City, Harmac boost Nanaimo River levels to help spawning salmon
NANAIMO — The Nanaimo River will be flowing three times faster than normal this week in an effort to help spawning salmon find their way home.
Nanaimo Forest Products and the City will pump extra water into the river starting Wednesday, Oct. 4 to encourage Chinook salmon to move upstream as they prepare to spawn.
Nanaimo River Hatchery manager Brian Banks said right now the Chinook are waiting in the lower tidal portion of the river because water levels are very low.
“With the low river, they’re susceptible to predation down there so the extra water does increase the amount of spawners that make it,” Banks said. “With these droughts happening more and more, it’s been so important to get these releases.”