April 4, 2013
Better Cumulative Effects Assessment Needed for BC Hydro’s Proposed Site C Peace River Dam
AWA comments on the adequacy of BC Hydro’s environmental impact statement for its proposed Site…
Over past decades, AWA has provided expertise concerning protection and conservation of waterways in Alberta’s southern and northern rivers and on the implications of various hydroelectric projects in Alberta.
AWA’s interest is in healthy natural river ecosystems both for the habitat they afford to diverse aquatic and terrestrial species, and for water supply, drought and flood protection and water purification for human uses.
Alberta’s river corridors are crucial habitat for many terrestrial species as well as for aquatic ecosystems. The environmental footprint of run-of-river and reservoir hydroelectric projects includes disturbance upstream and downstream of the project site, from direct changes in water flows, water quality and riparian habitat, and from associated impacts from road, power transmission lines, and other land-based hydroelectric infrastructure.
Hydroelectric projects have been known to have profound and highly site-specific effects upon river ecology. Hydroelectric reservoir dams are those which flood relatively large areas of land, allowing for the storage of large amounts of water. The water level in these reservoirs is regulated through dam operation, thus daily flow levels in the river channels can fluctuate widely over minutes or hours, creating ecosystems with no natural equivalent. Few aquatic organisms are able to adapt to survive these extreme, rapidly fluctuating flows. In addition, dams instantly block movements of fish that have patterns of long distance movement.
Though some structures exist that attempt to allow for passing fish upstream and downstream, these structures are inadequate to mitigate the effects of channel barriers.
Run-of-river dams overcome some of the problems associated with reservoir dams, but have negligible storage capacity. Because of this, run-of-river dams have lower electrical production and more of them are needed to meet the same energy demand. This type of dam eliminates many upstream problems, but the dams themselves have the same problems associated with fish passage and sediment interception created by reservoir dams.
Micro hydro installations are usually located on small headwaters. Individually they produce little power, so large numbers over a large area are needed to produce similar amounts of energy. This results in extensive networks of roads and transmission lines. These projects can severely impact fish populations due to dewatering and fine sediment production.
AWA feels Alberta must develop a strong process to evaluate individual proposed projects. This process should align individual hydro project assessments with the provinces transition to cumulative effects environmental management on a regional and provincial basis. This process must consider site specific regulatory processes that account for fish and wildlife population impacts, including species at risk.
April 4, 2013
AWA comments on the adequacy of BC Hydro’s environmental impact statement for its proposed Site…
February 1, 2009
Wild Lands Advocate update, February 2009, by Chris Wearmouth 200902_ar_wla_update_dunvegan.pdf
August 1, 2008
Wild Lands Advocate article, August 2008, by Chris Wearmouth. Wearmouth looks at the site of…
February 1, 2008
Wild Lands Advocate article, February 2008, by Chris Wearmouth 200802_AR_WL4.pdf
January 28, 2008
Pre-hearing submission by AWA, CPAWS and the South Peace Environment Association 20080128_doc_prv_glacierpower.pdf
January 22, 2008
Letter from AWA to National Resource Conservation Board, containing notice of intent to participate in…
January 16, 2008
AWA Action Alert, January 16 2008. The Peace River is one of the most diverse…
December 17, 2007
Notice from Natural Resources Conservation Board and Energy Utilities Board of pre-hearing concerning the proposed…
April 1, 2003
Wild Lands Advocate article, April 2003. 200304_AR_WAT.pdf
September 13, 2002
September 2002 submission from the Friends of the Peace, including AWA, CPAWS and the Peace…
April 1, 2002
Wild Lands Advocate article, April 2002, by Cliff Wallis 200204_AR_MD.pdf
February 15, 2002
Preliminary feasibility study prepared by Golder Associates, submitted to Alberta Environment and Saskatchewan Water Corporation…