Basin residents’ input is summarized in a draft CRT Public Consultation Report Working Draft (PDF 1.8MB). The report, once finalized, will accompany the recommendations on the future of the Treaty submitted to the Province.
We welcome your comments on the CRT Public Consultation Report Working Draft. Comments provided below can be viewed on the website blog. Online feedback to specific sections of the report can be submitted by clicking the relevant section of the table of contents located at https://blog.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/public-consultation-report/ and using the comment box at the end of the section. This feedback will not be posted on the website.
I am taken aback and mystified as to why the CBTF is not working to the benefit of those they claim to represent. We used to have Salmon in the Columbia River. The Americans dammed the river and now the tributaries here in Canada are no longer usable by them. Now everyone wonders why the Salmon stocks are depleted. How stupid are you people. You cut the testicles off the bull and you can’t figure out why he doesn’t reproduce. The Salmon need our help NOW. Insist with no backing down and cowtowing to the Americans, we want our Salmon back. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Most of the salmon runs were killed off by the Grand Coulee dam which was built before the CRT. Exceptions would be in the Okanagan which is a tributary of the Columbia but joins below the GC dam.
Yes, Salmon runs were killed off before the dams. What we need to do is invest in modernization/rehabilitation of these dams to make them more efficient (I.e. use less water/generate more low-cost, carbon-free energy) and fish friendly.
I encourage the BC government to renew the treaty, but with a stronger emphasis on environmental protection and mitigation.
Analysis shows that hydro power delivers 40 times the energy output for the energy input, as compared to only 8 times for oil and gas. It is still the most energy efficient source of power. BC also needs the revenue. The US intends to reduce their payments at a time when energy is becoming more valuable globally. BC should not allow a reduction of payments. Rather, they should push for an increase.
With our knowledge of environmental mitigations today, as compared to when the Treaty was first developed, it is within BC’s power to insist on better environmental controls.
Supporting local domestic watershed reservoir building with soft costs for hydrology, engineering and organizational development could help to mitigate extreme seasons and flows. This would benefit communities as well as stream flows and even improve the capacity to manage downstream flows.
Helping to re-establish salmon runs would have great benefits. Boating needs to be a lower priority.