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June 2000
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2003 Nechako Watershed Council achieves resultsVanderhoof, B.C. – On June 13, 2003 the Nechako Watershed Council (NWC) celebrated its 5th year of working for and with the people of the Nechako Watershed. Over the past five years the NWC has been meeting on a regular basis (every 6 to 8 weeks) in communities all over the watershed “…to enhance the long-term health and viability of the Nechako Watershed with consideration for all interest…”. June 28, 1998The NWC is officially launched. After two years of meetings, workshops and discussions, the NWC is established. At a formal signing ceremony in Vanderhoof, 30 participants representing 19 organizations endorsed the Terms of Reference. The NWC is made up of organizations from the Central Interior and the Northwest, bringing a wide array of interests to the table that include the ecological, social, cultural and economic values of the Nechako River. The Terms of Reference state: The purpose of the Council is to enhance the long-term health and viability of the Nechako Watershed with consideration for all interests, and to provide a forum to address water management and related issues in the Watershed and to work toward cooperative resolution of these issues. 1999 Development of the issues list begins in earnest with presentations on resident fish in the Nechako River and floatplane operations in Vanderhoof. Over the course of the year the list would be developed to include 23 issues and still growing. The NWC also prepares for the Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund (NEEF) public consultations. A priority for 1999 is to assist the three member management committee of NEEF in their process to determine the best use of the $100 million NEEF. Development of an interim report with a series of recommendations for the NEEF management committee is set in motion. Membership grows with five new member organizations signing on. A newspaper insert, along with a brochure are created to let the residents of the watershed read about the progress of the NWC. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks announces that it will resume the processing of Nechako River irrigation licenses. The NWC provided critical information to assist with this review moving forward. The NWC participate in a NEEF public consultation workshop. The NWC encourage the NEEF management committee to focus the majority of its upcoming efforts on thoroughly investigating certain aspects of a water release facility at Kenney Dam. 2000 The Cheslatta Carrier Nation host the first meeting of the year and along with the Skin Tyee Band and Nee Tahi Buhn Band participate as guests. Over the course of 2000 the Cheslatta Carrier Nation provide the NWC with presentations on their Murray-Cheslatta Redevelopment Plan. A second interim report is given to the NEEF management committee. The report states that the NWC strongly supports the construction of water release facility as the best use of the Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund. The critical work on Nechako River flows post water release facility (WRF) begins. This exercise will advance the discussion and assessment of the various watershed interests and objectives by defining the possible flow regimes in the Nechako River post-WRF. Tree planting ceremony is held at Riverside Park in Vanderhoof to commemorate the NWC’s second anniversary. Website www.nechakowatershedcouncil.com is launched. A second brochure comes out to give a continued progress report and the NWC hits the fall fair tour. A public forum attended by 50+ people is held in Grassy Plains. Residents appreciated having their voices heard with regard to issues related to the Nechako Reservoir and Cheslatta River flows. The intensive work of evaluating each of its identified interests in the Nechako Watershed is completed. These interests can now be applied to the work on flow regimes. 2001 A six-member delegation travels to Ottawa in February to discuss the construction of a water release facility at Kenney Dam with federal cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament and other officials. The delegation met with David Anderson, Federal Minister of the Environment, representative from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs and Western Economic Diversification. MPs Dick Harris and Andy Burton also met with the group. The NWC joins the Action Planning Group of the Nechako River White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative. On June 7, 2001 the Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund Management Committee (NEEFMC) releases its report. The NWC endorses the primary decision that a Cold Water Release Facility (CWRF) be constructed at Kenney Dam. In August a delegation travels to Victoria to meet with several ministers and senior policy advisors briefing them on the NWC, NEEFMC, the benefits of a CWRF and funding. Minister Thorpe, Competition, Science and Enterprise suggests the development of a workplan to lay out the necessary steps required to proceed with the implementation of constructing a water release facility. 2002 The proposed workplan for a CWRF at Kenney Dam is hand delivered to Minister Thorpe on February 20th, in Victoria. The province announces that for each of the next three years, the government and Alcan will both contribute $100,000 for planning of the cold water release facility. The Nechako Enhancement Society is set-up by the provincial government and Alcan Inc. to administer the funds for planning of the CWRF at Kenney Dam as presented in the NWC workplan. The NWC is nominated for a Fraser Basin Council 2002 Sustainability Award in the category of Overall Sustainability. 2003 The NWC continues to ensure that each phase of the CWRF workplan is carried out. Work on the Nechako River flow regimes post-CWRF is nearing completion. For further information contact: Henry Klassen, Chair (250) 567-4254 Background Information Why a Nechako Watershed Council?To provide a forum for all users of the Nechako River to address issues related to the environmental, economic and social well being of the Nechako Watershed. The NWC seeks to include the greatest diversity of participants possible, and is guided by the principles of respect for differing viewpoints and transparency in all its activities. What is the Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund?In 1997 the Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund was established as part of the B.C.-Alcan Agreement. Alcan committed $50 million to the fund, on a matching dollar basis, with the Province expected to contribute a similar amount. The NEEF is intended to finance projects with will enhance the Nechako Watershed environment, such as a cold water release facility at the Kenney Dam. What is a Cold Water Release Facility?The facility would pipe cold water from deep in the reservoir and release it over a spillway to be built near the dam. This would be combined with warmer surface water to produce the cooling flows needed to manage temperatures in the Lower Nechako for the benefit of migrating sockeye salmon. |
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