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Vol. 89 Issue 28 • Wednesday, July 11, 2012 • www.arrowlakesnews.com • 250-265-3823 • $1.25 Includes HST
Columbia reservoirs high but not highest ever
BCTF president Susan Lambert and Education Minister George Abbott have found an uneasy truce that should last until the election campaign next spring. BLACK PRESS FILES
Trustees endorse teacher contract Black Press
This recent photo of the Hugh Kennleyside dam shows the amount of water the Columbia River system has been faced with. AARON ORLANDO/ARROW LAKES NEWS By Claire Paradis Arrow Lakes News
Reservoirs throughout the Kootenay-Columbia region are at the highest many people in the area can remember seeing. An update from BC Hydro on July 4 confirmed that the Arrow Lakes Reservoir would reach its “normal full pool level” of 440.1 metres and was likely to rise .6 metres (2 feet) more, depending on weather conditions. “Inflows from Kootenay River remain higher than expected,” said Hydro rep Jen Walker-Larsen, “as a result BC Hydro is continuing to limit discharge from Hugh Keenleyside dam to minimize downstream flood damage.” A burst of high temperatures might also keep Kootenay River flows high, as the melting snow pack adds to the river’s volume. Hydro has the go ahead from the B.C. Comptroller of Water Rights to raise the level of the reservoir to 440.7 metres until July 31, 2012. Larsen said that Hydro is hoping to keep the duration of the unusually high water level
short, and is planning to increase discharge flows from Hugh Keenleyside dam as soon as the Kootenay River flows subside. “This year recorded inflows to Arrow Lakes Reservoir from February to July 3 are the fourth highest when compared to inflows recorded in other years since 1970,” Larsen said. Without the dams, she said, the amount of flooding in the Columbia would have been much worse. The high water and spilling near Revelstoke has made some people nervous about the structural integrity of the dams, but Larsen told The Arrow Lakes News that the dams were designed to hold this much water and more. She also said that spilling during low-demand periods like this one isn’t uncommon. If there were serious issues with the dam itself, Hydro would notify everyone right away, said Larsen. Nakusp Fire Chief and Emergency Coordinator Terry Warren also said this was the case, and said that he would know weeks before the dam actually broke that there was a problem.
B.C. school trustees have embraced a contract extension for the B.C. Teachers’ Federation that promises labour peace in schools until next spring. With 85 per cent of boards of education participating Wednesday, the vote was unanimous in favour of the two-year contract that expires June 30, 2013. The deal imposes a two-year wage freeze on teachers, which had already been accepted by school support staff and other public sector unions in B.C. “Boards of education are pleased that we have been able to achieve agreements with all of our unionized staff in these challenging times,” said Melanie Joy, chair of the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association. Teachers voted by a three-to-one margin last week to accept the contract extension, with 52 per cent of BCTF members casting ballots. The deal puts off a bitter dispute over
government changes to hiring, layoff and performance evaluation of teachers. Education Minister George Abbott said the agreement includes a letter of understanding to continue talks on those issues. Those discussions are expected to resume this fall, dealing with professional development, evaluation and which issues are negotiated at the provincial and local level. The long-running dispute over class size and composition may also heat up again next year as the B.C. Liberal government heads into an election campaign. BCTF president Susan Lambert said the agreement includes some improvements to teacher benefits and leave provisions. But the union is going to court to argue that imposing a two-year wage freeze violates their constitutional right to collective bargaining. Lambert has also indicated that the BCTF will once again work to unseat the B.C. Liberal government, as it has done with advertising and protests in recent elections.
Arrow Park Ferry still operational, for now By Claire Paradis Arrow Lakes News
The Arrow Park Ferry is operating on a “day-to-day basis” according to drivebc.ca. Western Pacific Marine confirmed this was the case, and that the ferry was still running, although they were watching water levels. If the water rises any higher, the cable ferry could run out of cable and be unable to perform its shuttle service, but so far the ferry has remained in operation. When the infrastructure was put in, studies were done and cable was laid for the expected high water levels, said Dave Holm of Western Pacific Marine. At the moment, the length of cable is suf-
ficient, and the ferry will continue to run, although it will be closely monitored. Rumours were also heard around Nakusp that the Needles Ferry was in jeopardy of shutting down due to the high water levels, but Holm said that was not the case. Although it is also a cable ferry, the Needles ferry continues to be fine. It will also be monitored as well. One of the worst impacts on the ferries is floating debris, said Holm, which can slow down both cable ferries and larger ferries like the Galena Bay. For up-to-date information on ferries, visit drivebc.ca.
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