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[chris gadsden]

I filmed this yesterday after the Vedder River Area Management Committee meeting at Chilliwack City Hall that was dealing with the sediment removal program on the Vedder River for 2018.

No ponds for the next 2 years.


https://youtu.be/nEeZGYY8bNw

[chris gadsden]

Story today from the Chilliwack Progress.
https://www.theprogress.com/news/gravel-removal-from-chilliwack-vedder-river-put-on-hold-for-two-years/

[Knnn]

It looks as though the deferment of gravel extraction was based on physical conditions within the river, rather than a concern over the impact of this practice on the fishery.  Am i reading that right?

Also, from the article:

"Rosenau was among those at the November meeting in 2017, calling for immediate curtailment of gravel removal on the Vedder, since the river had fallen into “a state of deep degradation” due to historic sediment extractions.

"continued removal at the volumes seen in past years was “not defensible,” and excessive extractions in 2016 had been undertaken in a manner that “compromised the ecological integrity of the river and destroyed valuable fish habitat”.

Can anyone provide links to the science behind why it is argued that gravel removal is considered to be detrimental from an ecological perspective, that is not justified by the need to maintain the canal?

[redtide]

those ponds created by gravel extraction were so necessary to give the migrating salmon a holdover and resting area for their migration up the chilliwack river. The lower river is so shallow in many areas and the canal itself needs to be dredged it is so packed with mud and debris. Already minature islands are popping up along vedder peach and lickman roads. I guess these experts were not in chilliwack during the major storms we had in fall the last 2 years. The force of this river during high water is very destructive to the dikes along the lower river. But then again i just live here...take regular walks along it....fish it....what do i know.

[dobrolub]

well they didn't clean out the debris,  just took the gravel. taking gravel from the river bed is economical, that's what it's mostly about.

[clarki]

those ponds created by gravel extraction were so necessary to give the migrating salmon a holdover and resting area for their migration up the chilliwack river.

While I am not necessarily opposed to gravel extraction, it’s not true that the ponds are necessary to give salmon a resting area.

[wildmanyeah]

are we talking about scalping the river gravel for profit? or actually dredging the channel for flood control?

[chris gadsden]

This story if you read it fits in nicely with the ceasing of gravel removal on the Vedder River.  https://www.theprogress.com/news/blocked-salmon-habitat-in-the-lower-fraser-gets-a-boost/

[clarki]

This story if you read it fits in nicely with the ceasing of gravel removal on the Vedder River.  https://www.theprogress.com/news/blocked-salmon-habitat-in-the-lower-fraser-gets-a-boost/

Interesting article, Chris. Thanks for posting. It’s encouraging to see this direction from local government.
 
Although not related to flood control in the Lower Fraser, I wonder if alternatives for the sea dams that have been built on the lower Nicomekl and Serpentine Rivers in South Surrey could be considered under this proposal.

[halcyonguitars]

Nice to read some positive news from time to time...