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322 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 12:09 PM
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This is a planned 15 MW renewable and carbon-free hydroelectric project on Culliton Creek, 20 km north of Squamish in the Cheakamus River watershed. The powerhouse will be located just upstream from the Big Orange Bridge (BoB) on Highway 99, and the intake will be about 3 km farther upstream.
You can read more about it here: http://www.squamishreporter.com/2012/05/12/impact-low-for-culliton-creek-power-project/
The intriguing thing about this project is the possibility that it could provide a good starting point for an improved trail up to the Warren Glacier area of Garibaldi Park, including Mt. Price, The Table, and Brohm Ridge. |
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100 Mile House, BC
Canada
178 Posts |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 12:55 PM
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Hey Frank, I always supported the idea of re-opening the Culliton creek trail for at least an exit route off of the Neve. It used to be Park's fire and HorseBack access for the rangers if I recall. Was a great route and you can still see the remnants of the logging road on the Satviews; same as the old Alice Ridge trail. But a power project? They should have just tied into that readymade private system and Penstock at the canyon residence (former highways worker). He produced power for years. |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 1:15 PM
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| Here's a thought, would you help me Lobby to open up Conroy Creek access instead? It would be an easier task. Less brushing out and drainage control would be easier. There's a ready made chip sealed bed starting at 7km. Or get the power project to sign off on donating funding for both accesses given the concerns for erosion of the barrier and rubble creek hazard. Besides the logging company kind of did encroach on the Park boundary and perhaps go past it? |
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Vancouver
1825 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 10:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by HT
Why would BC Hydro want more IPP power? See post here:
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=44240
BC Hydro was required by the provincial government to add most new power from IPP's. You can be sure that since IPP's undermine Hydro, Hydro would not do this unless forced to do so. Often it's difficult to tell what Hydro does on its own and what it's forced to do, but this one was unambiguous. |
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322 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 02:13 AM
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I can never understand why there is such a fuss about these small hydro projects- they need to go through a rigorous environmental review process, and they can't be built in stream reaches where there are anadromous fish. Of course, if you really want to dramatically decrease impacts on fish, talk to the thousands of restaurants that serve salmon steaks or sushi; I bet any one sushi bar requires killing more fish in a day than all the small hydro plants combined do in a year!
These projects provide us with carbon-free, renewable power at a time when the Province is short of electricity, and demand keeps increasing. They provide hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to a wide geographic range of people- and all without requiring B.C. Hydro to take on any project risk.
Pray tell- what's the alternative? |
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100 Mile House, BC
Canada
178 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 7:38 PM
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quote:
[i]
These projects provide us with carbon-free, renewable power at a time when the Province is short of electricity, and demand keeps increasing. They provide hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to a wide geographic range of people- and all without requiring B.C. Hydro to take on any project risk.
Pray tell- what's the alternative?
BC Hydro (owned by the province of BC) is having to pay $hundreds of millions for power from run-of-river and other projects, at a time when it doesn't need it. See here a recent article in the Van Sun:
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Hydro+awash+private+power/6605915/story.html
BC Hydro could use its own cheap power sources, or import power from the US almost for free, if it needed it.
But no, it has signed 100 or more contracts to purchase power from IPPs in BC (about 75 are now in operation), whether or not it needs the power, or can export the power at a profit.
This scenario, which is basically bankrupting BC Hydro, and will lead to skyrocketing rate increases, was forced on it by the BC Liberal Govt over the past 10 years.
I was told by BC Hydro that the total amount owed to IPPs for their power was around $42 billion. But right now BC Hydro has lots of its own power, and power can be imported cheaply from the US if needed. BC also has access to a large amount of power generated in the US as part of the Columbia Treaty.
What adds insult to insult is the recent finding of fish kills in Mamquam and Ashlu run-of-river projects.
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42715&SearchTerms=ashlu
The Kokish River IPP recently approved by DFO will remove water from a notable salmon producing stream. I am pissed off. Having companies, many of which are foreign and out of province, set up un-needed industrial projects on BC rivers and creeks, which will cost us $billions, pisses me off!
The alternative is to reduce power use, conserve, make better use of the huge amount of power that BC Hydro already has. |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 11:46 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by FrankB
I can never understand why there is such a fuss about these small hydro projects- they need to go through a rigorous environmental review process, and they can't be built in stream reaches where there are anadromous fish. Of course, if you really want to dramatically decrease impacts on fish, talk to the thousands of restaurants that serve salmon steaks or sushi; I bet any one sushi bar requires killing more fish in a day than all the small hydro plants combined do in a year!
