I explore the Squamish River estuary during winter low flows, in search of stories in the river gravels, river mouth sand bars and marsh muds, that are the geological foundations of the rich estuary life. The estuary has been greatly modified by construction of the Spit, a training berm built in the 1970s that confines the river to the western part of the estuary. There are plans to remove part of the Spit to allow juvenile salmon access into the central estuary, a vital life stage in their transition from river to sea.
Prior to the 1970s, the Squamish River entered the ocean through a series of channels and islands
Construction of the Spit in the early 1970s confined the Squamish River to the very western part of the estuary and cut off much of the estuary from the river
Vast salt and brackish water marshes are the ecological jewel of the Squamish River estuary
In the 1800s, the Squamish River flowed into the ocean across the entire width of the valley. Important Squamish Nation villages were located at the river mouth
Construction of the Spit in the early 1970s confined the Squamish River to the very western part of the estuary and cut off much of the estuary from the river
