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[Stuart Dickinson]

Does anyone have any more information on this?  Seems crazy to me, this river needs all the help it can get.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Plan+hydro+Similkameen+River+raises+immediate+environmental/8952748/story.html

Plan for hydro dam on B.C.'s Similkameen River raises immediate environmental concerns
 
By LARRY PYNN, VANCOUVER SUN September 24, 2013 11:44 AM

Plan for hydro dam on B.C.'s Similkameen River raises immediate environmental concerns
 
The Similkameen River, identified as one of the most endangered in B.C., is the site of a proposed hydro dam by Fortis Generation Inc.
Photograph by: Graham Osborne , Special to the Vancouver Sun

A river that has been identified as one of the most endangered in B.C. is the site of a proposed hydro dam by Fortis Generation Inc.

Plans to build a 45-to-65 megawatt power facility — with a 175-metre-high concrete dam and 21-kilometre-long reservoir — on the Similkameen River, about 15 kilometres south of Princeton, are drawing immediate environmental concerns.

Mark Angelo, rivers chair of the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C., noted in an interview Tuesday that the Similkameen was named one of the top 10 most endangered rivers in B.C. in 2011 due to a dam proposal on the Washington state side of the international border at Shanker’s Bend that would have flooded into B.C. That proposal was later shelved.

Angelo said this new “Canyon Dam” proposal is in the early stages by Fortis, which purchased the former Princeton Light and Power, the company that proposed a dam at this same site in the early 1990s.

He warned that “construction would create a reservoir upriver of the canyon that is estimated to destroy not only the canyon ecosystem,” but hundreds of hectares of wildlife habitat, including for trout and other fish.

He added: “From a recreational perspective, it has very high values as a paddling destination and the canyon stretch is also a striking and very beautiful part of river. Clearly, the dam would have significant adverse impacts....”

Ruth Sulentich, community and aboriginal relations manager for Fortis, said the company is working with the province to obtain an investigative permit necessary to access land parcels for conducting technical and environmental studies necessary to evaluate the viability of the project. “Should the investigative studies determine the project is economically, technically and environmentally feasible, Fortis Generation would begin application for long-term lease arrangements for the land.”

It could take two years to complete the technical and environmental studies necessary, along with discussions with the general public and first nations, to produce a viable project, the company said, adding that a hydro reservoir would have the benefit of reducing flood risk on the river and increase summer flows.

lpynn@vancouversun.com[/url]

[fishbandit66]

Bc Hydro have basically shut the door on independent / external power projects. So I doubt this project would get the go ahead. They are paving the way for Site C.

[skaha]

-I am in favour of investigating the possibility through a feasibility study.
-The study would provide valuable information on environmental effect of a dam as well as current state of the river in that area.
-We need credible information in order to make informed decisions.
-A condition of the exploration permit should include public disclosure of the environmental surveys done and the results of those surveys... to insure the surveys are done at arms length and that the information is open to peer review and public scrutiny 

[chris gadsden]

Are they not removing some dams in the USA that have negatively impacting fish stocks?

[Stuart Dickinson]

Are they not removing some dams in the USA that have negatively impacting fish stocks?

I'm not sure Chris, but I'd be interested in more info.  I know that there are dams on the US side, for example there is one where I know a couple of guys who catch springs, because they can't get any further but apparently the Similkameen is their natural tributary, or at least one of them.

I also know there was consideration or plans in Washington for an additional dam that would have backed up the waters onto the Canadian side, that apparently got the kibosh.

[skaha]

--The Similkameen USA dam plan stopped only because.. it was not economically feasible at this time.
--Part of the costs that was deemed onerous was public consultation and dealing with Canada and First Nations, majority of the flooded land would have been on Canadian reserve lands .
--Fortis may be looking at lesser costs as they do not have to spend as much on USA negotiation as the project would be within Canada. They would only have to meet clean power standards in order to sell the electricity to same USA states that have self imposed standards.
--Remember the raising of Ross dam was stopped in USA courts not Canada.
--Similarly the coal fired gen plant in Oliver was basically stopped by USA courts. That is USA determined they could not buy what Fortis called green sustainable hydro power if the excess power sold to USA was a result of selling coal generated power within BC.

[bigblue]

Dams are being taken down across the border.
On the Rogue River in Oregon for example, Savage Rapids Dam was taken down in 2009 and Gold Ray Dam in 2010, to name a few.
I am sure there would be more in Oregon and Washington.

[rbt]

Dams can also be beneficial; The detention of water behind the dam can have profound impacts on aquatic ecosystems. For example, when the Yakima river canyon dam was constructed in wa, it created ideal conditions for many aquatic invertebrates. As a result, trout populations increased. Also dams (when properly managed) can help control flows during high water months. then release water in low water months providing cooler temperatures when the river needs it the most (this is one of the reasons why the similkameen is in trouble)

[VAGAbond]

Some years ago there were biologists poking around on the upper reaches of the Similkameen (Pasayten) and their story was that they were investigating whether the upper reaches were suitable for spawning salmon should an old dam on the US side of the border near Nighthawk be removed.  I never learned what dam that might be but if a dam was the only barrier, it suggests salmon used to reach the Similkameen around Keremeos.   I have never heard of salmon in that part of the province but then I didn't know until a couple of years ago that sockeye used to reach Okanagan Falls.    Information on salmon in the Similkameen in former years anybody?

[skaha]

--there was a natural barrier that prevented salmon and steelhead from reaching similkameen.
--the USA proposal was to provide passage around a dam to allow steelhead and salmon to get into the similkameen.
--if the dam was not in place there would be a water fall that would not allow for upstream fish passage.
--It sounded like a good idea as you would get nutrient from salmon passage etc. but I think the fear at the time was reguarding the health of USA hatchery fish ie. whirling disease.
--It seems we get mixed messages as I have not heard that concurn about the fish coming into Skaha from the same Columbia river system.
--I think the main issue was introduction of salmon and steelehead into similameen as opposed to Skaha which is conscidered a re-introduction...Policy or Biology?

[riverpeople]

I have read almost every report on the Similkameen River and the findings are sometimes unbeleivable.  The river is in trouble because people along it's banks bonk fish on a regular basis.  The area in question for flooding is utterly the best stretch of rainbow trout water we have so I would beg FortiS Inc (USA) to leave it alone.  If anyone has any doubt of the integrity of fortiS Inc a must read is the "last flight of the Scarlet Macaw".   A story about how the people of Belize were duped into a Fortis Dam on one of the most important ecological rivers there. 

[VAGAbond]

That reservoir would disrupt a singificant mule deer migration from the Manning Park high country and Whipsaw Creek to wintering grounds in the Princeton area and east in addition to any fishing impact.

[SkagitDreamer]

The fracking in that area is already crazy, signalling 2.4 earthquakes daily and spitting all sorts of toxins into the area. Some countries have banned fracking altogether. A dam here? Ridiculous!