Phase 2
Modifying the Squamish River Training Berm - 2020-2023
Partial Opening
Modified Winter/Spring 2022
300 metres at the southern end of the Squamish River training berm was removed to a 1.8 metre tide. This allowed the Squamish River to be connected to its estuary about 80% of the time while still keeping the thalweg of the river in its current location to the west. The partial opening was monitored May-October 2022 for woody debris and sedimentation.
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A large island was left at the very southern tip of the former training berm as a launch point for wind sports and picnic destination for the public.
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Full Opening
Modified Spring 2023
Removal of the remaining 550 metres of the 850 meters to be modified began in February 2023. As was the case during the partial removal the year before, the project was closed down for three weeks during the herring run. The full 850 metre modification was substantively completed May 18, 2023 and the site has been re-opened to the public for the summer.
The site was closed down again in late September and October to fine tune areas to better align with the topography of the grass and sedge marsh (approximately where the excavator is located in the adjacent photo) and to contour the new terminus of the berm to allow for better flow into the existing estuary channels.
This area is being actively planted in the spring of 2023 and 2024 with sedges and grasses.
Giving Nature a Helping Hand
Planting grasses and sedges 2023-2024
This area is being actively planted in the spring of 2023 and 2024 with sedges and grasses.
