Welcome to the Comox Lake Watershed
No matter where you live on Earth, you are in a watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the snow or rain that falls eventually travels to the same place. In the Comox Lake watershed that place is Comox Lake. Within the Comox Lake watershed are smaller sub basins named for the creeks and rivers that flow through them. This watershed is 461 square km in size and is the primary source of drinking water for residents of the Comox Valley.
Celebrate Family Watershed Day on September 20
Join stewardship and stream keeping groups from across the Comox Valley on Saturday, September 20, from 10 am till 3 pm in Puntledge Park for Family Watershed Day!
This annual event celebrates the incredible work of local organizations, highlights stewardship and restoration projects, and helps build connections to the waterways of our community. From the Vancouver Island mountains and Comox Lake, through the rivers, creeks and wetlands of the Comox Valley, and down to the shores of the Salish Sea, water connects us all.
Activities will include guided walks of Puntledge Park, demonstrations and information from local groups, and kids activities including face painting, book readings, watercolour painting, music and a family scavenger hunt. Attendees will learn about restoration initiatives, land protection projects, research and monitoring programs, salmon enhancement, source to tap drinking water education, the science of watershed protection, and cool volunteer opportunities.
This year's event also features a day-long participatory art project facilitated by Juliana Bedoya of “Plants as Teachers” all about how we are Connected by Water.
Participating organizations include Project Watershed, Cumberland Community Forest Society, Beaufort Watershed Stewards, Comox Valley Regional District (Watershed Protection), Comox Valley Naturalists Society, Millard Piercy Watershed Stewards, Tsolum River Restoration Society, Comox Valley Land Trust and Conservation Partnership, Courtenay Youth Climate Corps BC, Morrison Creek Streamkeepers, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Little River Enhancement Society.
Family Watershed Day aims to build connections between residents of all ages and the special community organizations who care for our watershed in so many ways. Pack and picnic and stay for the day! For a detailed schedule of events visit the Facebook event here or view the schedule below.
- 10 am – 3 pm: Kids activities, community tents, demos and more!
- 10 am – 3 pm: Puntledge Palate – Participatory Watershed Art Project
- 10 am: Watershed Story Time with CVRD’s Connected by Water
- 11 am: Song Circle for families with Kazimea Sokil
- 12 noon: Guided Walk with Morrison Creek Stream Keepers
- 12 noon: Watershed Web of Life Game – all ages welcome
- 1 pm: Song Circle for families with Kazimea Sokil
- 2 pm: Guided Walk with Morrison Creek Stream Keepers
- 2 pm: Watershed Story Time with the CVRD’s Connected by Water
Water is Life
The Comox Lake Watershed is located in the unceded territory of the K'omoks First Nation. This interconnected system of mountains, forests, rivers, creeks and wetlands links Vancouver Island mountains with the Salish Sea. This watershed sustains life in this territory and therefore its value is immeasurable. The Comox Lake watershed is also habitat for many species of animals, plants and trees that have been utilized by the Pentlatch and K'omoks people’s since time immemorial.
Human Impacts
For over 140 years, logging, mining, hydro generation and recreation activities have taken place in the Comox Lake watershed and these activities continue to impact the health of the watershed. Much of the watershed is still privately owned for timber supply and the lake is managed as a reservoir by BC Hydro. Some areas have also been set aside for conservation. Visitors to the watershed have an important role to play in helping to reduce further impacts.
Current Day
Although coal mining operations ended in the 1930’s, much of the watershed is still privately owned and managed for timber supply. As well, the lake is a reservoir controlled by BC Hydro for power generation and fish flows in the Puntledge River. Swimming, boating, sporting events, training exercises, and camping also take place at limited sites along the eastern end of the lake. All of these activities can impact the health of our watershed and the demand for access to Comox Lake is only increasing as the local population grows and visitation increases.
From Source to Tap
High quality drinking water is produced by healthy functioning ecosystems. To ensure the water reaching our taps is safe and reliable we need to protect the source. What people do on the land and in the water directly affects the health of the watershed and the quality and quantity of the freshwater within it. By acting responsibly we can help protect the Comox lake watershed for future generations.
Protecting our Watershed
Please stay on marked trails and do not camp or light fires anywhere outside of official campgrounds. Off road vehicles are not permitted anywhere in the watershed. Licensed vehicles are permitted on primary resource roads only when allowed by landowners. Be sure to use designated bathrooms and pick up dog waste to reduce pathogens entering our drinking water system. Avoid using skin products that wash off in the water, and never fuel up, empty or clean boats, bilges or recreation vehicles in or around Comox Lake.
