Words and photos by Tricia Thomas

The worst fears are coming true for Halalt First Nation. Unusually low water levels are threatening salmon-bearing streams on the reserve.

Halalt has been fighting to protect the Chemainus River since 2003 when North Cowichan announced it wanted to pump from wells in the river’s aquifer to supply people in the Chemainus area with water. After losing a legal battle that went to the BC Court of Appeal, Chief James Thomas warned of the danger to fish and habitat from the pumping.

Earlier this year, Halalt, Lyackson, Penelakut and Stz’uminus fisheries transplanted 80,000 chum eggs. When Thomas examined the site in early March he found that a side-channel was drying up, eggs had hatched early and were trapped in small puddles.

“This is an anomaly,” he said. “I have never seen such low water levels during this time of year. We are seeing August water levels during the month of March. With less snow pack in the mountain, it is a major issue for rivers where stream flows are driven by the snowmelt.

“With the lower levels, the water temperature was warmer than normal, so most of the salmon hatched early. They probably won’t make it because they are pin-headed, which means they are starving.”

He said that the side-channel had dried up in many places and the likelihood of the natural spawn surviving making it to the ocean was slim.

Halalt has attempted to artificially recharge the side-channel by releasing water from its own supply. But this is only a temporary fix and the warm dry weather isn’t the only challenge.

In September 2009, the Halalt First Nation filed a petition with the Supreme Court of BC to stop the North Cowichan from drilling two new wells and installing a one-million-gallon reservoir. In early 2010, the wells were drilled on the edge of the Halalt reserve. Each is capable of pumping about seven million litres of water a day from the aquifer that feeds the Chemainus River that runs through the reserve.

Despite a policy that the municipality would reduce pumping rates if necessary to mitigate adverse effects, there has been no reduction. The municipality also wants to go from only pumping in winter months to all-year while adding another reservoir.

Chief Thomas said the wells project infringes on Halalt rights to the Chemainus aquifer, which has always been the nation’s water source and a vital part of the culture. He said the health of the river and aquifer is integral to the Halalt people in terms of food, plants and traditional bathing areas.