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[Iris]

Interesting. That explains the survey work I was told about in that area that took place last October. I was told it was to be gravel mined but I didn't believe it since there had not been even a whiff of consultation. Will they dig to divert flow from mouth of Minto Channel, thereby allowing to fill and take pressure off dike? I wouldn't put it past them.

[Morty]

Sure would be nice if a percentage of the gravel revenue went into support for the fish stocks.
Even if it was a similar amount to the governments supervision and environmental budget for the project.

[chris gadsden]

Today's Chilliwack Progress
Gravel dig starts at Harrison Bar

By Robert Freeman - Chilliwack Progress

Published: January 15, 2009 6:00 PM

0 Comments Another gravel dig that started yesterday in the Fraser River is again stirring up environmental concerns for fish habitat.

But officials at Emergency Management BC in the public safety ministry said the way the gravel is removed from Harrison Bar will actually “enhance” fish habitat, “maintain” the river’s flood profile and lower it over time.

“It’s a good flood protection project,” Glen Thompson, EMBC’s director of strategic mitigation programs, said yesterday.

He said the project is part of an ongoing strategy of gravel removals and dike improvements that will lead to better flood protection over the long term. In the short term, the project will lower the river at the site by .1 metre and improve the flow of the river over the gravel bar.

But Frank Kwak, president of the Fraser Valley Salmon Society that sits on an ad hoc committee opposed to gravel removal in the Fraser River, said the project “has very little to do with flood protection.”

“If they want to do something about flood protection, why don’t they raise the dikes,” he said. “Why do they keep buffaloing the people that it’s for flood protection. That’s just not the case.”

He pointed to an earlier study that concluded millions of cubic metres of gravel would have to be removed at one time to reduce the river’s level by an inch. About 155,000 cubic metres of gravel and sediment were approved for removal from Harrison Bar following a review of the environmental impact by federal fisheries.

The report found the project would have a “negligible” impact on fish habitat and is “not likely to result in significant adverse environmental effects.”

The report also stated any damages to habitat caused by the removal would be repaired by the river itself as new gravel and sediments arrive in the next freshet.

Kwak said even if that is true, it doesn’t take into account the fish that are “holding on to those gravel bars right now.”

Fisheries biologist Marvin Rosenau said he is concerned the Harrison project will disturb spawning habitat for the fragile white sturgeon population and lead to its collapse.

Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society officials could not be reached for comment at press time. The report stated the impact on sturgeon is expected to be “negligible.”

The B.C. government is spending $263,000 to build a temporary bridge so contractor Lehigh Aggregates can reach the site.

An independent environmental monitor on site will have the authority to stop the work if environmental concerns arise.

rfreeman@theprogress.com

[troutbreath]

Reducing flood threat
 
Paul J. Henderson
The Times


Thursday, January 15, 2009


After two consecutive years of flood threat and a real flood in Chilliwack only receding now, the provincial government announced another round of Fraser River gravel removal over the next three months.

Between Jan. 15 and March 15 Lehigh Aggregates will extract about 155,000 cubic metres of sediment and gravel from Harrison Bar near Chilliwack, according to a press release issued Wednesday.

The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has approved the project and the province reports the extraction will be done based on a scientific approach-"one that protects this sensitive environment while balancing the need to protect public safety."

While provincially-funded gravel removal operations in the past have had the support of the City of Chilliwack and the Seabird Island band, sports fishers and other activists have criticized the operations as a waste of time as a means to prevent flooding and as nothing but a "gravel grab" for the construction industry that wants the aggregate.

Despite DFO's approval, sports fishers say that the gravel removal on the Fraser River near Spring Bar last year damages salmon spawning grounds.

Dr. Marvin Rosenau, a former provincial government fisheries scientist, said in response to last year's 400,000 cubic metre gravel removal that the project's supporters couldn't get their stories straight.

"While the project was being touted by the Provincial Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General as having flood-protection benefits, the proponent kept insisting that the project was to reduce erosion, even though the stream bank at this location is well-protected and armoured, and it hadn't moved or eroded significantly in 50 years," he said.

But Environment Minister Barry Penner said that his government campaigned on gravel removal in 2001 and 2005 and that it was a popular promise.

