In support of Site C.
I keep seeing hundreds of people opposing the Site C dam project, and I think they're wrong to oppose this initiative.
I've paddled many parts of the Columbia River, in both Canada and the U.S., and it truly is a marvel. Yes, it is harnessed all along the way ... dam after dam, after dam. And yet it truly is wondrous, and ultimately the ideal green energy source. The water is moving to the sea anyway, and all along the way electricity is generated, essentially for free (once the dam project is paid for of course). The lakes the dams create are huge, and support all kinds of life, tourism and industry.
Check out the lower Columbia, in the U.S. between Washington and Oregon, with it's series of eight dams and locks (moving goods up and down river continuously while still generating huge amounts of power).
I do understand the psychological trauma attached to flooding these huge areas. It is land the people in the area are familiar with, know and love, and then it is flooded. Too bad, so sad. Do you prefer coal burning, or nuclear plants?
We do all consume power, and damming a river is actually ecologically very sound, if done correctly. I'm guessing this project could not gain approval unless environmental factors have been considered. For example: spawning fish must have ladders to gain access to the higher reaches. Migrating animals in the area must also have paths to complete their natural seasonal transitions.
I'm also assuming the resident land owners are fairly compensated for their loss. I think they should be paid generously for their loss, since we all will benefit greatly for years from their sacrifice.
I suggest that years after Site C is completed, and the original stake holders have passed on, the new generation will say, "What a lovely lake, and so cool that the dam is generating all this power without pollution."
Food for thought.
Mike Berger
Kelowna
