Dam Would Flood Delicate Ecosystem

"It's a significant impact," Chloe O'Loughlin, executive director of the society's B.C. chapter, said in an interview. The society argues the reservoir would flood a delicate ecosystem that is home to 16 federally listed species at risk, including the long-billed curlew, Lewis' woodpecker, tiger salamander, Great Basin spadefoot toad, Umatilla dace, Columbia mottled sculpin, and western rattlesnake. The reservoir also has the potential to affect two B.C. protected areas: the 25,889-hectare Snowy Protected Area and the 9,364-hectare South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area, as well as flooding aboriginal reserve lands. The area is also touted as a potential site for a national grasslands park. The society insists the commission should obtain "clear evidence of consent" from the government of Canada prior to approving a preliminary permit application that proposes to flood Canada. It also argues that such a reservoir would violate the International Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, which protects against either country creating a dam that would "raise the natural level of waters on the other side of the boundary" unless agreed upon by the International Joint Commission. .... http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=99bbb948-4e4b-424b-8b76-cd7bd34aa235&k=45747 [Proofreader’s note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on November 1, 2007]

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