2008 goals and visions for the Ottawa River
Meredith Brown: Interview with the Ottawa Riverkeeper
by Katherine Fletcher
At the start of the new year, Katherine Fletcher interviews our Riverkeeper, Meredith Brown to hear what challenges the river faces in 2008 and what her organization will strive to achieve in the New Year. Hear what Meredith has to say about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and what prompted her to become the Riverkeeper in the first place.
Katharine: First of all, Meredith, what prompted you to accept the role of Ottawa Riverkeeper? You are mother to an active young family, but you still find time to attend activities such as the Algonquin demonstration against uranium exploration and mining in Frontenac, Ontario. What drove you to accept this hugely demanding, public role?
Meredith Brown, Riverkeeper: I think it was my passion for rivers that was the deciding factor to accept the job. I had been studying rivers, paddling rivers and restoring rivers and I wanted to take the challenge and get the community on board to proactively protect the Ottawa River – an incredibly important and beautiful river.
Q: Do you hold a degree which helps you interpret the statistics, science and other factors affecting the issues, people and politics surrounding the river? If so, how has this helped?A: My engineering degree has been extremely helpful in my role as Riverkeeper. Our organization has taken a science-based approach to protecting the river and this has given us credibility with industry, government and the public. When I attend meetings with hydro companies, wastewater treatment facility operators or Atomic Energy of Canada, I can speak the jargon of the engineers and ask the right questions. When reading reports and environmental impact assessments I can find the holes and question results. My Masters Degree in Resource and Environmental Management was a turning point for me when I realized that managing a resource is largely about managing people and it takes an interdisciplinary team (engineers, biologists, economists, community organizers, educators, lawyers, etc.) to find effective solutions.
Q: There are a multitude of issues affecting the Ottawa River, which falls under the jurisdiction of two provinces, Quebec and Ontario, not to mention a host of municipalities. What special challenges does this present – and do you have a Quebec-based group to assist you?
A: The interprovincial boundary down the middle of the river is the biggest challenge our organization faces. We understand that to protect the river that line has to be ignored and there must be more collaboration. We have many supporters and volunteers in Quebec and we are working with several local groups in Quebec. It is in our 3-year strategic plan to work more effectively in Quebec. Being a fully bilingual organization with a small budget and few staff is extremely challenging! Also, each province has a completely different set of rules, regulations and policies – and even a different legal system (Common Law vs. Civil Law).
Q: In Pontiac, Quebec, there is a river watcher based in Norway Bay. Is there a list of river watchers along the stretch of the Ottawa – and are the watchers the people we all ought to contact if the public has concerns about the river?
A: Our River Watch program is a huge success. We have Riverwatchers along the river from Kipawa to Montreal who are incredible people with a passion for the river. Riverwatchers work with Ottawa Riverkeeper on issues in their local area and help Ottawa Riverkeeper stay connected to the many communities along the river. If someone has a concern about the river and there is a Riverwatcher in their community, I highly recommend they contact the Riverwatcher so they get to know the people in their community who share their concerns. Riverwatchers keep Ottawa Riverkeeper informed about their local issues and events.
Q: The Ottawa Riverkeeper’s River Report, Issue No. 1, Ecology and Impacts, May 2006 is an excellent primer regarding concerns. In it, Ottawa River watershed characteristics (landforms, hydrology, ecosystem classification and diversity, etc) are described. Also listed are areas of particular concern regarding the health of the Ottawa River such as dams, wastewater treatment, etc…
At the start of the new year, what do you think are the most pressing issues for the river?
A: This is a tough question as there are so many pressing issues. In terms of water quality in the river I think we need to improve on municipal wastewater treatment. We still have large amounts of raw sewage entering the river and even our treated sewage is laced with toxic substances. We also have 8 pulp mills on the river that significantly contribute to the pollutant load. Stormwater running across the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau and dumping into the river are also a big issue that we need to tackle. In terms of biodiversity and ecological integrity I think the most pressing issues are the dams on the river and the shoreline and floodplain development that continues to happen all along the river.
