BC Creek Protection Society

On March 26th, join thousands of British Columbians in standing up for our wild rivers. Whether you like to swim in them, look at them, drink from them, or float down them, BC’s many wild rivers and streams are a natural heritage that we all enjoy. In 2002 the BC government banned BC Hydro from developing new sources of green power, decreeing that all new hydropower must come from private companies. This has lead to a gold rush mentality, with private operators staking almost 600 creeks and rivers throughout BC for the purposes of hydropower production. Each one of these projects involves building river diversions, dams, powerhouses and many kilometers of roads and transmission lines. Power production can be done the right way. Unfortunately, that’s not happening in BC. There is little environmental oversight and no regional planning. Local governments have lost their say on these projects. The Wilderness Committee, Canada’s largest grassroots conservation organization, is calling for a moratorium on these projects. We like our rivers wild and our power public. We hope you do too. Join with us and thousands of like-minded citizens from across the province on Thursday, March 26. Phone your Member of the Legislative Assembly and the Premier. Stand up for our rivers and streams. Find out just how powerful your voice can be! For more information visit: http://www.tenthousandvoices.org/

BC South Coast Massive River Diversion Development

NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 5 New Video Released on Kootenay Rivers Threatened by Private Power Proposal as Save Our Rivers Society Leads “Rivers at Risk” Tour Through 5 Kootenay Communities! Watch this new 11-min short documentary, “Rivers at Risk: Glacier & Howser Creeks,” by POWERPLAY producer Damien Gillis on the battle to protect a treasured piece of Kootenay wilderness from private power development. This video is the second installment in Save Our Rivers Society’s new “Rivers at Risk” series, which profiles different rivers around BC threatened by private power development - told in the words of the local citizens batting to protect them. Featuring stunning high definition footage of this spectacular BC wilderness, revered by outdoor enthusiasts. Link to video Join Save Our Rivers in five different West Kootenay communities for a premiere of this video and presentations by Rafe Mair, Damien Gillis, Lee-Ann Unger of the West Kootenay EcoSociety, and the COPE 378 “Take Back the Power” campaign: NELSON: Sunday, November 30 7 PM - Nelson United Church NAKUSP: Tuesday December 2 7 PM - Bonnington Arts Centre MEADOW CREEK: Wednesday, December 3 7 PM - Lardeau Valley Hall KASLO: Thursday, December 4 7 PM - Langham Theatre ROSSLAND: Friday, December 5 7 PM - Rossland Miner’s Hall

Attachment: Letter regarding Renewable Portfolio Standards legislation The BC Creek Protection Society and several other NGOs from BC have written a letter to the California Government. The letter is a result of a collaboration with the Hydro Reform Coalition and was triggered by a recently released study by the major utility PG&E. (more…)

This year’s second annual BC Rivers day at the Goldstream provincial park was a great success. As a continuous stream of visitors poured into the park throughout the day (total about 500 people), volunteers had very full hands helping out at the different stations. (more…)

BC CPS presented at the More Power To You Conference on Oct 04 in Vancouver. The conference was a productive and interesting event. Many environmental NGOs were present and presented. BC CPS focussed on the Klinaklini River project and other, ecologically concerning, large-scale projects. Please feel free to download the slides (PDF, 13 MB) of our presentation.

The open-house hosted by the BC CPS on Friday the 26th in Tofino was a positive step forward.  The BC CPS will now work towards presenting to the Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousat Band Councils and Clayoquot Regional Board.   Please stand-by for a list of contacts which will be useful for public imput on the issue of RoR in Clayoquot Sound.  Thank-you to all those who attended. 

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Mar 31, 2008 (Marketwire via COMTEX) - - Plutonic Power Corporation (TSX:PCC) is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed Stages 1 and 2 towards securing a Water License from the Water Stewardship Division (Ministry of the Environment) and Crown Land rights from the Integrated Land Management Bureau (Ministry of Agriculture and Lands) for the development of eleven run-of-river non-storage hydroelectric power projects strategically located within the boundaries of Plutonic Power’s “Green Power Corridor”. (more…)

We are pleased to announce that Mountain Equipment Coop will be supporting the BCCPS Run-of-River Awareness Program in 2008. BCCPS greatly appreciates the support of MEC. In the past, support from MEC has also been very helpful in the formation of the BC Rivers Alliance.

Burke Mountain Naturalists
P.O. Box 52540, R.P.O. Coquitlam Centre
Coquitlam, BC CANADA
V3B 7J4

• BMN Pitt River article
• BMN hydro handout

Learn about specific rivers that are at imminent risk:

Development in wilderness areas can be a threat to endagered species:

• River Ecosystem Threat

Dams and water diversion change the natural flow of rivers and creeks, altering the quality of aquatic habitat and possibly leading to species losses and possible ecosystem disturbances.

Some of the species that are in danger in current small scale hydro projects or may be in danger by potential hydro projects have been granted a special status by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). They include both blue and red listed species.

Blue listed species are not immediately threatened, but of concern because of specific characteristics that make them particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Red listed species have been legally designated as endangered, are extirpated or are candidates for such designation.

