. What is an estuary?

Estuary ecosystems are comprised of salt marshes, mudflats, rocky intertidal shore, sea grass beds, tidal streams, and barrier beach habitats.

Given the interdependent nature of ecosystems, the health and resiliency of an ecosystem depends on its biodiversity, or the number of organisms in a given area.

Check out this short video that explains the importance of biodiversity.

The Squamish River estuary alive again

Looking out over the Squamish River Estuary today you will see a rich ecosystem that provides food for all sorts of migratory and resident waterfowl, shore birds, raptors, and song birds.

The slow moving tidal channels, lined in eelgrass and sedges, provide space for juvenile salmon to feed, grow, and hide from larger predators.

Black-tail deer, black bears, cougars, coyotes, mole, voles, and rabbits also call the Squamish Estuary home. 

The roots of the cat tails, shrubs and tress in the estuary filters and purifies water before it enters into the Howe Sound, and the estuaries soil prevents floods by absorbing excess water in the rainy season But the estuary didn’t always look like this...

 

In 1971 the Squamish River Estuary was slated for development of a deep sea port for coal storage.

BC Rail built a dyke to contain the Squamish river, cutting off the estuary from fresh water inflow, and placed 250 square meter pile of dredged soil in the heart of the estuary.

Realizing the importance of this habitat the Department of Fisheries and Oceans put a halt to the industrial development of the Squamish River Estuary in 1972.

From 1972 to 1999 the estuary remained cut off from its fresh water source, and this once rich ecosystem look more like a moonscape then an estuary. In 1999 the SRWS in partnership with industry, First Nations, Government, and community representative developed a restoration plan, and action soon followed

 The plan that brought it all together: a balance between traditional, ecological, and industrial values

The Squamish River Estuary is located beside downtown Squamish, where the fresh water of Squamish River meets the salt water of Howe Sound.

 

In 1999 representatives from Squamish Nation, industry, government, and community came together as the Squamish Estuary Management Committee and created the Squamish Estuary Management Plan. 

Through the development of this plan the Squamish River Estuary is now designated by the BC Ministry of the Environment as a Wildlife Management Area under the Wildlife Management Act. 

This plan, updated in 2007 and now known as The Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Plan, recognizes the traditional value of this area to the Squamish Nation, the economic value of industrial land space on the Squamish's waterfront, and the ecological value of a functioning estuary. The plan also outlines how groups can work together to realize traditional, industrial, and ecological values in this space.

 

For the past 12 years the SRWS has been working partnership with the Department of Fisheries to manage the ecological restoration of the Squamish River Estuary.

Biologists, machine operators, and community volunteers together have removed the large river dredge soil pile placed in the central estuary, built and reconnected thousands of meters of tidal channels, planted native plants, shrubs, and trees, built trails and bridges for the community to enjoy this space, and placed culverts to reconnect the Squamish River to the central estuary.