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Will you support urgent projects to save salmon in the face of extreme drought conditions?

Donate today and help advance time-sensitive projects across the province, from B.C.’s interior watersheds to Vancouver Island streams.

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Act now to help salmon adapt

B.C. is experiencing one of the most extreme periods of drought in our recorded history. Parched streams and side-channels along rivers are quickly becoming unviable habitats for returning adult salmon and juveniles and increasing water temperature is putting salmon survival and reproductive success in jeopardy.

Right now you have the power to help combat the adverse impacts of climate change on salmon.

In response to this summer’s severe drought conditions, PSF has been working with First Nation partners, community groups, DFO and the Province to seek innovative and cost-effective solutions to help salmon adapt. Your donation today will go towards key projects that will give salmon a fighting chance despite adverse conditions, protecting the future of a whole generation of fish.

“We are looking at strategies that are brand new and may seem unconventional, but we’ve also never seen drought conditions of this severity. We’re facing a ‘perfect storm’ of drought conditions that could be disastrous for salmon, and we need to be willing to try new and innovative ideas to match the scale of the problem. Standing by and doing nothing is not an option.”

Jason HwangVP for Salmon, Pacific Salmon Foundation

Here are a few of the innovative projects that you will be helping to support with your contribution to this time-sensitive opportunity to help salmon adapt to immediate climate conditions:

When a 100-metre-plus stretch of the Indian River dried up this summer and hundreds of thousands of returning pink salmon got stuck on their migration route, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) made a plan to dig a trench to restore the river’s flow. With funding from PSF’s rapid drought response team, the crews used an excavator to get water flowing and help salmon swim past the barrier.

Since the work took place, the river has been successfully re-connected and fish have been seen swimming upstream.

Digging Relief Pools for Salmon Facing Drought Conditions in the Coldwater River
The Threat: The Coldwater River, an important habitat for multiple distinct coho and Chinook salmon populations, is experiencing low water flow and rising water temperatures. Returning adults may not find the safe passage they need to reach their spawning grounds and resident juvenile salmon are facing untenable conditions.

The Solution: Excavate dry gravel bar areas in 5 key sites that support a high density of fish, in order to expand and increase the depth of existing off-channel ground water pools with cooler water temperatures to create larger refuge areas for salmon struggling to survive.

Project Cost: $35,000

Your support can help provide shelter for salmon in distress now!
Oxygen in the Tsolum River on Eastern Vancouver Island
The Threat: The Tsolum River supports pink salmon, which are returning in great abundance this season. However, drought conditions are threatening their spawning success, as well as the survival of juveniles rearing there. Thermal pools along the river do not contain sufficient levels of dissolved oxygen to act as adequate refuge areas for salmon.

The Solution: Increase dissolved oxygen in thermal refuge pools using solar- and generator-powered aeration units, led by the Tsolum River Restoration Society with support from K’omok’s First Nation and DFO.

Project Cost: $24,000

With your help, we can act now to ensure the pink salmon run can flourish!
Securing the Joseph Creek Water Supply for Simpcw (Dunn Creek) Hatchery in the North Thompson River
The Threat: This crucial hatchery is responsible for raising up to 60,000 interior Fraser coho salmon—a threatened population. The water flow from Joseph Creek has become dangerously low, putting hatchery operations at risk.

The Solution: Create a deflection wing on the river upstream of the water intake in order to narrow the channel width, enhance the water depth and concentrate flows over the intake.

Project Cost: $7,300

Your donation can make the difference in the survival of thousands of Pacific salmon!

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Digging Relief Pools for Salmon Facing Drought Conditions in the Coldwater River
The Coldwater River, an important habitat for multiple distinct coho and Chinook salmon populations, is currently experiencing low water flow and rising water temperatures. Returning adults may not find the safe passage they need to reach their spawning grounds and resident juvenile salmon are facing untenable conditions. To combat these challenges, five sites that support a high density of fish were identified and work is underway to dig off-channel ground water pools with cooler water temperatures. The hope is that these larger refuge areas will support salmon struggling to survive.

Project Cost: $35,000

Your support can help provide shelter for salmon in distress now.
Oxygen in the Tsolum River on Eastern Vancouver Island
The Tsolum River supports Chinook and pink salmon, which are returning in great abundance this season. However, drought conditions are threatening their spawning success, as well as the survival of juveniles rearing there. Thermal pools along the river do not contain sufficient levels of dissolved oxygen to act as adequate refuge areas for salmon. To combat these challenges, the Tsolum River Restoration Society with support from K’omok’s First Nation and DFO are planning to increase dissolved oxygen in thermal refuge pools using solar- and generator-powered aeration units.

Project Cost: $24,000

With your help, we can act now to ensure the pink salmon run can flourish!
Securing the Joseph Creek Water Supply for Simpcw (Dunn Creek) Hatchery in the North Thompson River
The Simpcw (Dunn Creek) Hatchery is currently raising between 10-20,000 interior Fraser coho salmon—a threatened population. The water flow from Joseph Creek has become dangerously low, putting hatchery operations at risk for the Dunn Creek and Deadman River fry onsite. The Simpcw First Nation is creating a deflection wing on the river upstream of the water intake to enhance the water depth and concentrate flows over the intake.

Project Cost: $7,300

Your donation can make the difference in the survival of thousands of threatened coho!

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If you would like to make a donation over the phone or speak with our fundraising staff about how your donation can make a difference, please contact us at salmon@psf.ca or call 604-664-7664.

If you would like to make a donation over the phone please contact us at 604-664-7664.

Jason HwangVP for Salmon, Pacific Salmon Foundation

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Special thanks to: The Government of British Columbia

Funding from the Government of B.C. through the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship has empowered PSF to kickstart a Climate Adaption Fund within PSF that will serve as a retainer to activate urgent action when climate catastrophes such as this summer’s drought arise. This funding allowed us to get the ball rolling, but this is only the beginning. With your support we can expand our efforts to be ready to act swiftly and advance timely solutions in collaboration with First Nation partners and technical experts in the hour of greatest need for Pacific salmon.

Climate change will continue to put B.C.’s salmon at risk, and with your help, we will be prepared to help salmon adapt and overcome extreme environmental obstacles in the coming weeks, months, and years.

Will you support urgent projects to save salmon in the face of extreme drought conditions?

Act now to help salmon adapt

Here are a few of the innovative projects that you will be helping to support with your contribution to this time-sensitive opportunity to help salmon adapt to immediate climate conditions:

Digging Relief Pools for Salmon Facing Drought Conditions in the Coldwater River

Oxygen in the Tsolum River on Eastern Vancouver Island

Securing the Joseph Creek Water Supply for Simpcw (Dunn Creek) Hatchery in the North Thompson River

Digging Relief Pools for Salmon Facing Drought Conditions in the Coldwater River

Oxygen in the Tsolum River on Eastern Vancouver Island

Securing the Joseph Creek Water Supply for Simpcw (Dunn Creek) Hatchery in the North Thompson River

If you would like to make a donation over the phone or speak with our fundraising staff about how your donation can make a difference, please contact us at salmon@psf.ca or call 604-664-7664.

If you would like to make a donation over the phone please contact us at 604-664-7664.

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