River diversion hydropower Aqua3c impacts of river diversions •  Drama3cally reduced flows in the ‘diversion reach’ (o>en about 5% of former flows)* •  Problems with fluctua3ng flows within and below the diversion reach •  Reduced habitat quality and quan3ty due to reduced and fluctua3ng flows •  Direct habitat loss and habitat degrada3on due to project infrastructure What about fish? Of 42 exis3ng and proposed river diversions that have public informa3on on fish presence: •  72% confirmed or suspected fish presence •  21% unknown status of fish presence •  7% confirmed no fish present •  Usually resident (non-­‐sea-­‐going) fish: rainbow trout, cuUhroat trout, and/or bull trout, but two approved projects have salmon present through all or most of the diversion reach. Terrestrial impacts of river diversions •  Permanent infrastructure, remote areas •  Removal of some wildlife habitat, diminished quality of others •  Lengthy roads and transmissions lines causing habitat fragmenta3on, loss, degrada3on •  Construc3on disturbances and increased human presence also degrade wildlife habitats Marbled Murrelet River diversions present 3 levels of threat to murrelets: –  Roads and power lines remove irreplaceable swaths of nes3ng habitat –  Forest fragmenta3on increases nest preda3on by crows, ravens and jays –  Murrelet collisions with power lines: the risk of fatal collision is high; no way to mi3gate or reliably measure how many deaths are occurring Environmental Assessment •  Projects over 50 MW go through environmental assessment process which nominally addresses cumula3ve effects •  Widespread dissa3sfac3on with the process and efficacy of environmental assessment for river diversions in BC •  Assessments not able to manage cumula3ve effects, or deal with big picture issues Cumula3ve impacts of river diversions and other land uses •  Limit to development, beyond which an ecosystem /species reaches a “3pping point” •  When this happens, a species may become locally ex3nct; ecosystem itself may shi> to a degraded, undesirable state •  Cumula3ve effects assessments should help us avoid these outcomes Gegng it right with renewable energy development in BC •  Strategic plan – or a series of regional strategic plans – that include all renewable energy op3ons •  Develop most energy for the least amount of environmental damage •  Be global leader in clean energy development •  Get help from SFU!