Green Light for Breaching the Westcan Causeway

Soon there will be a new Island in Cowichan Bay

For those of you who were unable to attend the opening ceremony of our 'Breaching the Causeway Project' we invite you to check out the sign we posted adjacent to the first gate of the Causeway on March 1. The sign shows our partners, donors and major supporters of this ambitious project which took us a full year to get off the ground. Posting the sign signals  the start of the project which is expected to be completed by March 31.

Posting the sign which signals the start of CERCA's 2015 Salmon Recovery Initiative: Breaching the Westcan Causeway

Meanwhile BC Hydro has set its vaults needed to re-route the underground high voltage power line through the bridge deck, to be followed shortly by Telus using their own vaults for stringing the telephone lines across the breach.

The pilings for the bridge under-structure  will arrive soon to be set in place. The bridge deck is in the process of fabrication, to be completed and delivered by March 15.

All contracts have been signed and all contractors are fully aware of our deadline March 31. I am pleased to report that we now enjoy full cooperation by all stakeholders.

It is emphasized that breaching the Westcan Causeway  is one of CERCA's major projects of 2015 in its effort to rehabilitate the ecological integrity of the Cowichan Estuary. The man-made causeway effectively blocks Cowichan River smolt from accessing a large section of a highly productive part of the Estuary, blocking freshwater flow from the Cowichan South Fork to the southern section of the estuary, thus preventing proper ecosystem functioning and presumably salmon smolt  from utilizing the only eel-grass fields left in the estuary located to the south of the Westcan Terminal.

This project is fully supported by all stakeholders and made possible Thanks to the generous grants we received from the Pacific Salmon Foundation, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, The Federal Ministry of Environment (Wetlands Fund), and Sidney Anglers Association.We can be proud of this project which CERCA courageously spear-headed and successfully pursued in-spite of all the hurdles along the way.