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Oct 26, 2001
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2001 NWC receives positive feedback from government Smithers, B.C. – On October 19 and 20, 2001 the Nechako Watershed Council (NWC) held a meeting in Smithers, B.C. to continue its work on enhancing the long-term health and viability of the Nechako Watershed. Henry Klassen, Chair of the NWC, relayed that on August 29th, as a follow-up to the release of the Nechako Environmental Enhancement Fund Management Committee (NEEFMC) Report, a delegation from the NWC traveled to Victoria, B.C. The delegation met with several ministers and senior policy advisors and presented a briefing package, which provided comprehensive information on the NWC, NEEFMC, benefits of a water release facility and funding. As well, the delegation communicated the need for immediate government involvement to provide the necessary support in helping the NEEFMC recommendation to construct a water release facility at Kenney Dam come to fruition. “The feedback that we received from the government representatives was positive, informative and encouraging to the work that the NWC is doing for the environmental, economic and social well-being of the Nechako Watershed and the communities that depend on it”, said Henry Klassen, Chair, NWC. At the suggestion of Minister Thorpe, Competition, Science and Enterprise, the NWC is developing a workplan that will lay out the necessary steps required to proceed with the implementation of constructing a water release facility. Much of October 20th was devoted to this task. In anticipation of Minister Thorpe’s planned attendance at the next NWC meeting, a sub-committee of the NWC and a government representative from the Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise have been assigned to complete the workplan. On Friday, October 19th the NWC heard a presentation from Tom Henderson, Atmospherics Inc. Mr. Henderson talked about the history of weather modification and weather resources management programs such as cloud seeding operations, professional level cloud physics research programs, meteorological measurement field projects, and a wide variety of general atmospheric investigations. This type of presentation provides the NWC with a better understanding of current weather patterns and how these effect the Nechako Watershed. Dan Bouillon, Superintendent, Marine and External Environmental Affairs, with Alcan’s BC Operations reported that a record high number of chinook salmon spawned in the Nechako River this year. The 1987 Settlement Agreement between Alcan, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Government of B.C. set the target at 1700 to 4000. In August observers for the Nechako Fisheries Conservation Program counted 6,198 chinook in one survey between Cheslatta Falls and Vanderhoof. The official count will be available later this year. The NWC welcomed Linda Bell to the council table as the newly appointed representative for the Terrace Chamber of Commerce along with guests Doug Smith, BC Hydro, David Marshall, Fraser Basin Council and Mark Gillis, Economics Branch, Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise. The next meeting of the NWC will be held in Smithers, B.C. on November 30th and December 1, 2001. For further information, please contact: Henry Klassen Chair (250) 567-4254
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