Water use plan for B.C. Peace River includes fish protection
B.C. has implemented a water use plan to ease the impact of hydroelectric dams along the Peace River in Fort St. John.
As part of the new plan, which includes the Williston and Dinosaur reservoirs, BC Hydro will be required to monitor the effects on fish and other wildlife habitats and adjust operational procedures to reduce their impact.
For instance, when BC Hydro changes streamflows at either the W.A.C. Bennett or Peace Canyon dams, operators are now required to ensure that no fish are stranded in the turbulent pools.
BC Hydro is also required to address soil erosion and dust storms along the Peace River system through control measures such as cementing and planting rapid-growing vegetation to stabilize river banks.
The water use plan was developed over the past several years by a committee representing federal and provincial government agencies, First Nations, local communities and BC Hydro. It is the 19th water use plan to be approved by the province.
"Instead of running these facilities focused on energy production, and secondarily, flood control, [the committee] looked at if, for a small cost in energy production, we could get a much wider range of benefits by changing the operation," Jim Mattison, a water comptroller with the Ministry of Environment, said on Tuesday.
Controversial dam excluded in plan
Site C, the controversial dam that BC Hydro has proposed for the area, would not be included in the plan if that project were to move ahead. However, Mattison said, if Site C is constructed, similar guidelines would be incorporated in the operational permits for the facility as part of the environmental assessment process.
The plan also provides for the construction of new boat launches and improvements to existing recreational access points.
Mayor Lenore Harwood, who brought concerns from Hudson's Hope about boat access to the committee, applauded the plan.
"I'm glad to see it's finally going to be implemented," Harwood said. "It'll go a long way to addressing the problems."
First Nations communities that have fished the waters for decades have been warned not to consume fish contaminated by mercury, but mercury levels are not addressed by the water use plan.
"If they're doing practices where they're going to have an effect on the fish population, then I think they have to figure out a way to address that problem right away," said Chief Alec Chingee of McLeod Lake First Nation, adding that the impact the mining industry has on the river system must be monitored more closely.