Last month the Ashlu District Council voted to formally oppose the Ashlu Hydroelectric Project. While this was an important victory, the District Council does not have decision making authority and next week the project moves to the next stage as it comes before the regional decision-making body: the Squamish Lilloett Regional District (SLRD). The SLRD will meet on November 17th at 7 pm when a public hearing will be held. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. After this meeting, they will not consider additional comments and they will make a decision on the future of this project in the days following the meeting.

This Public Hearing is THE MOST IMPORTANT meeting to date and strong opposition from the boating community will be a critical factor if we are to succeed in defeating this project. Over 100 letters supporting the project have been received so for those of us who don't want to see another river valley, and one of the most treasured assets of the BC creeking scene, lost to hydro development, it's time to make your voice heard.

The project has received approval from almost all of the regulatory agencies, and now sits with the SLRD to make a decision on the re-zoning required for the project. The input from the Public Hearing will be a significant factor in the decision.

The good news is this project can be stopped, and YOU can help.

The Meeting

Date: November 17, 2004

Location:
Sea to Sky Best Western (Squamish)
40330 Tantalus Way
Garibaldi Highlands
British Columbia, V0N 1T0, Canada

You need not put forward any earth-shattering points, stay for the entire meeting, or endure long presentations.

The format is: Come forward and be recognized, and then provide your input (counted as a vote) in opposition to the project.

It is key that everyone come, stand up and be counted.

There is little doubt that the proponent will be working to have as many people as possible come out and support the project.

If you need additional information you can contact Stuart Smith .

If You Can't Attend: Making Your Voice Heard

While local Canadian paddlers will likely have the greatest ability to influence the decision, paddlers from across both Canada and the US can help establish and document the fact that this creek is a world-class destination. If you have written before, please write again as we're in another round here with a different cast of decision makers.

A couple of key points:

Many of the letters in support of the project have been form letters submitted by the developer. Personal accounts carry much more weight and this is where we can make a strong case. Describe how you view the river, your past experiences on the Ashlu or the Sea to Sky corridor and why you view this as a great recreation destination, your plans to paddle the Ashlu in the future, and why you value free-flowing rivers.

The developer has argued that few paddlers have the skills to paddle the more challenging sections where flows will be diverted.

The developer has argued that the public is not informed on the project or the mitigation proposed and if they understood they would not be opposed to the project. In this regard note that technically a "dam" will not be constructed but a "diversion". The developer has also proposed extensive mitigation including flow releases, a portage trail around the diversion structure, donations to the local paddling community, and other "enhancements". Stopping this project depends on our ability to make the case that whitewater boating is more than just the rapids themselves but the entire experience of a wild and free-flowing river.

With the recent call for even more of these projects in the Sea to Sky corridor, it is becoming more important to look to the preservation of some of the finest streams; the Ashlu is one of these streams.

Address your comments to the following individuals:

SLRD info@slrd.bc.ca
John Turner (Electoral Area D) jdturner@telus.net
Mickey Macri (Electoral Area B) mic88@uniserve.com
Ian Sutherland (Squamish) isutherland@squamish.ca
Hugh O'Reilly (Whistler) (604) 932-5535 mayor@whistler.ca
Greg Kamenka (Lillooet) (250) 256-4289 cityhall@telus.net
Susan Gimse (Electoral Area C) gimse@uniserve.com
Russ Oakley (Electoral Area A)
Raj Kahlon (Squamish) (604) 892-5217 raj@rajkahlon.com
Elinor Warner (Pemberton) (604) 894-6135 council@pemberton.ca

Email addresses are provided here to make it easy to cut and past:

info@slrd.bc.ca, jdturner@telus.net, mic88@uniserve.com, isutherland@squamish.ca,
mayor@whistler.ca, cityhall@telus.net, gimse@uniserve.com, raj@rajkahlon.com, council@pemberton.ca

Background

American Whitewater has issued past action alerts on this proposal:

• Progress Made on Protecting Ashlu (BC), 5OCT2004
• Saving Ashlu Creek (BC), 8AUG2004
• Action Alert: Help Preserve Recreational Opportunities on the Ashlu (BC), 20MAR2003

More information on the Ashlu with some photos at Paddleguides.com.

Previous letter submitted by American Whitewater:

Dear Honorable Ministers, LAWBC, Mayor Sutherland and Council, and SLRD Board Members,

On behalf of the membership of American Whitewater and our affiliate clubs in Western Washington and Southwest BC (including Vancouver Kayak Club, Washington Kayak Club, University Kayak Club, PaddleTrails Canoe Club, The Mountaineers, and Washington Recreational River Runners), I wish to document our strong objection to the Ashlu Creek IPP project. Our collective membership which in this region represents over 3000 paddlers has a strong interest in the long-term future of Ashlu Creek as a free-flowing whitewater recreation destination. The proposed hydro project represents a significant threat to the whitewater recreation resources of the Sea to Sky corridor, and is well recognized as one of the most significant threats to a whitewater river throughout the region that includes Western Washington and Southwest BC. Over the past decade, "creeking" has emerged as a one of the fastest growing pursuits among whitewater paddlers. Unlike more traditional river running, creeking involves paddling down steep gradients, in narrow channels, often dropping over waterfalls and finessing moves over or around rocks.

As the sport continues to grow, the reputation of the Sea to Sky corridor as a world-class creeking destination grows along with it; Squamish, BC, the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada, is comparable to destinations such as Asheville, NC; the Sierras in CA; or the famous creeks of Corsica. It provides destination creeking; in other words, a place that attracts paddlers for 1 - 2 week trips. Among the creeks of the region, the reputation of Ashlu Creek continues to build and attracts more and more boaters to the area each year. It is one of the best known creeks of the region and has appeared in numerous kayaking films and print media. These individuals who travel to the region for the outdoor recreational opportunities that extend beyond just kayaking, and include other outdoor pursuits such as hiking and biking, make important contributions to the local economy and also come back as repeat visitors.

Ledcor has made the argument that the impacts to whitewater recreation will be minimal since their proposed diversion is along a section of the creek known as one of the most challenging. They further argue that since a greater total number of individuals have the skills to paddle the less challenging sections, no opportunities will actually be lost. The problems with these arguments are that they fail to recognize the fact that every year more paddlers have the skills and equipment to safely paddle the more challenging sections, and those who do seek the most challenging runs are the most enthusiastic ambassadors for the region who in turn attract new paddlers to the Sea to Sky corridor. While the section above the diversion may continue to provide great intermediate paddling for local paddlers, loss or artificial modification of the most challenging sections would surely diminish the area as a world-class destination. It would be as if we blasted the tops off all the tallest peaks in the Himalayas and then said that it doesn't matter since more people have the ability to hike throughout the foothills. Even intermediate paddlers enjoy the opportunity to peer into a canyon they may never paddle and stand in awe of the power of the river (as provided by the view from the Mile 25 Bridge on the Ashlu), and this attracts those who may end up running an easier section upstream.

We would hope that the future of the Sea to Sky corridor lies in the continued growth of outdoor recreational opportunities and not in the destruction of the very landscape that provides these opportunities.

We can not urge you strongly enough to vote against the Ashlu River IPP proposal.

Thank you for your time and considering our comments.

Sincerely,

--
Thomas C. O'Keefe
3537 NE 87th St.
Seattle, WA 98115

okeefe@riversandcreeks.com
(h) 206-527-7947, (fax) 206-527-7947
(cell) 425-417-9012

American Whitewater, Regional Coordinator

Photo of Fifty-Fifty by Erik Schertzl