Simple Solution To Solve Kemano Dilemma
Wednesday, July 18, 2012 @ 9:12 AM
There is a simple solution to Rio Tinto Alcan’s request for support for their tunnel work at Kemano.
The Province has asked the municipalities of Kitimat, Vanderhoof and Prince George to make their thoughts known on the project that would see the Kemano 2 tunnel finished. Rio Tinto says the tunnel would then be used as a back up in the unlikely event that the old tunnel fails.
The cost of this fix is $700 million according to Rio Tinto (Alcan) and critics say this is no more than Kemano completion through the back door.
Well all of those fears can be put to rest in one very easy move.
If Rio Tinto is prepared to sign an agreement with the Province under their water license stating they will be using the tunnel strictly for a back up and will never divert more than the 147 cubic meters they are asking for, then that will not only solve the problem but it will put the minds of all BC residents at ease and in particular those who take the position that this project is the completion of Kemano 2 which the Harcourt government ended 17 years ago.
If Rio Tinto Alcan is prepared to sign an agreement saying they will never divert more water than 147 cubic meters, then the people of this region could take comfort that at some point they will not be facing the demise of the Nechako system.
The red herring about protection from flooding is just that. The company wants to maintain the level of the storage facilities at a maximum in case of a drought. In case of a flood the company has the right to spill water into the system and we found that out twice in the past decade. The new Kemano tunnel cannot be used to divert water to prevent a flood on the Nechako.
If the company wants the people who they are dealing with to believe their pitch, there is a simple way to calm those fears and it has been just been offered to them.
I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s’ opinion.
Comments
Ben it seems to me (a lay person) that the limiting factor to the health of the Nechako is not how much water Rio diverts to Kemano, but how much water is left to flow down the river. It seem reasonable that during periods of high water (even flood conditions) more water could be diverted? So if an agreement is necessary, it should commit Rio to maintaining a minimum flow into the river.
If the second tunnel can be used for spill during periods of high water control then they should not be held to 147 cubic meters. Spilling through the tunnel could help reduce high releases into the Nechako. These could be one reason for the second tunnel as it gives RTA more water control options and be able to get around flow restrictions into the Nechako.
No need for a dyke which would not have worked anyhow. Money saved for the PAC not potholes:)
The second tunnel or for that matter the existing tunnel cannot be used to divert water to prevent a flood because there are generators in the bottom of the shafts.
The completion of tunnel 2 will not have a bypass to send water down the Kemano to prevent a flood the Nechako.
Other dams have a spill way at the power site, Alcan does not.
If RTA were to sign any such agreement then how could they sneak their real intentions upon the Nechako, the environment and people of this province?
If they complete the tunnel what happens to the 500 million that the provincial government gave them to stop the comnstruction of the tunnel. Just wondering.
Cheers
Why not put in a bypass? Imagine tankers full of fresh water heading for drought struck regions!!
This is all good Ben and I agree with you that signing an agreement would provide assurance to communities in the watershed however the agreement would have to include a maximum water diversion capacity of 170m3/sec which is the permitted water diversion allowance under their current water flow licence. Mr. Henning says 170 cubic meters meets RTA needs so they would likely extend (IMHO) beyond 147 cubic meters and eventually divert the maximum capacity of 170 cubic meters of water using both tunnels.
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