BSE: AN OUTSIDERS PERSPECTIVE
An overview of BSE.
A look at health & economic effects and Canada's inadequate response to
these issues.
Al Grant 2006 with updated afterword Sept 2009.
BOUNDARY ALLIANCE
r
environmental
WORKING TO PROTECT NATURAL
RESOURCES IN THE BOUNDARY
Immediate
Issues
The Kettle River, despite:
S Heritage River Status
S designation as an
Endangered River in 2006, again in 2008 see full report
and
# 2 on the list March 2009
S record low flows in 2006 and 2007 & 2009 (according to records kept for over 70
years)
S increasing stream temperatures affecting fish & aquatic organisms
S Water Branch's knowledge
that the low flows could have been substantally worse
if all licence holders had withdrawn authorized amounts
if all licence holders had withdrawn authorized amounts
Big White Ski Hill has applied for water licence withdrawals and reservoir permits on several
headwater streams feeding the Kettle, which would see their existing licences increase by perhaps 256%.
Water Branch has advised that
they believe the withdrawals will have an insignificant or minor effect on the Kettle. Other experts in Water Resource Planning have
observed that too frequently, natural resources are destroyed by seemingly insignificant increments.
FOR OTHER BACKGROUND ON
THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS click here
________________________________________________________
See the backgrounder on the Big White application
and our concerns here
for our UPDATE ON MEDIA COVERAGE
including YOUTUBE
news videos click here
2008
the first in a series of articles examining cattle range use in our sensitive
dryland area, and the consequences to water quality, riparian zones, sensitive grasslands and habitat.
"1775 Boil -water advisories in Canada require action, said Canadian Medical Association, April 2008"
"The boil water advisories are mainly
in Ontario, which has 679, B.C. at 530....." read more
Full Canadian Medical Association Journal Editorial April 2008 click here
Editorial comment: this makes B.C. the worst by a long shot on a per capita basis
"Stop taking water for granted, report warns Ottawa"
"internal draft report says government does not know enough about the county's
water to properly manage it"
"gov't data on the county's groundwater is deemed sparse and often inadequate and in contrast to
the U.S. which has spent more than a decade mapping its underground reserves" Canadian Press Aug 20 2008 read
more
Editorial comment: pertinent locally in view of Big White water application where no studies have been done to evaluate
the Kettle's obvious dependance on groundwater recharge
_____________________________________________________________________
Pesticides, pollutants threaten Canadian Tap Water"
"Experts
say Canadians in smaller communities may be rolling the dice every time they drink water from the tap" CBC report Aug 1 2008
read more
______________________________________________________________________
E-COLI COUNTS in local streams. An ongoing study relating range-cow usage to water quality issues
latest results
Kettle River
endangered river
youtube video 2.13 min
john hibberson photo
If you are on Facebook.
Join the group,
standupforthekettle
Our STAND UP FOR THE KETTLE campaign began Jan 2009:
On
youtube channel: standupforthekettle
On facebook group: standupforthekettle
On
online petition: now completed
with "standup" groups: click to enlarge
________________________________________________________
Jan 2010. Petitions against Big White's application to take Kettle water for snowmaking and golf-courses, submitted to Government.
"public
consultation promised by Ministry of Environment and Premier, is a sham"
See our press release and "open letter" to Ministry
of Environment and the Premier
Oct 2009
Radioactive fresh water mussels in the Kettle River?
yes, shows our study
Bioaccumulation of Uranium in Mussels
in the Kettle River, B.C.
OUTDOOR RECREATION COUNCIL OF BC
annual ENDANGERED RIVERS LIST MARCH 2010
KETTLE
RIVER tied for # 1 on Endangered Rivers List 2010
To see 2010 Endangered Rivers list click here
Kettle was # 2 in 2009
our thanks to all those who sent in nominations
JAN 2010
Petitions against Big White water withdrawals sent to Government
our press release and open letter to Minister
of Environment and Premier
Radioactive Mussels
in the Kettle:
The Movie
youtube video 3.31 min
The Problem with
Range Cattle.
Why support for cattle range use on Public Lands should cease
Our letter and e-coli report
sent to:
Ministry of Forests & Range
Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Environment
April 2010