This session introduces collaborative approaches to drought resilience, with the presentation "Towards adaptive agricultural water management: Indigenous-led co-governance in the Xwulqw'selu (Koksilah) Watershed."
0:00 Welcome & Land Acknowledgement
8:30 Adaptive Management in the Koksilah Watershed
46:30 Q&A
Exceptionally low summer flows in the Koksilah River, combined with increasing water demands, threaten the watershed’s health, including fish survival, Cowichan Tribes’ rights, farmers’ livelihoods, and residents’ well-being. Current drought response actions have helped the ecosystem but create socio-economic uncertainty for farmers. This session explored how Cowichan Tribes and the Province of BC collaborated with local communities to develop a Water Sustainability Plan (WSP). This plan aimed to create adaptive management policies to prevent water conflicts and protect ecosystem health, serving as a model for other watersheds in BC.
Presented by: Natasha Overduin, Joint Executive Director, Xwulqw’selu Watershed Planning Team
Facilitated by: Love-Ese Chile, ACARN
Funding for this event was provided by the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food through CleanBC.