Mackenzie is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. If Christy Clark gets her way, Mackenzie will not see a 60th birthday.
She has ordered BC Hydro to lower the mininum operating level on the Bennett Dam reservoir known as Williston Lake by seven feet to meet the water requirements to operate the new Site C dam.
You may not think it's a big deal, but it really is.
Lowering Williston Lake by seven feet will cause all mills in Mackenzie to close because the water source to operate the mills will dry up.
Also the hundreds of millions in economic activity that Mackenzie provides will be gone. Just like it would have 20 years ago when Glen Clark tried to sell the lake to California.
Remember the economical loss to Prince George when all the mills in Mackenzie closed in 2008?
When Site C comes online, the economic activity that Mackenzie provides for you will be gone forever because everybody here will have to move and start over somewhere else.
That's not all.
The Bennett Dam is so large that it produces 37 per cent of B.C.'s power based on Williston Lake refilling yearly to the top or full pool every year.
The mininum level that Christy Clark wants on Williston Lake will not allow the lake to refill to full pool since there is more power or money in the top 15 feet of Williston Lake than all the rest of the lake. BC Hydro stands to lose billions in power from the Bennett Dam if Williston Lake does not refill to full pool.
When we fought this out before, Ray Williston came to see us. He told us he should have set the minimum on Williston Lake at 2150, thus guaranteeing Mackenzie future and Hydro's future by ensuring the Bennett Dam would always provide 37 per cent of B.C.'s power. He didn't because he didn't think anybody would be stupid enough to take it below that level.
In 50 years, two people have tried to lower the minimum level. The first one was Glen Clark and he was unsuccessful. Now Christy Clark is trying to do it to fulfill her pipe dreams.
We cannot allow her to do this. Many lives will de destroyed if we allow her to do this.
Please help.
Rick Berry
Mackenzie
