|
Water conference resulted in good ideas, says Light
Theresa Seraphim
for Spotlight
The Oct. 10 water conference sponsored by the Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council was productive, according to Harlan Light, one of the co-ordinators.
“There’s many things about it, both quantitatively and subjectively, that I believe came out of it,” said Light.
The day featured speakers on various aspects of the topic of water and its importance to this area, and ended with a sharing circle where participants shared their views and ideas. Light said he was happy to see representation from local politicians, but expressed disappointment at the number of local people in attendance.
“We’re going to have to do more work on awareness and education,” he commented.
Light said a Maori person from New Zealand was present and shared that country’s experiences with the water issue.
“She said we were connecting to people around the world,” said Light.
He said the conference ended on an optimistic note.
“It led to a greater hope and vision to go forward.”
Organizers realize more needs to be done, and in innovative ways, said Light.
“The next step is going to have to focus on awareness and community participation.”
Nuclear plant would not benefit Peace River, says Brochu
|
Brenda Brochu explains the potential dire consequences of a nuclear plant being built near the Peace River.
|
Theresa Seraphim
for Spotlight
Although it’s not a sure thing – yet – the proposed nuclear plant near Peace River would not benefit the environment, a speaker told a recent water conference.
“Nuclear energy uses more water than any other way of generating power,” said Peace River Environmental Society president Brenda Brochu.
She said Bruce Power, the company about to make application to build the plant, is looking at that site because the Peace River and the Lesser Slave watershed have twice as much water as other Alberta locations.
The water would be needed to cool the heat created by nuclear fission, Brochu explained.
She said Bruce Power would build cooling towers and more than half the water in them would evaporate into the air.
The loss of water would mean a drying out of the Peace/Athabasca delta, and the increased humidity resulting from the evaporation would make it hard for grain crops in the area to dry properly, said Brochu.
Also, she said, the steam from the cooling towers would contain radioactive elements like iodine 101, strontium 90, and cesium, which would get into the air via the wind.
Titanium, which is in radioactive hydrogen, leads to radioactive water, and thus to cancer, genetic damage and birth defects, said Brochu. Indeed, those living within 50 kilometres of a nuclear plant have an increased chance of childhood leukemia, and the risk doubles if the child lives within five kilometres, she said.
Brochu told the gathering she can see only two possible uses for a nuclear plant: to produce bitumen for the United States, or to export electricity to that country.
“Either way, we’re exporting our water to the United States,” she said.
Brochu noted her group has the support of Aboriginal chiefs in the area, as they also love the Peace River.
“By and large it’s a magnificent river, and we want to keep it that way.”
Watershed council has lots of plans, says Payne
|
The lady doing the sample procedure training is Monica Polutranko and she is from Alberta Environmnet Monitoring Branch. She was showing the LSWC the proper way to get water samples for our tributary monitoring project.
|
Theresa Seraphim
for Spotlight
The Lesser Slave Lake Watershed Council (LSWC) has many projects on the go now and in the works for the future.
LSWC executive director Meghan Payne outlined those projects during an Oct. 10 water conference hosted by the Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council.
Lesser Slave Lake is about 1,160 square kilometres with a watershed about 12 times that figure, said Payne.
Concerns about the lake water include low water levels, the health of fish, sedimentation, and water quality.
“All the communities around the lake rely on it for drinking water,” said Payne.
The role of the LSWC, which began in 1999 and has representation from area stakeholder groups, is to plan and make recommendations to the province.
“We don’t have any enforcement capabilities,” said Payne.
The group’s current projects include the following:
*Water quality monitoring, to get an idea of what’s coming into the lake.
“We’ve collected spring runoff samples (two years ago) and are doing water quality models for our tributaries,” said Payne.
*Buffalo Bay survey, which showed sedimentation resulting in dropped water levels, although it’s hard to tell where the sediment comes from. Payne said there are 1,080,000 tons of sediment deposited in the lake each year.
*Mullen’s Spawning Channel, a key walleye spawning area. “When the lake’s really low the fish can’t get into the spawning area,” said Payne.
*Paleolimnology, which involves drilling for, and pulling out, a core sample of mud enabling experts to read the lake’s history and age by what the mud contains.
*2D Modelling of Lesser Slave River, a vital project because of the importance of the river, said Payne. Communities around it get water from it and lots of wildlife live in its vicinity. Habitat modelling – to find out how much water is needed for various species – will split the river into five sections costing $100,000 each to complete. Payne said Section 1 has been done and Section 2 will go ahead when the council receives money from Alberta Environment.
