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Change in river not due to rainstorm

The big almost overnight change was the winter of 2018-2019
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Change in river not due to rainstorm

As interesting as Robert Barron’s article was on the Cowichan River in Wednesday’s paper, it was not totally accurate. The river did not change course during this year’s big rain storm. The radical change happened a year ago when the force of the river finally blew through a log jam at the head of the old side channel. By last spring this side channel became the main flow of the river, or the deep short run that the article mentions.

The old main part of the river, or the washout run, was mostly dry last summer and is barely running now. I believe the recent high water did change this part of the river slightly but the big almost overnight change was the winter of 2018-2019.

Any local fisher or tuber will tell you that the side channel was open and running fast all last year. A chat with any of the old timers along the river would confirm that as well.

I lived along that stretch years ago and have watched these recent changes in the river with great interest. It would be good to mention also that the land on both sides of the washout run is private property and not open to the public.

Liz Forbes

Crofton