These projects provide us with carbon-free, renewable power at a time when the Province is short of electricity, and demand keeps increasing. They provide hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to a wide geographic range of people- and all without requiring B.C. Hydro to take on any project risk.
Pray tell- what's the alternative?
Have to agree on the Sushi restaurant issue. I was just surprized that they would put a station in there at C-creek, given they already have Whistler, Ashlu, and Mamquam. That's quite a few stations coming onto the Grid for this area. Not to mention the increase in towers and high tension lines to tie into the existing grid.
Frank my two main questions are (And this is where your expertise comes in):
1) Any downstream impact concerns to the confluence at the Cheakamus River?
2) There is slide headwall formation at the toe of the South Lava flow on Culliton creek similar to that of the Barrier on the North Lava flow, but certainly not the same proportionately in size and not as highly publicized. The most recent I have seen it is from the Swift creek FSR and it's quite the prominent feature. A lot of errosive forces at work in this area, but I'm not the expert. That's your baby.
Still could the possiblity exist for a slide to occur on that headwall similar to what we are expecting on the barrier and the potential for blocking off Culliton Creek? I am not aware of any underground water flow features that have the ability to destablize this area similar to what is occurring on the barrier. We never think about this area or give it any credence because it sees very little travel now.
I often wondered if this slide area was one of the reasons that BC Parks abandoned that trail and the fire access years ago. The offical reasons at that time were budget and two many trails to manage. Food for thought?
As for this form of green energy source? I just think it should belong to the People of the Province and sell to everyone else. And yes it would be nice if the developers kicked in a contribution of managing the surrounding habitat for Recreational use, similar to what BC Hydro does with maintaining their recreation sites. Oh well hopefully the sell off will cease next year.
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Edited by - pmicheals on 06/02/2012 7:09 PM |
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Van., BC
Canada
274 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 1:16 PM
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"I can never understand why there is such a fuss about these small hydro projects."
Time to get educated then. |
Edited by - Michel on 05/16/2012 08:37 AM |
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Coquitlam, BC
Canada
343 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 1:59 PM
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Just to chime in here. There is a place for privately developed and operated power in BC - it just needs to be done with the appropriate foresight (ie how much do we really need to meet future demands - and not just in own own backyards - remote corners of BC as well as big population centers and industrial power users such as mines, pulp mills and saw mills) and oversight (there needs to be enough government and NGO involvement to ensure that the projects go ahead responsibly, but not so much that the burden of process drives investment elsewhere).
The biggest advantages to privately produced power are risk transfer (and you may suggest that if a project is too risky for BC Hydro then it's too risky for the province... fair enough, but the default in the public field is to go all-in with a mega-project that is de-risked to a point where the projects almost never come to fruition such as Site C); ability to raise capital quickly (private developers can go to the market - if the market has the appetite to invest in green power then IPPs can generate the momentum to move a project forward faster and more cost-effectively than a public developer); and competition (although this once I am not so sure about given the way that BC Hydro has structured the Green Power calls and Standing Offer programs - that being said, IPP projects with the right geographic representation, lowest cost per MWhr and least environmental liability are worth more sought after and thus have the competitive advantage).
C
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371 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 4:35 PM
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| More people means more power. The world is not decreasing its population at all... |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 6:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Michel
"I can never understand why there is such a fuss about these small hydro projects."
Becuase you don have fucking clue what's going on.
Not that Frank needs anyone to blow his horn, but I think it's you that may not have a clue. Among other things, Frank is a geotechnical Engineer for the Sea to Sky corridor and other areas. He has a fairly good pulse on environmental issues as part of his expertise and would not support a project or endorse it if he had concerns going forward. He's blown the whistle about various issues to do with slope stability and environmental impact in the corridor.
And he is most likely very well versed on all the controversy of these projects.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but yours was just plain ignorant given that you are a self employed Journalist?
BTW sometimes my typos are wickedly bad on these threads but I'm not in writing or in journalism and that doesn't excuse me. As a journalist what's your excuse? |
Edited by - pmicheals on 05/15/2012 6:50 PM |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 6:44 PM
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He's not selling TzoFly, He's educating and providing constructive information to others who may not have that insight or Knowledge in this controversial matter.
It's Springtime and a great time for gardening. Go dig up dirt in your own backyard and see what you discover.
