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Author Topic: Help Save the Coquitlam River  (Read 5627 times)

mike

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Help Save the Coquitlam River
« on: July 21, 2005, 01:04:09 AM »

S.C.R. Save the Coquitlam River- www.SaveCoquitlamRiver.com
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This past Spring the Outdoor Recreation Council of British Columbia released its 2005 list of the top ten endangered rivers in BC.  The Coquitlam River which was number 8 in 2004 has moved up to number 6 this year due to “excessive sediment loads most of which is caused by gravel mining” (ORCBC, 2005).  More alarming of all is the fact that Mayor Jon Kingsbury and the rest of Coquitlam City Council are not taking steps to protect the Coquitlam River from environmentally destructive gravel companies.
 
The rapidly approaching civic election (Nov. 19th) will be a opportunity to force Mayoral as well as City Council candidates to explain to us what they plan on doing, if elected to another term, to prevent the Coquitlam River form being exploited by polluting gravel companies. 
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Take Action 
 
Visit www.savecoquitlamriver.com and visit the Take Action page http://www.savecoquitlamriver.com/take-action.htm where both residents of Coquitlam as well as non-residents can send a New draft Take Action letter (with a focus on the election), to Mayor Jon Kingsbury as well as the rest of Coquitlam City Coucil.  Also feel free to write your own letter.
 
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Let's force own elected officials deal with the pollution problem facing the Coquitlam River.
 
Make your voice herd- www.savecoquitlamriver.com
 
Help get the word out by passing this e-mail or the www.savecoquitlamriver.com website address on to others.
 
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Mike Wiskar
River_ethics@hotmail.com
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DionJL

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2005, 10:05:26 AM »

how would dismantling the dam help? to get a sockeye run goin? well thats already in the works. the release sockeye fry from above the dam to see if they can survive the fall. and then they set out minnow traps in the lower river to do a count since there are no native sockeye left in the river. From what i here the results were pretty good.
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dennisK

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2005, 12:47:55 PM »

are there steelhead in the river? i'v never been there...
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DionJL

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2005, 06:59:17 PM »

Well there used to be a hatchery program but that ended because they think it will weaken the wild strain of steelhead in the river. Well its probably too late to correct that problem. There were very few in the system last season.
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rob.l

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2005, 06:49:12 AM »

The gravel mines on the river Have been illigally dumping sillty discarge at night into the river for years :-\.
I had a friend working at one of them a few years back, when he was just out of high school, and was told to dump at night while he was working. They are what is killing the river... end of story in my opinion.
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Randog

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2005, 04:52:39 PM »

With a possible Province wide bait ban going into effect, possibly sturgeon being listed on the SARA list, low returns of salmon each year, it sounds like they're trying to get rid of all fishing on the Fraser. Maybe Raife Mair was right, maybe the Government is planning on damming the Fraser and selling the power to our neighbors south of the 49th. for CHEEEEEAP as usual.

 Lets face it the DFO is a royal pain in the Federal governments back side, it's a thankless job and it seems every move they make appearers to be the wrong one in the publics eye, from commercial, aboriginal and sportfishing groups Province wide.

 Anyways, sorry for the rant and the Hijacking,

  As a regular angler of the once prestine Coquitlam river, I will be more than happy to donate as much time as I can to help save my home stream.

  BTW Dion, have you managed any steel from "The back yard?"

mike

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2005, 01:02:46 AM »

It is true that the Dam that was put in years ago is a huge barrier to progress.  However there has been talk of BC Hydro putting in a fish ladder which would bring back huge sockeye runs which the Coquitlam River has not seen since the dam was built years ago.  But the pollution problem which gravel companies are responsible for needs to be dealt with first. 

So I urge everyone who reads this post and believes in this cause to visit www.savecoquitlamriver.com go to the "take action" page and send a letter to Mayor Kingsbury and Council.  This is election year and with enough pressure from ordinary citizens like ourselves we will be able to force change.  Also help get the word out by passing the Save Coquitlam River website on to others. 

www.savecoquitlamriver.com
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DionJL

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2005, 02:53:20 AM »

Quote
BTW Dion, have you managed any steel from "The back yard?"

Yes one on the fly last season. bout a 7lb kelt
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habzrule

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2005, 01:40:52 PM »

They've misspelled a word in the letters to save the river….should read 'companies who indiscriminately dump’  not indiscrimately

Great letter though, I’m sending it, thanks!!!

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DragonSpeed

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2005, 02:56:22 PM »

Just a quick question....are there salmon in the river now?

If so, why isn't DFO riding the gravel company's my buddy for destruction of Salmon Habitat?

DionJL

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2005, 06:54:32 PM »

im not compleatly sure but i think because the pits have been there for soo long there is some sort of Grandfather Clause.
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DragonSpeed

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2005, 11:05:54 PM »

That bites  :( >:(

sliverbullet

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Re: Help Save the Coquitlam River
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2005, 10:46:08 AM »

my grampa and my uncles are welders and they are doing some welding for the government and they said that they might be putting in a fish ladder for the socks. And yes they do stock it with steelies last new years i caught a 6lb silver bullet. Thier are rainbow trout, cutthroat, bull trout and dollies in that river and they are catchable. but if they built a fish ladder fishing could olny get better
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