The following list of animals is threatened by current and future small scale hydro projects. This list is merely a fraction of species that could be at risk and does not include any insect or plant species, for example. Finally, deforestation as a result of these projects is also an issue.

Barn Swallow, Blue Listed

Bull Trout, Blue Listed

Green Heron, Blue Listed

Grizzly Bear, Blue Listed

Marbled Murrelet, Red Listed

Northern Goshawk, Red Listed

Red Legged Frog, Blue Listed

Roosevelt Elk, Blue Listed

Spotted Owl, Red Listed

Western Screech Owl, Blue Listed

White Sturgeon, Red Listed

Coastal Tailed Frog, Blue Listed

Purcell Alliance for Wilderness (PAW)
General Delivery
Argenta, B.C. V0G 1B0
(250) 366-4455

• Critique of the Proposed Glacier/Howser Hydroelectric Project
• Learn about Glacier/Howser opposition
• CBC: Hydroelectric proposal for B.C. Interior draws fire

• Rivers of Riches
• Plutonic joins the big players in electricity production

• 49 Megawatts a documentary by Bryan Smith
• Save Ashlu Creek

Learn more about problems related to the implementaion of the Small Hydro projects in British Columbia.

• Watershed Watch Salmon Society Article (PDF)

This is a great introduction to Run-of-River Hydropower.


• BC CPS Pamphlet (PDF)
• Hydro Map illustrates the scale of the proposed development in BC (external link to IPP Watch)
• BC CPS online petition (link to independent petition site gopetition.com)
• Rivers at Risk
• River Ecosystem Threat
• 49 Megawatts (Video 50 mb) a documentary about the building of the Ashlu Creek project under Bill 30
• The last drop a documentary that follows 5 kayakers down the endangered Memekay River and looks at small hydro issues in BC through interviews.

Please consider supporting the BC Creek Protection Society through your Membership. You can

• Download the PDF Membership Form
• Register Online

Please also consider signing the online petition:

• BC CPS petiton (link to gopetition.com)

Donations account information:
Coast Capital Savings
3911-354

BC Creek Protection Society

info at bc-creeks dot org

4145 Borden Street

Victoria, BC, V8X 2G6

Canada

Tel: (250) 384 4236

Please consider supporting the BC Creek Protection Society through your Membership. You can

• Download the PDF Membership Form
• Register Online

Donations account information:
Coast Capital Savings
3911-354

• Societies

  • 1% for the planet
  • American Whitewater
  • BC Citizens for Public Power
  • Burke Mountain Naturalists
  • Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  • Common Energy
  • Land Trust Alliance
  • MEC 1% for the planet
  • Raincoast
  • Save BC Parks
  • Sierra Club
  • TAPS
  • The Valhalla Wilderness Society

• Hydro Developers

  • ANYOX
  • Canadian Hydro Developers Inc.
  • Cloudworks Energy Inc.
  • Coast Mountain Power
  • ENMAX Power Corporation
  • EPCOR
  • Hydromax Energy
  • Independent Power Producers Association of BC
  • Ledcor Power Inc.
  • Plutonic Power Corporation Inc.
  • Regional Power Inc.
  • Run of River Power Inc.
  • Synex International Inc.

• BC Regulations

  • Environmental Assessment Act
  • Environmental Assessment Office
  • Reviewable Projects Regulations

• BC Rivers Alliance

  • American Whitewater
  • BC Citizens for Public Power
  • BC Creek Protection Society
  • Burke Mountain Naturalists
  • Canoe Kayak BC - Whitewater
  • Georgia Strait Alliance
  • Outdoor Recreation Council of BC
  • Raincoast Conservation Society
  • Save our Rivers Society
  • T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation
  • Vancouver Island Whitewater Paddling Society
  • Vancouver Kayak Club
  • Watershed Watch Salmon Society
  • Western Canada Wilderness Committee

• Supportive Businesses

  • Chilcotin River Adventures
  • Watershed Sentinel

Please visit

IPP WATCH

The Google Earth map composed by Craig WIlliams can download be downleaded. There is also very easy to use online map. The maps will give a detailed, easy to understand, overview of water licenses and the proposed hydro development in British Columbia.

Updates:

Latest update:

BC CREEK PROTECTION SOCIETY - RIVER STEWARDSHIP, Member of the BC Rivers Alliance

The purposes of the society are:

To protect free flowing natural watercourses in Canada, particularly British Columbia, as part of an ecologically unique systems of societal significance.

To provide public education about natural watercourses and their importance to the environment and society.

To raise awareness of current issues concerning said watercourses.

To conduct and support research on the impacts of run of the river projects on society and the ecosystems formed by free flowing natural watercourses.

Please consider supporting the BC Creek Protection Society through your Membership. You can

• Obtain Membership Online
• Learn about BC RIVERS ALLIANCE
• Learn more
• Sign the BC CPS petiton (link to gopetition.com)

Donations account information:
Coast Capital Savings
3911-354