Sooke Pot Holes

A 5 km stretch of deep pools created from the glacial action during the ice age serve as ideal swimming spots. The large boulders that were trapped in the canyon 15,000 years ago caused the rushing water to swirl and form deep "potholes" in the river. The water here is clean, clear and aqua-green in color and perfect for enjoying in the summer. There are smaller, shallower pools closer to the parking lot that may be more appealing to families with children. Small beaches are scattered along the river bank and large, flat rocks provide extra lounging space. The river may be fast moving at times and use of caution is recommended.

The section of the Sooke River known as the Sooke Potholes is considered sacred by the T'Sou'ke First Nation and can be an excellent site to view the salmon run in the fall. It is an important river for both Coho and Chinook salmon spawning. The Sooke River is a significant corridor for wildlife in the area and fragile plant species, therefore visitors to the Sooke Potholes are asked to remain on designated paths and trails and to carry out any litter.

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Water Quality

Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
Historical Status
This status is based on the latest sample, taken on August 21st, 2019. The Swim Guide updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on August 29th, 2019 at 10:21 PM.

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Current Weather

9°C

Chance of heavy rain

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Monitoring Frequency

Source Information

Island Health follows the Canadian Recreational Water Guidelines. E. Coli Guidelines200 E. coli / 100 mL – geometric mean (usually 5 samples)400 E. coli / 100 mL – single sample maximumBeaches are automatically posted when a sample result exceeds 1000 E. coli / 100 mL.Island Health states that consideration is given to posting a beach advisory when the geometric mean exceeds 200 E. coli / 100 mL or a single results exceeds 400 E. coli / 100 mL. However, posting a beach advisory when samples exceed the geomean and/or single sample maximums are not automatic, and depend on the circumstances.Enterococci Guidelines35 enterococci / 100 mL – geometric mean at least 5 samples70 enterococci / 100 mL – single sample maximumBeaches are automatically posted when a sample result exceeds 175 Enterococci/ 100 mL.Consideration is given to posting a beach advisory when the geometric mean exceeds 35 Enterococci / 100 mL or a single results exceeds 70 Enterococci / 100 mL.Beach advisories will be automatically posted when a sample result of over 1000 E. coli or 175 Enterococci per sample is received, as studies indicate there is an elevated risk associated with these bacterial levels.

Water Quality Graph