LiquidLore: Awareness/Eastern Update

Part 1: Awareness

If you've been following the internet kayaking news at all, you've probably heard all about the changes to the NWPA (Nagivable Waters Protection Act) that the Canadian government are trying to implement. It's not ideal - and it's an issue that spans far beyond the interests of whitewater boaters. I encourage you to read the I Speak For Canadian Rivers website as a portal for up-to-date information on the issue and for information on how you can contact the people that are involved in the decision making to voice your concerns.

The negative effects of this new legislation could be devastating to rivers everywhere. Take for example this map (below) of hydro projects in BC. This image is striking in its depiction of how many rivers are actually on the table for hydroelectric development - it represents almost every river, especially in the southwestern corner of the province. While the benfits of run-of-the-river power projects are clear with the current emphasis on developing clean, renewable energy sources, it is not acceptable for these projects to be developed without considering their environmental impacts or the negative effects these developments will have on recreational users of rivers. This is the reality of the changes that are being made to our laws.

Taken from Private Power Watch.

Is it really necessary to put a dam on every single river where hydroelectricity is a possibility? Take a look at the webpage of the Plutonic Power Corporation (doesn't this name scream environmentally friendly?). They seemingly want to dam every river from the Toba River up through Bute Inlet. Check it out - a development like this would forever change what is largely still a very wild area - our laws should not let things like this proceed unchecked.

Part 2: Eastern Update

Most of the last few beta updates have talked about rivers on the west coast - down in California to be precise. Getting back to the homeland, here's the new beta page for the Blanche River in Quebec. The Blanche is a short run that's a little bit out of the way, but is worth the visit. There are a bunch of fun slides on there, including one of the most exciting put in drops around.

Below are the photos that are in the river description - they're not the greatest shots ever but they give a decent feel for the run. Go check it out!