Rutherford Creek, a popular paddling location in British Columbia is threatened by a dam development after the breakdown of talks between Rutherford Creek Power Limited (RCPL) and paddlers. Paddlerswanted to have compensation flows from the dam to allow paddling for about 6.6 % of the year, RCPL only offered 1 %.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Canadian Coast Guard) has informed paddlers that unless pressure is applied RCPL will be issued with a license under their terms. This would set a frightening precedent for all the other dams & diversions to come (approximately 200 for the Vancouver - Pemberton corridor in the next 8-10 years).

To express your concern contact the 4 people (names and addresses below) - not only for Rutherford - but because this is going to set a precedent - and flow windows of less than 1% are like no flows at all.

There is a lot of background information including sample letters available, so please write soon. To get to the pertinent pages, follow the "Rutherford" Link from the
Headwaters Press home page - then the secret phrase is "nodamway" to get to
the "Diversion Files"

1) Honorable David Anderson
Minister of the Environment
Terrasses de la Chaudiere
28th Floor
10 Wellington Street
Hull, Quebec
K1A 0H3
E-mail: david.anderson@ec.gc.ca

2) Honorable Herb Dhaliwal
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Centennial Tower
Suite 1570
200 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0E6
E-mail: min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

3) Bob Gowe
Superintendent of Navigable Waters
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Coast Guard
Suite 350
West Hastings
Vancouver, BC
V6B 5G3
E-mail: goweb@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

4) Donna Petrachenko
Regional Director Pacific Region
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Coast Guard
Suite 300
555 West Hastings
Vancouver, BC
V6B 5G3
E-mail: petrachenkod@dfo-mpo.gc.ca