered by 25 active volunteers, helping develop a better understanding of various tributaries.

or here are highlights from our first summer in 2021…

Knowledge Holder Tim Kulchyski reminded us that tributaries that may look like ditches but ‘ditches are not just ditches’ – these are salmon-bearing streams.

Important tributary creeks to the Koksilah run dry during the summer. These dry creeks reveal where groundwater is not directly connected to streams whereas others are more resilient to drought conditions.

People in the watershed care. Volunteers made new connections with others in their community and expanded their personal narrative of the effects of low flow conditions on their watershed.

We observed effects of local water use on tributaries. We are still unraveling the patterns and causes of drying so stay tuned.

We are building ‘on the ground’ relationships with others working on water management projects on the Xwulqw’selu Sta’lo’.

If you like numbers…

We’re scientists so we get that some poeple love numbers even though we also know they don’t tell the whole story!
Check out Koksilah Stream Tracker for the actual stream observations that are openly shared.

Steam observations

Volunteers

Ongoing Projects

zoom calls