This year, the council also did a riparian assessment of the South Heart River and part of the West Prairie River, and will do a riparian assessment of Swan River in 2010.
Another program, sponsored by Nature Canada and called Living By Water, has taught people living on the lakeshore ways of living that are beneficial for the lake and wildlife in its vicinity.
Between 20 and 25 residences were visited, said Payne.
“Generally, everyone they saw has pride in their property,” said Payne.
Next year, the council plans to implement Phase 1 of its Water Management Plan, work to build relationships with other organizations in the watershed, and test the water quality in the lake and compare past results.
In 2011, the LSWC will host the Watershed Planning and Advisory Council summit, said Payne.
Water health report raises questions
|
Jule Asterisk explains the dissatisfaction members of the Regional Environmental Action Committee felt at the results of water testing in Lesser Slave Lake.
|
Theresa Seraphim
for Spotlight
The results of water testing two years ago in Lesser Slave Lake has left members of an environmental group shaking their heads, those attending a water conference heard on Oct. 10.
Jule Asterisk of the Regional Environmental Action Committee said the group did a study of the water in 2007-08 after hearing strong concerns from members about several water-related issues.
Asterisk said the results of the testing – REAC got the samples and had them tested at an Alberta Environment-approved lab – did not sit easy with REAC members.
“They didn’t match up, so we weren’t happy with his conclusions,” she said.
Both the Osmose waste treatment facility in Faust, which blew up in the 1970s, and the Swan Hills Treatment Centre (also for waste) were responsible for contaminating the air, said Asterisk. The contaminants then rained down into the water, especially at Swan Hills.
“What we found is safe concentrations (within guidelines), but we found them,” said Asterisk, adding guidelines for toxin amounts are too lenient.
“These things aren’t supposed to occur in water at all (and) once they get into the environment, they don’t go away.”
Because there are no detectors for PCBs, they didn’t show in the water samples, but they are there, and there was a finding of pyrene in Sawridge Creek, said Asterisk.
She said 2-4,D was found in most samples, with the highest level from Mooney Creek, as was algal bloom.
“We have had drink water advisories,” said Asterisk.
With all these concerns, the group is leery of the conclusions.
“We are not convinced about the validity of the guidelines.”
The amount of cancers and aneurisms, especially among young people, is high, said Asterisk.
“It’s very unusual and I’m very disturbed by that.”
Asterisk said the poison gets into the cattle and other creatures, which leads to an ironic situation.
“We’ve come to the state where the food that’s walking around is contaminated and it’s safer to eat that food than food from the supermarket.”
Asterisk said the sampling must be done again.
“We have to pass future testing to the watershed committee,” she stated.
“We will follow up with it, though,” said Asterisk, adding the group will recommend additional tests to be carried out.
Asterisk said the testing cost more than REAC had budgeted for, but the lab forgave $5,000 of the $6,000 overrun and the group has raised the remainder.
Water sacred in Aboriginal culture
|
Peter Cyprien tells conference participants about the destruction of water sources by the oil industry.
|
|
Alice Martin explains how water, which is sacred to First Nations people, is disappearing and something needs to be done.
|
Theresa Seraphim
for Spotlight
Destroying water goes against a sacred aspect of Aboriginal culture, several First Nations leaders told an Oct. 10 water conference.
Peter Cyprien of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said Fort Chipewyan is downstream of the oil industry and people are dying of cancer.
“The water is polluted and we all believe it’s from the oil industry,” said Cyprien.
“We don’t drink the water anymore inn Fort Chipewyan – we drink bottled water, and it never used to be like that.”
Another concern, he said, is the amount of water used by the oil industry, which lowers the water level of the Athabasca River.
“It is possible to create an economy without the oil industry,” said Cyprien.
“We’ve got to work together to come up a plan to send a message.”
Cyprien said the Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council, who put on the conference, have a unique aspect – the spiritual connection.
“We have to find it within ourselves and pray to the Creator,” he said.
It’s important that First Nations people learn about the importance of water, said Fort McMurray First Nation elder Alice Martin.
“We try and explain to our people why our elders, our spiritual leaders, talk about the sacredness of water,” said Martin, who saw that importance from her childhood.
“We travelled on water, both in wintertime and in the summer.”
Martin emphasized the importance of working with those within the system to ensure everyone is heard, especially those most affected by the situation.
“The grassroots people are the ones we’re trying to find a voice for,” she said, adding people in the Fort McMurray area are angry about what is happening.
“The land is sacred to us and we are sacred to one another…We try to lift each other up.”
< Previous
Home
Next >
|
