In which the writer proposes:

Splitting conventional wisdoms and inspecting for rot.
Wrestling with the status quo.
Weighing environmental and economic absurdities.
Disentangling metaphors.

Thursday 12 February 2015

EHOLT CREEK: A Damaged Stream


Late summer 2014, I visited a section of Eholt creek with Barry Brandow of Grand Forks. The area of concern is a farm property a few kilometers east of Greenwood where Eholt Creek meanders through the property for more than a kilometer.

Because of a lack of riparian fencing various farm animals access the creek with resultant damage to the stream, stream banks and water quality. A couple of Youtube videos illustrate the problem and the damage.

 
   Barry Brandow at Eholt Creek     talks about Riparian Management.   2.15 min
 
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 Eholt Creek Damage:    Al Grant.    2.30  min
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For this writer, the visit brought on a sense of déjà vu as the location was similar in many ways to properties in the Fraser Valley where the writer was extensively involved in stream protection initiatives and work more than 20 years ago.

Then as now, protection of streams and other public resources is largely dependent on the complaints and noise created by a concerned public. Then as now, various levels of Government have failed to effectively address and prevent damage and through various permit granting functions are frequently continuing to contribute to the damage.

The Kettle River Watershed Management Plan that has been underway for four or more years appears to offer no effective solutions for stopping such damage.

More on the KRWMP in a future posting,
 
A pdf version with more pictures is available at our website: