Summer Tech Field Notes – CWMI
This is the fourth installment in our Summer Tech Field Notes series! Follow along with Ayla King, our Environmental Technician, as she assists the field team with restoration & monitoring.
August 4, 2026
By Ayla King
This week was all about the Community Water Monitoring Initiative (CWMI). I had the absolute privilege of joining six of our local Stewardship Groups during their first week of monitoring. Project Watershed works alongside these groups and their volunteers to complete the CWMI program, which takes place twice a year—once in the summer and once in the fall. Each monitoring cycle runs for five weeks, with volunteers heading out once a week to collect information about the health of our local streams and watersheds.
Getting to join these groups was such a joy, and I learned so much about the watersheds right here in the Comox Valley. Even more than the data we were collecting, I was amazed by the incredible knowledge and passion within these community groups. I met soil scientists who taught us about the different layers of soil found along our creeks, plant enthusiasts who shared their knowledge of the species that help strengthen riverbanks and reduce erosion, and dedicated volunteers who have seen firsthand the impacts of drought and low water levels on local fish populations. Some even spend their free time rescuing fish from drying riverbeds! I was also introduced to places and trails I never would have found on my own. It was such a unique way to explore the valley that I now call home.
While one of the main goals of CWMI is to collect long-term water quality data across the Comox Valley, the program is about so much more than numbers. Healthy streams and watersheds are important for the health and well-being of both people and wildlife, and long-term monitoring helps us understand how our water resources are changing. By documenting things like the effects of climate change, urban development, and land management, we can better understand where our watersheds may need support and help guide future conservation and restoration efforts.
Working alongside Project Watershed and these local Stewardship Groups has been incredibly eye-opening and has inspired me to become more involved with my own local community. There is something really special about seeing how much people can accomplish when they come together to care for the places they call home. It is rewarding, inspiring work, and I couldn’t recommend getting involved more. Healthy watersheds start with people who care!