The Tsawout floodgate
The Tsawout floodgate was designed to protect the drainage ditch on the eastern side of the Tsawout lands from salt water entering the ditch. The gate is hinged at its top, and in theory would open when the tide is low, allowing water in the ditch to empty to the sea, and then as the tide rose the pressure of the sea would close the gate.
The gate failed in an open position some time in the late 1980's and this was not noticed until 2011 as it is on the seaward side of the wall. The open gate allowed sea water to enter up the Tsawout ditches where, in high tides it flooded sea water onto roughly 15 acres of Puckle Farm for something like 20 years .
The gate failed in an open position some time in the late 1980's and this was not noticed until 2011 as it is on the seaward side of the wall. The open gate allowed sea water to enter up the Tsawout ditches where, in high tides it flooded sea water onto roughly 15 acres of Puckle Farm for something like 20 years .
Seaweed in the upper reaches of the Tsawout ditch where it meets the boundary with Puckle Farm and the CRD Park.
Showing the seawater flooding of Puckle Farm from the Tsawout ditches. Notice in the upper part of the photo how the Tsawout ditches are full of sea water whereas the ditches in the CRD park are dry - this photo was taken in mid-summer July 1010
In October 2011, the District of Central Saanich cleaned the CRD park ditches which allowed Puckle Farm to drain off the sea water.
In 2012 and a subsequent time, the Tsawout had a contractor attempt to fix their floodgate. The floodgate appears to be in a closed position but sea water still pours through (although not as bad as before) so it is speculated that the floodgate has been undermined by the tidal action. Because the flow has been reduced by the attempted repairs to the floodgate, the Tsawout ditches no longer flood into Puckle Farm but the ditches are still full of sea water.
The two videos below were taken on July 29, 2015 and show the sea water passing through the Tsawout flood gate and up the Tsawout ditch towards Puckle Farm and Island View Beach Regional Park.
In 2012 and a subsequent time, the Tsawout had a contractor attempt to fix their floodgate. The floodgate appears to be in a closed position but sea water still pours through (although not as bad as before) so it is speculated that the floodgate has been undermined by the tidal action. Because the flow has been reduced by the attempted repairs to the floodgate, the Tsawout ditches no longer flood into Puckle Farm but the ditches are still full of sea water.
The two videos below were taken on July 29, 2015 and show the sea water passing through the Tsawout flood gate and up the Tsawout ditch towards Puckle Farm and Island View Beach Regional Park.