Decommission Springbank Dam Prepared for: Ontario Rivers Alliance June 13 th, 2015 Presented by: The Thames River Anglers Association Robert Huber (Pres.)
Askunassippi (Antler River) The Thames River is a Nationally Designated Heritage River The Thames River has a rich historic role as a temporary and seasonal route for pre-european Indian populations. The forks was also the permanent home to the Attawandaron or Neutral Indians. The Thames River is one of the most species rich rivers in Ontario supporting over 90 species of fish and many aquatic species are listed as threatened, endangered or of special concern by COSEWIC including 12 fish, 6 reptiles and 7 mussel species.
The Thames River Anglers Association Established in the Spring of 1986 the TRAA is a group made up of volunteers active in their advocacy for the health of the Thames River watershed and its inhabitants through a variety of fisheries related projects and education. It has been our experience that encouraging eco-system focused stewardship directly correlates to improving recreational fisheries. Dedication Today, for Tomorrow We are a member of the London Environmental Network (with 22 other organizations) and TRAA's also provides 'public oversight' to assist government authorities other groups including the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, The Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters, Trout Unlimited Canada, The City of London, The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Department of Fisheries & Oceans, Canada to help sustain and improve inland fisheries.
Springbank Dam The original dam was constructed on the Thames River in 1929 to create a local water supply reservoir and provide recreational opportunities. Springbank Dam holds back water for six months each year from May until early November. The dam is owned by the City of London and is operated by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) for recreation, flood protection, and fisheries management. CTV News Article on Springbank Dam 4
Why Decommission Springbank Dam? Advocates of damming the Thames River claim: Ø The river is more aesthetically pleasing to look at when dammed Ø Water levels need to be elevated as part of downtown planning Ø It is more convenient for access to rowing activity and easier for novices Ø It should be fixed because we have already spent millions of dollars on the current structure Those who want Springbank dam removed state: Ø A river should run free and not impounded for recreational use Ø It looks more beautiful in a natural state Ø It is polluted when impounded (studies have shown E.coli levels 55x higher than acceptable provincial standards) Ø It impedes and deters migration of fish Ø It destroys the habitat of many threatened and at risk species Ø It negatively impacts our multispecies species recreational fishery (Est. at $3M locally per year) Ø It s a blatant waste of taxpayer money (decommission would cost a fraction of the est. repair cost)
What s the Plan? Petition: Print petition has over 4500 signatures Online petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/decomission-springbank-dam.html Plan to deliver petition to Mayor prior to lawsuit being settled Community Awareness: Movie Screening of Damnation Film on June 18 th @ Wolf Performance Hall Meeting with media regularly: http://www.thelondoner.ca/2015/06/12/what-to-do-withspringbank-dam Network with other groups to advocate our council to make a responsible decision Talk to City Council & Mayor: To date we have met with 11 of 14 councillors to share concerns along with schedule meetings to discuss with members of parliament Formal presented to the Federal Standing Committee on Recreational fisheries Oversight: Actively engage DFO/MNRF in future EA and permit processes
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