Ask the River

Ask the river how to see this world

With a mind of water,

Holding the sky in your eyes,

Embracing the stone you stumble over,

Laughing in the face of the rain

As you gather it in–

So that everyone you pass

May quench their thirst

On you.

Madronna Holden

Endangered British Columbia Rivers

Bute Inlet, the Taku, Fraser, and the Peace

Marc Angelo on Site C and the endangered Peace River:

The Peace River

The Peace River is once again threatened by the possibility of a third

hydroelectric dam project known as “Site C”. If the dam is eventually

built, it would create a smaller reservoir than the other existing dams

on the Peace - and Site C is often referred to as a large-scale, run of

river type project. Yet, it would still flood more than 80 kilometers of

the last largely natural stretch of the Peace River in BC. It would also

eliminate roughly half of the available fast-flowing sections that

currently exist within the BC reach.

Also, while some refer to the fact that the Peace is already dammed as

a way of justifying the project, it’s important to note that dam-related

impacts tend to be cumulative in nature.

In terms of how this project will be assessed, ORC is a strong

advocate of full-cost accounting and is very supportive of the need for

an extensive public consultation process that allows ample debate

while ensuring that environmental and social costs are fully weighed

against perceived benefits.

After a series of consultations, it looks like the project will now enter

the environmental assessment stage which will also include formal

planning and evaluation of the project.

And while final approval of this project is still a few years away, the

fact that the Peace already appears on this list is a reflection of the

concern that many local residents, conservationists and First Nations

have. Furthermore, in March of 2007, the BC Treaty 8 Tribal

Association passed a motion in strong opposition to the Site C

proposal. Such widespread opposition from First Nations is a key

concern.

From an environmental perspective, many believe that the addition of

this dam would compound problems for the already severely impacted

river and all of those who rely upon it. Since the project site is located

in the headwater area of the Mackenzie River watershed, all

downstream waterways would be affected. For example, unacceptable

levels of methyl mercury produced by the existing reservoirs are

already found in fish of the Peace/Athabasca delta (Timoney et. al.,

2007.)

If Site C goes ahead, it will add to the energy production of the other

dams on the Peace River while also providing an unpublicized

seasonal amount of energy to the Northwestern United States.

However, the Site C project will also come with a 6 to 8 billion dollar

price tag - and it will impact the Mackenzie watershed environment for

centuries to come. In this regard, there are a myriad of specific

concerns that have been expressed by both British Columbians and

Albertans.

Among the many key points mentioned by respondents are as follows;

- Large dams are often the cause of mercury contamination. Bull trout

in Williston Lake (the upstream reservoir created by the WAC Bennett

dam) have levels of mercury close to 0.6 ppm, which is higher than the

Canadian standard for human consumption (0.5ppm). While the

existing dams have certainly been a causal factor, the incremental

effect of Site C remains unclear at this point.

- The Peace River valley is home to the only class 1 agricultural land in

BC north of Quesnel. If Site C is built, a significant portion of this

valuable land will be lost.

- Large numbers of rainbow, dolly varden, whitefish and grayling are