Tag Archives: Ditches

Mapping Wetlands on Quadra, and what that means on Cortes

The ICAN water security team and We Wai Kai Guardians are getting prepared to map Quadra Island’s wetlands. It is part of a much larger project which also involves monitoring the island’s rainfall, streamflow and wells. As you will hear in the interview that follows, this project is also relevant  to surrounding islands like Cortes. Bernie Amell, a recognized authority in the design of constructed wetlands for water treatment, and in the restoration of streams and riparian habitats, is in charge of mapping the wetlands. 

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Environmental design: learning to work with the natural water balance

In a previous interview, Bernie Amell said that development could take place in a manner that respects  the natural water balance. Amell is a co-owner of the environmental design firm Source2Source and a recognized authority in the design of constructed wetlands for water treatment, and in the restoration of streams and riparian habitats. He has presented his work at national and international water management professional conferences. One of his firm’s projects received national recognition from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects last year. Amell lives on Quadra Island and in today’s interview, he talks about learning to work with the natural water balance.

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A growing sediment island in the Dillon Creek wetlands, project update

As the second year comes to an end, Project Manager Miranda Cross described the growth of a sediment island within the new Dillon Creek wetland on Cortes Island and gave an overview of the restoration project. 

This project arose as a response to the algae blooms in Hague and Gunflint Lakes. Nutrients are entering the lakes from septic tanks, gardens, ditches, roads, creeks and livestock around the shore of the lakes.

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Weird West Coast weather: panic globally, Act locally

qathet Living, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Growing up, no one Anastasia Lukyanova knew drove a car. They didn’t need to. Her family lived in a sixth-floor apartment in a ten-floor highrise, in Ufa, Russia – a dense, mid-sized city of about a million, sandwiched between two rivers

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Dillon Creek’s natural history, and ways to restore the damages

As the second year of the Dillon Creek Wetlands Restoration project on Cortes Island is coming to an end, project manager Miranda Cross gave an overview of the creek’s natural history and ways to restore it.

She explained how European settlement brought changes to the landscape.

Continue reading Dillon Creek’s natural history, and ways to restore the damages