The Beaufort Watershed Stewards (BWS) are on the lookout for a “canary in the coal mine” – only, in this case, the canary is a tiny, wiggly insect living under rocks in the streams and rivers of the Beaufort Range watersheds.
The bottom-dwelling creatures, known as benthic invertebrates, are more vulnerable than fish. They can’t swim away from pollutants or poor water quality, making them excellent indicators of a stream’s health. While some of these invertebrates can adapt to deteriorating water conditions, many others simply die off. By lifting rocks, counting and identifying these insects in different streams, trained citizen scientists can get a clear picture of the water’s health.
“The streams need a steward,” says Jill Chudleigh, of . “With the growth of the region, pesticides, habitat and climate change, the water is affected – and by extension – so is everything that relies on the water in that stream. It’s important to monitor and protect it.”
The Beaufort Watershed Stewards is a group of volunteers who use an ecological and scientific approach to environmental conservation. Based on the east side of the Beaufort Range, the volunteers are dedicated to promoting the health and resilience of the watershed.
The benthic invertebrates surveying project is one of five new initiatives funded through the Environmental & Conservation Community Table, which convenes non-profits dedicated to environment, conservation and climate resilience in the Comox Valley to discuss and distribute available grant funds together across various projects.
The Beaufort Watershed Stewards’ grant made it possible to fund a Pacific Streamkeepers Federation trainer who instructed volunteers on how to properly collect and identify benthic invertebrates, and to record and interpret their findings.
The surveys take place twice a year, during different seasons, to establish a baseline invertebrate inventory in six streams. If the project proves successful, it could serve as a model for monitoring other streams in the watershed.
Additional projects
This project is one of six Citizen Science programs led by Beaufort Watershed Steward volunteers. In addition to the benthic invertebrate survey, they monitor stream temperatures, turbidity, pH, specific conductivity and dissolved oxygen in 20 streams every two weeks.
They also measure stream flow speeds in five areas, track well water levels and publish regular watershed health assessments.
Volunteers are involved in a tire wear toxin study with the BC Conservation Foundation. Additionally, BWS is collaborating with UVic to map aquifers on the Beaufort range’s eastern slopes.
Learn more
For more information, visit .