Q: Is there a particular role the public can play to help safeguard the river – and help you monitor the development of this/these issues?
A: The public can help in many ways. Be careful about the chemicals and personal care products you are using in your homes – they eventually end up in the river in some form – our treatment facilities do not take out all the harmful stuff we use today in society. If you know of practices that are having a negative impact on the river, act now – call the Riverkeeper if you don’t know what to do. It takes a community to protect a river. Do what you can at the community level to raise awareness about our river and get involved in decisions that will impact the river. Always insist on your individual right to clean water and the right to swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.
Q: Because the international supply of medical radioactive isotopes was at serious risk, last December, Prime Minister Stephen Harper asked the Senate to fast-track passage of an isotope bill which would see the recently de-activated Chalk River reactor reactivated – without the approval of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Do you have ongoing concerns regarding the operation of AECL’s Chalk River reactor related to the Ottawa River watershed?
A: I have been working on the Chalk River file since I started as Riverkeeper, always focussing on the impacts to the river only. There are some obvious impacts the operation is having on the river. For starters, they use huge volumes of river water for cooling purposes and in the process there is fish mortality when they suck up the water and then they return the water to the river at 30-35 degrees Celcius. That is one concern. Even more concerning is the radioactive plume entering the river from the site.
Q: What do you think about the issue of uranium exploration in the Pontiac region of Quebec as well as in Frontenac County, Ontario? Do you foresee a danger to the health of the river as a result of uranium exploration and, potentially, mining?
A: As we see from examples around Canada, uranium mining can have devastating effects on the surrounding environment. There is uranium exploration taking place or planned for many areas in the Ottawa River Watershed – in both Quebec and Ontario. I think with the uranium issue we need to focus on active public involvement and scrutiny of the industry. I believe the Mining Act needs revisions and local communities and property owners should have the right to say no to uranium mining. If a community decides they want a mine, they must be very careful to scrutinize every aspect of the project. If a uranium mine was proposed in the Ottawa River Watershed I would make it a high priority issue for Ottawa Riverkeeper to work on.
Q: On a positive note, you must be delighted with the proposed protection of the Dumoine River watershed in Quebec which Canadian Parks and Wilderness Committee (CPAWS) and others have helped promote. Can you comment on this project?
A: Protecting the Dumoine is a proactive and insightful project and CPAWS has done a fantastic job on this file. The Dumoine River is the last undammed tributary of the Ottawa River and therefore benefits from a natural flow regime. This is important as the river serves as our only experimental control within the vast Ottawa River watershed that can characterize the natural range of variability on an undammed river. In addition to the natural flow regime, the Dumoine is an ecologically significant river as well as an important and well visited canoe route, attracting paddlers from around the world. The primary reason this river is so well paddled is because of its wild and natural flow and pristine surroundings. A trip down the Dumoine is a true wilderness experience.
Q: Tourism such as recreational boating is touted as a potentially strong industry deserving of development along the Ottawa River watershed. Certainly, the Chats Falls bypass intends to “cash in” on this supposedly sustainable development. Can you share your concerns and hopes for ecotourism along the river?
A: I believe that we have only begun to tap into the ecotourism potential on the Ottawa River. That being said it is important to define ecotourism and focus on projects that are sustainable – those that will not jeopardize the ecological health of the river. I think the Ottawa River is underutilized and we could be doing much more to promote the wilderness experience one can have on the river.
Katharine: Meredith, thank-you so much for sharing your concerns about the Ottawa River with our readers. Happy new year to you and your family – and let us all be watchful guardians of the river.
Who to contact if you see problems?
keeper@ottawariverkeeper.ca
1-888-9Keeper
Or, check to see if there is a local Riverwatcher in your area: “http://ottawariverkeeper.ca/programs/river_watch”: http://ottawariverkeeper.ca/programs/river_watch/
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