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Conversion to non-carbon energy puts Canadian rivers at risk

by albertacowpoke | October 15, 2009 at 06:43 am

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According to a report by World Wildlife Fund Canada, increasing demands on fresh water are putting Canadian rivers at risk.

World Wildlife Fund Canada attributes this to the generation of more food, electricity and expanding cities and industries.

The report states that the biggest threats to fresh water supply are climate change, growing water demands and the pursuit of low-carbon energy.

The flow patterns in both the St. Lawence and South Saskatchewan Rivers have placed ecosystems at risk.

Other rivers at risk, according to the report, are:

Fraser River
Nipigon River
Grand River
St. Lawrence River
St. John River
Ottawa River

"As temperatures rise, and industrial water withdrawals and interest in hydropower increase, we must start planning now to protect river flows to ensure water security for the communities and economies that depend on them," said Tony Maas, director of fresh water with WWF-Canada.

According to the report, the biggest threats to the flow of Canada's rivers are climate change, growing water demands and the pursuit of low-carbon energy, which is driving the construction of new hydropower projects.

The three factors are causing changes in water patterns, affecting water levels and altering the flow of rivers, the report says.

The report urges the Federal Government to take up a more active role in water management.

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a211423

at 07:33 on October 15th, 2009

Dam building was one of the projects that was popular with the federal government in U.S. during the Depression. It put a lot of people to work, but unfortunately environmental and ecological impact studies were not like they are today. Now dam removal is being done all around the country with the support of the Obama administration. Hopefully Canada can see what has happened here, and it can be avoided in your country.

Here is a paper on dam removal, but it gives the ecological impact of what happens to rivers and creeks over time with dams.

http://act.americanrivers.org/site/DocServer/ecologyofdamremoval.pdf?docID=494

Not only large rivers are at risk like the ones named in the article, but also the daming of small creeks through independent small hydroelectric power projects. In the link below, the comments provide even more insight to the situation than the actual article.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/04/18/bc-private-power-project.html

albertacowpoke

at 07:52 on October 15th, 2009

Thanks for the additional information Dava:)

Barry Artiste

at 18:01 on October 15th, 2009

So is the WWF considering Hitlers final solution or China's one child policy or eliminate all humans over the age of 40 to save the rivers from being consumed by humans?

Course Canada has more lakes (not counting rivers) than all the lakes in the world combined.