Watershed Program

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The Fraser Valley is rich in natural resources that are responsible for the region’s high tourism, recreational, agricultural, and environmental values. The FVRD is working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition to form the Fraser Valley Watersheds Program. The goal of the Watersheds Program is to help improve the health and sustainability of watersheds throughout the Fraser Valley using watershed planning, enhancement and restoration projects, partnership building, and community stewardship, education, and awareness.

Recent projects include:

Chilliwack River Watershed Strategy (CRWS)

The purpose of this collaborative planning project is to provide a common understanding of watershed concerns and values to assist in decision-making that will promote the sustainability of the Chilliwack River Watershed. Click here for the Chilliwack River Watershed Strategy.

Cultus Lake Aquatic Stewardship Strategy (CLASS)

Lead by the Fraser Basin Council, CLASS is a group of interested residents, organizations, and agencies to work towards improving the health and sustainability of the Cultus Lake ecosystem.

Stoney Creek Riparian Enhancement and Stewardship

Working with the City of Abbotsford, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, the Abbotsford Soil Conservation Association, and others, we have helped to improve fish access, stewardship capacity, and riparian habitat conditions along Stoney Creek at Bateman Park (Abbotsford).

Off-Channel Habitat Complexing along Chilliwack River

We have been working towards restoring off-channel habitat within the Chilliwack River watershed, critical habitat for spawning and rearing salmon.

Lower Stave River Spawning Habitat Enhancement and Bank Stabilization

Partnering with DFO and BC Hydro, we are helping to restore important salmon spawning habitat within the lower Stave River beneath the Ruskin Power Station (Mission).

Hammersley Pump Station Conceptual Design Upgrade

Many outdated pump stations along the Fraser are inadequate for drainage and for allowing fish passage. We are looking at developing different design options for the eventual upgrade of one key pumping station near Agassiz, the Hammersley Pump.

Hope and Camp Slough Enhancement

Working with DFO and the City of Chilliwack, we are looking to improve water quality and stewardship within the slough habitats of northern Chilliwack.

For more information about the Watersheds Program, please contact the FVRD Watershed Planner, Lance Lilley.

The term ‘watershed’ means different things to different people. Some use the term to describe a drinking water source (e.g., Seymour Watershed). Others use the more traditional definition, that of a geographic area which all drains into one common watercourse. We, however, choose to use the term to define a way of thinking about the interconnections on the landscape and the connections between our actions and their impacts. Our actions always have consequences within the watershed, some of which are unexpected or unpredicted, some of which may be downstream far out of our sight, and some of which may appear tiny or insignificant as a singular event, but can result in devastating cumulative impacts when repeated throughout the watershed. It is in using this ecosystem approach that we hope the Watersheds Program will help to lead to better understanding, better management, and better health of the Fraser Valley.