While the province sent out the press release stating this was an effort to reduce "the risk of flooding in the Fraser Valley," the current flood waters receding in Chilliwack have nothing to do with the Fraser River, but were weather related.

The government will spend approximately $263,000 for a temporary bridge to access the gravel and biological and hydraulic studies at the site before, during and after the removal.

The province say that an independent environmental protection monitor will be on site and will have the authority to stop work if any concerns arise.

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com




© Chilliwack Times 2009

[river_house]

I have been reading the discussion with regard to the dredging of the Fraser River down here on Ballam Road.

I have a front row seat here of the excavating and I will check back to this site to see updates/news as it happens.

[bentrod]

please post pictures if you will.  Also, is there any mitigation toward the fisheries folks for this project.  IMO, the govt. should be contributing a large sum of $$ to everyone who will be negatively impacted from the lost resources.  Also, by spending public $$ to mine the public's resources, the government should be liable for the failure of their project.  I.e., when the next flood occurs, they should be personally responsible for property damage.  We'll then see exactly how sure they are that gravel mining reduces flooding. 

[bentrod]

Oh, one more thing.  I have heard through the grapevine that local fishing outfitters and clubs have been paying attention to the trends up there.  Word has it, they are advising people to look elsewhere to go on vacation to fish.  Looks like Alaska stands to benefit. 

[chris gadsden]

I must get out for some pictures as I know the work is underway.

The Fraser River Gravel Stewardship Committee is working hard on this file trying to get information from the two levels of our senior governments. Even though some say all the proper studies have been done we are having a terrible time trying to get them. We have been forced to go through FOI route to try and obtain them. They keep saying it is for flood protection but as I have said from the start in my opinion you will never take enough gravel out of this huge and wide Fraser River here in the Valley to make a difference. This is all about the need for the gravel for so many different construction projects

Also there is concerns this present project on the Harrison Bar is a spawning area for the white sturgeon during the freshet.

Let me tell you the amount of research work that the committee has done and all the letters that have gone out and are going out is amazing.

Many weeks ago at the meeting we had with the Environment Minister in Vancouver and some of his staff we asked  for some answers to 5 questions but to date no answer. This comes from a government that said they would be a transparent government.

As one that worked for this party on a local Riding Association it is very disappointing to see this from them.

The way they are going with, run of the river projects, fish farms and all I know how they have handled this gravel file the last 2 years I know we need to replace them come May. I believe they think they can get away with what they are doing as they know we that care about our fish and their environment are a minority but they certainly will not be getting the votes they got in the past by a lot of us.

PS

We are working on a public meeting on this so hopefully some of you will support us and attend when and if we have it organized.

[bentrod]

Chris, forgive my ignorance, but are lawsuits out of the question in BC?  I'm not necessarily talking about a monetary settlement, what I mean is an injuction to force work to halt until all questions have been answered.

[river_house]

The project got a very late start today, by at least 2 hours.

The flag girl was in place just after 6:30 am.

We were wondering what the issue was..

I counted 17 gravel trucks that all left the RMW site at about 9:38 am heading to the sandbar.

First load just came through at 10:03.

[river_house]

I took a clip this morning of a near accident on Ballam Road, and posted it on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3h2xlYmmlI

[chris gadsden]

I took a clip this morning of a near accident on Ballam Road, and posted it on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3h2xlYmmlI

Thanks for posting. If you have some time could you film some of the gravel operation out there including the bridge etc., that would be great for others to see. Thanks so much.

[river_house]

The last gravel truck came through at 7:43pm last night.

They had already opened the road, which was odd because the last truck was not through yet.

I feel like I can't get down to the sandbar until sunday, the ONLY day of rest for Ballam Road.

The flag girl turns on the generator and lights and closes the road around 630 am.

The window of opportunity is veryyy small to get a chance to be down there.

I have seen the media and residents on bikes with safety vests TRY to get down there only to be stopped by the flag girl.

Sunday I am going to get down there and take some footage.

[river_house]

John Les: an interesting video..

http://www.gov.chilliwack.bc.ca/main/page.cfm?id=1551

[Rodney]

Post these photos for Chris.