BOUNDARY ALLIANCE
r
environmental
WORKING TO PROTECT NATURAL
RESOURCES IN THE BOUNDARY
examining cattle range use in our sensitive dryland area, and the consequences
to water quality, riparian zones, sensitive grasslands and habitat.
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
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
________________________________________________________
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.
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
BIG WHITE UPDATE January 2012
The Kettle River, despite:
S Heritage River Status
S
designation as an Endangered River in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
and # 1 on
the list March 2011 by ORCBC see full report
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if all licence holders had withdrawn authorized amounts
if all licence holders had withdrawn authorized amounts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 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
Big White's application
to extract water from the Kettle River for snowmaking, golf-course irrigation and other purposes, remains a threat to the Kettle
River.
Big White's expansion and development plan also proposes to expand into an Ecological Reserve.
see youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ1i_5Zj53A
Will the Watershed Management Plan (WMP) process underway prevent
these assaults on Public Resources?
With present leadership and direction being provided predominantly by folks who have contributed
to Kettle Watershed problems by actions, or the lack of them, the answer appears to be no.
JAN 2012
full update on the threats: here
OTHER LINKS to our BIG WHITE ARTICLES.
submission of Petition against Big White's application (approx 1700 signatures) &
Press
Release re petition &
Open letter to Ministry of Environment and Premier detailing our objections to Big White's application. here
Media coverage backgrounder. here
Our review of Big White's application and plans
Mar 2009 here
Our status report on Big White's water application May 2009 here
Then Premier Campbell's
misleading claims as to the scientific and community input into the Big White application. youtube video here
Our rebuttal of Campbells statement. here
Big White is owned and operated by Schumann Resorts who also own/operate
Silver Star. For detail on problems identified by the Citizens Coalition to save Silver Star Park, go to: http://www.savesilverstarpark.org/
A NEW WATER ACT ?
Jan 2012 review:
BEA
Fred Marshall & others comment on Water Sustainability Act
proposals