Stream Stewardship

We support more than 15 volunteer stewardship groups that operate in over 13 Greater Victoria watersheds, providing technical advice, capacity building, access to funding, training, and other resources. We take a leadership role in teaching best practices in stream care, conservation, and restoration. To assist with complex stream restoration and enhancement projects, we conduct site assessments, plan projects, and obtain permits.

The objectives of these collaborative partnerships are to educate the public about the importance of watershed resources, facilitate communication and cooperation in watershed management, and provide volunteers with the training and support required to protect and restore aquatic and riparian habitat.

Our dedicated stewards are the ‘eyes and ears’ of local watershed conservation, monitoring stream conditions, counting salmon, and alerting authorities when there are problems with local streams. These dedicated volunteers donate thousands of hours each year to restore streams, plant native species, remove invasive species, collect water samples, release salmon fry, and much more.

Supporting Groups

Beaver Elk Environmental Stewards (BEES)

Friends of Bowker Creek Society

Friends of Maltby Lake Watershed Society

Friends of Shoal Harbour (FOSH)

For nearly 15 years, Friends of Shoal Harbour (FOSH) has been dedicated to the care and future management of the Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary, which was established in 1931 to protect the over 50 species of visiting and resident birds found there. They host public events and regular meetings, engage in issues such as beach protection and abandoned or derelict vessels, and track Official Community Plan (OCP) processes in North Saanich and Sidney. FOSH has collaborated informally with Peninsula Streams & Shorelines on beach protection conversations and has received support for their annual All Buffleheads Day celebration each October.

Friends of Tod Creek Watershed

Friends of Tod Creek Watershed, active for 30 years, is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the biodiversity and integrity of the Tod Creek Watershed. Their work includes restoring multiple creek sections, stewarding Whitehead Park and South Prospect Lake Park through Saanich’s Pulling Together program, conducting monthly water quality monitoring at key lakes and streams, educating and supporting property owners on land stewardship and restoration, and advocating for policies that safeguard the watershed. Peninsula Streams & Shorelines has supported them with on-the-ground restoration, water quality monitoring, grant applications, and the development of a restoration and preservation plan for Tod Creek Flats.

Goldstream Volunteers at Millstream Creek

KENNES Watershed Stewards

Roberts Bay Residents

Formed in 2018, Roberts Bay Residents is a volunteer group dedicated to preserving the ecology of Roberts Bay by fostering ecological understanding among neighbours through newsletters, relationships, and hands-on projects. In partnership with Peninsula Streams & Shorelines, they have supported the Mermaid Creek Salt Marsh Restoration Project, and participated in invasive plant removal, European green crab trapping, and forage fish spawning surveys. Independently, they produce a monthly e-newsletter, have contributed to Sidney’s Official Community Plan rewrite in 2022 (resulting in the expansion of the recognized Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and changes to the Development Permit rules), monitor eelgrass, report creosote logs, advocate for wildlife-safe fireworks, and collaborate with Friends of Shoal Harbour (FOSH) on community education and events. Currently, they are working with the Saanich Peninsula Environmental Coalition via PlaceSpeak on Check Up!, an environmental report card assessing municipal performance. Support from Peninsula Streams & Shorelines has greatly enhanced their capacity through resources, training, and technical expertise.

Victoria Golden Rods and Reels

Bilston Watershed Habitat Protection Association

Dedicated volunteers with the Bilston Watershed Habitat Protection Association have worked for more than 30 years to protect healthy waterways, aquifers, and biodiversity in the Bilston Watershed by facilitating public education and awareness, removing invasive plant species and planting native species, enhancing creek flows and fish habitat, and monitoring water quality.

The 3,174 hectare watershed spans significant areas of Langford, Metchosin, Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park (Juan de Fuca Electoral Area), and a thin slice of Colwood. Dozens of creeks and wetlands, all leading to Bilston Creek and Sitting Lady Falls in Witty’s Lagoon Park, are home to species of concern including coastal cutthroat trout, northern red-legged frog, sharp-tailed snake, and wandering salamander.

Friends of Chalet Creek

Friends of Millstream Watershed

Friends of Swan Creek Watershed

Friends of Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Hagan-Graham Creek Watershed Project

Residents of Reay Creek

Esquimalt Anglers' Association

Sidney Anglers Association

Water Quality Monitoring Program

Our community scientists monitor water quality in creeks for the Districts of Central Saanich and Saanich, collecting samples on Hagan-Graham, Tetayut, Swan, Haliburton, Bowker, and other creeks as necessary.

The objective is to collect enough data to identify watershed trends and raise awareness of watershed health. Volunteers measure stream conditions by taking water samples for complex lab analyses, as well as measuring physical and nutrient parameters of the water.

Water quality monitoring is an important safeguard for local creeks. Our volunteers have discovered and reported many pollution incidents over the years, which has resulted in early remediation and prevented long-term damage.

Our public education and awareness projects, such as the Keating Industrial Park Water Quality Initiative, are intended to help businesses increase employee awareness and to improve the handling and disposal of hazardous materials.

We also work with landowners to educate them on problems associated with depositing organic matter in creeks and the importance of riparian vegetation and stream features, such as large woody debris and pool-riffle complexes, to stream health.