by Jennifer Grenzs

As a consequence of the widespread hunger for increased economic prosperity in a young British Columbia, its rivers fell victim to human innovation.

These great feats of engineering were thought to provide great benefits to society such as drinking water, irrigation and hydroelectricity. Dams were truly embraced as "economic saviours." It wasn’t until years later however, that British Columbians began to recognize that what seemed to be societal progression was actually destroying what they valued most. In the 1970s B.C. began to witness that dam construction had serious environmental and social costs. River ecosystems were being devastated, fish stocks dwindled, prime habitat was lost, valuable farm land, scenic canyons, and in some cases entire towns were drowned.

Currently, there are 2,200 dams in B.C. While many of these continue to provide important benefits to society (drinking water, irrigation, electricity), as many as 400 dams have outlived their usefulness and are eligible for removal. They are futile because of structural safety concerns, reservoir siltation, marginal benefits and ecological damage. It has become apparent that dams don’t last forever, and these aging dams are ready to be dismantled or decommissioned.

Decommissioning or dismantling a dam is no easy task, but it is possible. As a result, the future of B.C.’s rivers is looking brighter. There are several options available for a dammed river, from as drastic as total dismantling, which restores the natural flow of the river, to a partial modification, such as installing a fish ladder to allow spawning above the dam. The solution depends upon the characteristics of each river and dam, and appropriate choices are made after addressing these particular characteristics.

The remarkable extent to which a river is able to return to its natural state after dam removal has been confirmed by a number of removals that have taken place all over the world. For example, the Edwards Dam, along the Kennebec River in Maine, was removed in 1999, and migratory fish returned in abundance to previously impounded parts of the river. The alewife, a migratory species dependent upon access to upstream spawning grounds, returned by the millions to a stretch of river that hadn’t seen them in 160 years. Currently there are plans to remove nine more dams along Maine’s coast in an effort to protect the endangered Atlantic salmon.

Dismantling or decommissioning dams is not only beneficial to fish and wildlife, but also to culture, public safety, recreation, and the economy. First Nations culture is protected, as they are reliant upon salmon for spiritual and ceremonial traditions. Catastrophic failure of aging dams is prevented and recreational opportunities are enhanced when the river returns to its natural state and commercial fisheries and the communities that depend on them are re-established.

Public opposition to the construction of new dams has been so strong that B.C.’s provincial government has responded by legislatively protecting important salmon rivers against future dams under the Fish Protection Act. This public support has aided decommissioning efforts by various provincial groups. Mark Angelo of the Outdoor Recreation Council says, "The ORC, as well as academic institutions such as BCIT, have played a key role in encouraging the decommissioning or removal of dams that have outlived their usefulness or provide only marginal benefits. The Theodosia dam near Powell River is an ideal example of this, and the first phase of the River Recovery project, which was initiated by ORC, helped to identify other impoundments that could be removed or phased out. This kind of work is the ultimate in river restoration, and British Columbia has the potential to become an international leader in this respect."

Hope for the Theodosia

The Theodosia River is a salmon-bearing river that flows into the Pacific Ocean on the southwest coast of British Columbia. Historically, the Theodosia supported magnificent salmon runs that saw returns of up to 100,000 Pinks, 50,000 Chum and 10,000 Coho each year in addition to substantial but unknown numbers of Chinook and Steelhead. Since the Theodosia was dammed in 1956 salmon returns have been devastated. Today, the Theodosia is home to only 3,000 Chum, a few dozen Coho and the odd Steelhead and Chinook. The dam diverts 80% of the natural flow into Powell Lake in order to generate hydroelectric power for the Powell River Pulp Mill. The power generated by the dam is valued at $350,000 annually which is far less than the millions of dollars that could be earned from a healthy salmon fishery. A coalition of groups including ORCBC, the Sliammon First Nation and Pacifica Papers Ltd is currently developing a plan to decommission the dam. Expectations are that a salmon run worth millions annually to native, commercial, and sport-fishing sectors could be restored, thereby helping rebuild the endangered Georgia Strait fishery. Mark Angelo of the Outdoor Recreation Council believes, "Perhaps no other river in the province offers such an incredible opportunity to restore damaged habitat and rebuild fish stocks. Decommissioning a marginal dam like the Theodosia will set an important precedent for the whole province."

How to get involved

B.C. Rivers Day is Sunday, September 29, an opportunity for British Columbians to show their support for projects such as the Theodosia dam decommissioning. By participating, the public is demonstrating that the health of BC’s waterways is important to them and to the future of British Columbia. B.C. Rivers Day, since its inception in 1980, has become the largest celebration of its kind in North America.

Mark Angelo helped start Rivers Day in 1980 and "always believed it was appropriate to have a celebration like this in B.C. because I think we have the world’s finest wild river heritage. It has been wonderful to see the event grow over the past two decades, and it has done much to create a greater public awareness of the importance of our rivers as well as the threats that confront them. In addition, it has encouraged many people to get more involved in river stewardship." Today, B.C. Rivers Day is not only about raising awareness, but also a celebration of the many successes and a call for further action. Currently over 100 events are held in over 40 communities that will involve 50,000 participants across the province. Events range from large to small in scale but all have the same objective, "to promote River Stewardship and encourage a sense of responsibility on the part of the public that our actions have consequences and the future of our rivers depends on all of us to get involved," said Norma Wilson, Executive Director, Outdoor Recreation Council.

To find out what is happening in your area for BC Rivers Day, Sunday September 29, or to get information on how you can organize your own Rivers Day event visit www.orcbc.ca.

Jennifer Grenz is Projects Coordinator for BC Rivers Day, Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.

Back to September, 2002 Index




Top