WHAT IS RESILIENT WATERS?

Resilient Waters reconnects vital wild salmon habitat by upgrading aging flood control infrastructure to allow fish to access these habitats along the Lower Fraser River. We provide capacity, expertise, and resources where the need to replace infrastructure aligns with salmon and community needs. See more below on how we are doing it.

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Why Does it Matter

At the beginning of one of the most prolific salmon rivers in the world, over 1,500 kilometers of crucial salmon habitat are blocked by aging floodgates, pumps, and dikes. At the same time, many of these structures need to be upgraded to prepare communities for climate change impacts such as flooding and sea level rise. The increased risk of flooding and loss of salmon impact First Nations hardest with loss of food security, socio-economic development, and flooding of communities and cultural sites of significance. Resilient Waters hopes to do its part by collaborating with all who are affected to accelerate solutions that benefit salmon, ecosystems, and people.

FIXING FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FISH

Watershed Watch Salmon Society's Connected Waters campaign revealed 1500 km of disconnected waterways adjacent to the Fraser River blocked by 156+ aging flood control infrastructure like pump stations, flood boxes, and dikes.

Our objective is to remove or upgrade the flood infrastructure to allow fish passage to sites that are most important to salmon and communities. We get there by filling capacity gaps, supporting local governments and First Nations with research, best practices, convening, fundraising support, and whatever it takes to help them achieve more resilient flood infrastructure.

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See our map of opportunities

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND COLLABORATION

We are reaching out to everyone that has an interest in reducing flood risk and helping to recover salmon. We are guided by and collaborate with a broad collective of First Nations, local governments, all other levels of government, ENGOs, stewardship groups, and academics. We look to build capacity and meet partners where they are at. See more about us and who we are talking to.

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If you have an interest in this project please contact us using the form below or email dan@resilientwaters.ca

FIELD WORK AND MONITORING

To better understand the ecological potential of tributaries and flood plains blocked behind flood infrastructure we are working closely with Pearson Ecological to collect baseline conditions and effectiveness monitoring at high opportunity sites. Our first year of field work begins in March 2021 at our shortlist of opportunity sites.

Data gathered through this project will be available on this website as it is gathered.

CONTACT RESILIENT WATERS

On lands of Coast Salish First Nations

604-812-9676