There is no question about it, we need to be stewards of the environment, but interestingly, this has become the new "Big business" in Society. The day they start selling organic vegetables and friendly products at a fraction of what they are being sold at today, I'll start to really believe. In the meantime I'll do my bit to help out. Personally I don't have too much of an issue with these projects other than location and environmental issues are addressed properly. As far as sharing the wealth of these projects is concerned, well that's where sometimes my socialist side comes alive.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Since day one Mother Nature has been trying to kick our asses off the planet but we do the best with the tools we have to survive. It's a learning process and not one that any of us will see through to fruition in our lifetimes.
The biggest resource we have in order to survive is to learn how to cooperate share and get along. But we're talking human nature and that's a tall order.
In the meantime I wouldn't mind seeing a renewed Culliton Creek trail if it works and Maybe even a New Warren Hut, but in a better location. |
Edited by - pmicheals on 05/15/2012 6:46 PM |
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Port Moody, BC
169 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 7:01 PM
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| It seems that a whole lot of new IPPs are continuing to be approved by the Clark Prov. Government. I'm quite concerned with with reports that some of these projects have been causing salmon fry kills and whatever else environmental damage though significant and unnatural fluctuations in stream flows. Furthermore, this IPP power winds up being purchased by BC Hydro as a loss litre and thereby increasing our Hydro bills. |
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1652 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 7:31 PM
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tzoflier, no one has to provide full disclosure of anything. This is an open internet forum and people are free to share their opinions and viewpoints with as much or as little context as they wish.
The forum terms of use and guidelines state that:
"Use of full names (your first and last name) is allowed but discouraged. This is to protect your security and identity. "
and also that "You must respect the privacy of other members and individuals."
It's not ok to scour the internet to try to uncover the personal identity of people who have chosen to remain anonymous on this forum.
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 Best grilled cheese maker ever
Whitehorse, YUKON
Canada
2159 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 8:32 PM
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I've cleaned up this thread and removed links to Linkedin and other sites.
Please keep the discussion civil.
Thanks
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
1310 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 8:35 PM
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caurala has stated numerous times in the past on CT that he works in the industry.
To snidely suggest he has hidden this and has ulterior motives is repugnant.
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123 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 10:37 PM
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Call me old fashioned. When people are on the payroll of any side of a public policy debate, and try to influence public opinion, then IMO personal honour and integrity calls for their public remarks to be qualified.
To expect every member, and new members to know the full background and history of every other poster is nonsense.
There's at least two people in this thread who take money from the private power industry, which haven't disclosed this relationship here. IMHO, personal honour, integrity should compel them to preface their remarks with disclosure.
You can't force people to be intellectually honest, or ethical, but one can only hope.
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Edited by - tzoflier on 05/16/2012 12:01 AM |
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322 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 11:40 PM
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Well, I think everyone knows that I do geotechnical and slope hazard assessments for all sorts of projects- including run of river power projects, for the Spearhead Hut initiative (volunteer), building projects, etc. However, if you didn't know that- well, now you do!
My role is to assess the terrain and slope hazards that a project may face, and how to deal with them so that environmental impacts are minimized- this is similar to what other consultants, including fisheries biologists, do- we only gather the facts and provide information to proponents, but don't get involved in the decision-making; that is the role ultimately of those elected to public office in our democracy. Those of us who do this kind of work are usually accountable to a professional association, accountable in turn to a legislated standard- so we need to be very careful to make sure that our work is thorough and accurate. |
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
908 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 11:49 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by FrankB
I can never understand why there is such a fuss about these small hydro projects- they need to go through a rigorous environmental review process, and they can't be built in stream reaches where there are anadromous fish. Of course, if you really want to dramatically decrease impacts on fish, talk to the thousands of restaurants that serve salmon steaks or sushi; I bet any one sushi bar requires killing more fish in a day than all the small hydro plants combined do in a year!
These projects provide us with carbon-free, renewable power at a time when the Province is short of electricity, and demand keeps increasing. They provide hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to a wide geographic range of people- and all without requiring B.C. Hydro to take on any project risk.
Pray tell- what's the alternative?
Talking with a friend that works with Hydro they are nowhere near short on power they do not even run their dams turbines at night because they can not use the power that is generated. This includes all power sold down the western seaboard down to California. The province supposedly running out of power is a Government created lie |
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123 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 11:52 PM
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Thanks, Frank, for your clarification. I don't have any reason to believe you're less than honourable.
I'm disappointed to see that the Squamish Gondola project is apparently going ahead. I hope that public debate wasn't tainted by proponents with vested interests influencing the decision with commentary that wasn't qualified with the appropriate disclosure. |
Edited by - tzoflier on 05/15/2012 11:57 PM |
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Culliton Creek Hydroelectric Project
