707 replies to this topic

[On the Level]

The Leech is just a distraction, it's all about pumping the almost endless supply of water from the north end of Sooke Lake, down to the south end of Sooke Lake.

 

You are right, it isn't clear to me what they are using the Leech area for.  The two lakes on the far left hand side of their map are "Bear creek reservoir" and the "Diversion reservoir" above Jordan River for hydro, not drinking water.  I would be curious to know what exactly the CRD pays towards drinking water vs what they bring in.

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Edited by On the Level, 27 November 2021 - 11:45 AM.

[Spy Black]

You are right, it isn't clear to me what they are using the Leech area for.

The Leech "plan" is to take water directly from the Leech River. There are no lakes involved.

The Leech end of the tunnel is a concrete abutment located right on the Leech River, designed to take water directly from the river, and then pump it (or gravity feed it) into a creek that runs into the Diversion Reservoir (I've never seen the Sooke Lake end of the tunnel, so that's a guess - the Leech end of the tunnel however, I've been to many times).

 

The one time the CRD "fired the tunnel up", it just about devastated the water supply in Sooke Lake, with the solids in Sooke Lake multiplying almost instantly to almost unusable numbers.

The Leech River isn't drinking water (which any old time placer miner could have told CRD Water had they bothered to ask).

Needless to say, the CRD shut the Leech Tunnel down immediately ... and it's never been used since.

 

Which is not to say that the CRD isn't proceeding with "wilding" the Leech River area, shutting down roads, tearing out bridges, and otherwise turning it into a closed off buffer zone to be patrolled on just a few gated roads by CRD Watershed Security, a few dozen or so placer miners, and First Nations.

[Mike K.]

Do people have access to the CRD watershed, and if so, who are they?

[LJ]

I follow them, but not because of the restrictions. The cost of water here is stupid.

Remember a few years ago the CRD was screaming at us to reduce our water use, so we did.

 

The next year they had to raise water rates because we weren't using the same amount of water.

[Spy Black]

Do people have access to the CRD watershed, and if so, who are they?

First Nations, placer miners, hard rock miners, and the occasional trespasser who normally walks across the Sooke River (at low water) around Leechtown.

First Nations have a historical right to enter for salal gathering and other cultural uses, as do placer miners (there are still 100 or so legal claims up in the watershed).

There are a half dozen or so large, multi-hectare swaths of hard rock claims currently.

 

It's mostly about first having a legal right to access the lands, and then requires carrying the mandated insurance, radio, spill kit, and signing a bucket load of forms. 

 

It's still a relatively small number of people who are given keys.

(As well, you usually have to do the same sort of "key-deal" with Timberwest/Mosaic too, as, depending on where exactly you're going, it can be necessary to first cross their lands before getting onto the CRD Watershed lands).

[Mike K.]

Ah, got it. Thank you.

Renfrew saw 100mm yesterday. Already at 35 today.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

A master plan that includes nearly $2 billion in water infrastructure projects over the next 30 years has been approved by the Capital Regional District board.

 

The plan, which was approved by the district’s Regional Water Supply Commission last month, guides water-supply planning and includes an infrastructure program to improve the water supply and transmission system and add redundancy to critical components to address hazards and risks.

 

“This plan outlines our vision to ensure continued delivery of high quality, clean, and sustainable drinking water for the next 30 years, a significant asset for our region,” said CRD chair Colin Plant.

 

 

https://www.timescol...er-plan-5683653