BC Columbia Basin Local Governments’ Interests Focus on Recrea8on

Future of Our Salmon Conference October, 2016 Cindy Pearce, Execu=ve Director, BC CRT Local Governments’ CommiGee

With support from

1 Committee Reports

www.akblg.ca/content/columbia-river-treaty 2 Initial Dam Impacts in BC

• 300,000 acres of fertile valley bottom land and ecosystems flooded – ~4x the size of Lake Roosevelt Reservoir • 2,300 people displaced • 12 communities inundated • Aboriginal cultural sites flooded • Valley bottom roads lost

4 Ongoing Impacts CRT related from ‘Industrial’ reservoirs Reservoirs • 435 miles of reservoirs in BC (Lake Roosevelt is 150 miles) • Average annual fluctua=ons: Mica – 155 X. Duncan – 100 X. Koocanusa – 80 X. (same as Lake Roosevelt) Arrow – 40 X. June, 1965

6 on the Reservoir

40+ feet of spring/dry year opera=ons drawdown

7 Nakusp Beach Time – August, 2016

In most years in the past, these logs float in over 10 feet of water to mark out the kids’ swimming area

8 Boundary logs

9 Arrow Lakes Reservoir

Summer 2016 at Nakusp

May 2012 near Burton

10 Kinbasket Reservoir

40 kilometres/ 25 miles of mudlflats on Valemount’ s doorstep during spring drawdown

11 Kinbasket Reservoir

Sea of stumps north of Golden during spring drawdown

12 Kinbasket Reservoir

Annual debris removal –

Debris creates safety hazards for boa=ng

13 Kinbasket Reservoir

Full pond at Bush Harbour boat ramp – but limited road access

14 Koocanusa Reservoir

80 feet of spring drawdown

near Baynes Lake community 15 Koocanusa Reservoir

Kikoman Provincial Park during spring drawdown

16 Koocanusa Reservoir

Spring dust storm; houseboats high & dry

17 18 Recrea8onal Fisheries Impacts • Salmon runs ended with the • Disrupted nutrient flows -> annual nutrient fer=liza=on programs • Entrainment in turbines • Flooded spawning habitats Current • Disconnected tributary access decline in • Fish stranding kokanee popula=ons

19 Ongoing Impacts of ‘Industrial Reservoirs’ • Limited water access for recrea=on • Boa=ng safety risks & property damage from debris • Air quality issues from dust storms • Ecosystem, fish and wildlife declines • Erosion

Quality of life, tourism, forestry, and agriculture limited

Photo Credits – With Thanks BC Hydro Nicole Tremblay Ron Oszust David Gluns Brian Sperling Laura Keil Korie Marshall Hans Dummerauf Touchstone Museum

21 www.akblg.ca/content/columbia-river-treaty

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