Strongman competitors ready to test their strength 13
Standard The Hope
Office: 604.869.2421
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012
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NEW STUDY FOCUSES ON HOMELESSNESS Federal government provides $70,000 for local research project
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A cyclist makes his way through the water covering Wardle Street last Thursday. The Fraser River peaked at 9.8 metres on June 22 and is expected to rise again by Saturday due to heavy rainfall and snow melt making its way down from up north.
SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE PARK Annual music series in Memorial Park kicks off July 1
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KERRIE-ANN SCHOENIT THE STANDARD
River flows may impact salmon runs
ABORIGINAL DAY IN HOPE
Kerrie-Ann Schoenit Hope Standard
About 500 people celebrated First Nations history
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INSIDE Opinion . .. . . . . . . . . . 6 Community . . . . . . 8 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Classifieds . . . . . . 17 1.10 (HST INCL.)
losses. The Fraser River peaked early last Friday morning in Hope at 9.8 metres, with water flowing past the community at 11,988 cubic metres per second. Even though water levels didn’t reach the anticipated 40-year high, Wardle Street was still a local tourist attraction with people gathering at several spots in the area to take photographs. Numerous residents, including children, also took the opportunity to dip their feet in the Fraser, despite the barricades and police tape put up at Seventh and Allison avenues. “People were in there walking around,” said fire chief Tom DeSorcy, who is also Hope’s emergency preparedness coordinator. “The water on Wardle Street is actually moving water. It’s flowing from the mouth of the Coquihalla and hits the Fraser and kind of turns left. A person can easily be swept away, which is our biggest Continued on 3
Canada Day Special Buy any sub plus a 21oz pop at regular price and receive a second sub for only $ Offer valid July 1, 2012
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Valid at Hope location only. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase.
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The current situation on the Fraser River could have the potential to slow upstream salmon migration this year. David Patterson, a research biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said historic information has shown that high flows persisting for more than a week can lead to fish exhaustion and death. “The primary concern of high river flows at Hope is the upstream migration success of the early-timed Fraser sockeye salmon,” he said. “Earlytimed Chinook salmon are the main run of salmon currently migrating through the Fraser Canyon. These fish are typically much larger than sockeye salmon, and are better able to swim against high river flows.” The fishways located at Hell’s Gate were built to help move Fraser sockeye and pink salmon through the canyon from July to September. They
were also engineered to accommodate are determined through test fisheries, a range of water levels, both high and counting devices and various stock low, that exist during this time period. sampling programs. Patterson said The normal peak migration for the these fisheries are managed with “conearliest group of early-timed Fraser servation and the sustainable use of sockeye is July 14. the resource” as the top priority. “They will begin entering the Fraser Fisheries and Oceans Canada also River over the next few weeks,” said provides biweekly 10-day forecasts Patterson. of river “Therefore, discharge it is too ear- “The primary concern of high river and water ly to make t e mp e r a flows at Hope is the upstream predictions ture during re g ard i ng the Fraser migration success of early-timed in-river sockeye mortalities migration Fraser sockeye salmon.” associated period. The with the forecasts David Patterson high flows arematched for early with modStuart sockels that preeye salmon.” dict in-river losses. If flows reach levIn the meantime, Fisheries and els that pose a risk to salmon survival, Oceans Canada continues to manage Patterson said harvest management Fraser River salmon fisheries based on actions can be untaken to compenactual in-season returns of fish, which sate for a predicted increase in in-river