Notice: Materials characterization drilling June 4, 2021

There will be drilling equipment on the lower training berm and flag people onsite to guide alternating traffic during the day Friday, June 4.

The drilling is to do core heavy metals and soil sampling to determine the characterization of the materials of the berm and its suitability for relocation.

CERP Update May 2021:

Phase 2 of the Central Estuary Restoration Project is ongoing.

Phase 2 is looking to remove the most southerly portion of the training berm (Spit) from the yellow gate south to the windsport launching area.

The current intention is to leave the windsport launching/roundabout area as an island which can be accessed by water. A separate process led by Squamish Nation and the District of Squamish will explore how to access and animate the “island” for windsports and the community at large, in the short, medium and long term.

In early 2020, based on the outcomes of Phase 1 and ongoing studies and river modelling, it was shared with the broader community that significant alteration and removal of the lower training berm was imperative to returning the natural function of the Squamish Estuary as a critically important "nursery" for juvenile Chinook salmon and other species, and that removal of the lower training berm was possible in 2020. COVID and other logistical challenges delayed the river modelling studies and reports needed to proceed in 2020.

With further studies and river modelling completed in early 2021, findings continued to support the removal of the lower portion of the training berm, and that removal could begin as early as the fall of 2021.

After their peer review, the District of Squamish has indicated they have no outstanding issues with regard to flooding based on wave modelling and spit removal modelling.

Discussions are now focused on addressing outstanding technical concerns of the Squamish terminals and doing a deeper dive into the possible impacts, negative and positive, of the removal of the training berm on Squamish Terminals. Technical experts from CERP (collectively Squamish Nation, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Squamish River Watershed Society) and Squamish Terminals are discussing the scope of further studies on navigation, sedimentation, hydrology, woody debris and shoreline erosion and potential mitigative measures. These studies, modelling, design and deliberative technical discussions will take place over the spring and summer in 2021.

The Province through FLNRORD and the District of Squamish are also involved in these technical discussions.

Any removal of the Training Berm would not commence until after the wind sport season mid September.

CERP Phases:

Phase 1

In 2019 and in 2020 two undersized culverts were replaced with large fish-friendly concrete box culverts at locations referred to as Culverts #3 and #4. Monitoring of the effectiveness of these culverts is ongoing. 

Phase 2-Southern Training Berm Removal 2020-2022.

Phase 3

The installation of a flow-control structure to reconnect tidal activity across the CN Spur Line is still in the development stage. Monitoring and discussion with land owners (DoS and TNTBC) is ongoing.