B.C. floods: Dike upgrades could threaten wild salmon stocks, group warns

A helicopter flies over flooded farmland in Abbotsford, B.C., on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck.

VANCOUVER -

With much of B.C.'s South Coast in recovery mode following last month's historic floods, there are new calls to protect the province's wild salmon stocks.

Rebuilding and upgrading river dikes in the flood-stricken Fraser Valley could impact wild salmon for generations to come, according to the Watershed Watch Salmon Society.

"More than 1,100 kilometres of dikes protect B.C. communities, and 600 kilometres of those are in the Lower Mainland," said society spokesperson Lina Azeez.

"Due to outdated design, those barriers block 1,500 kilometres of salmon habitat in the lower Fraser River alone."

Azeez told CTV News Vancouver that the current pump stations kill a large amount of fish every year when they migrate through the Fraser River.

"The (pump stations) have this mechanism inside, and just as it is dragging water, it will drag fish through and grind them up in the machinery," she said. "Some people call them meat grinders…it's not a pretty picture. When fish come out the other end they are often cut in half or they're severely bruised and they're not going to survive a journey out to the ocean."

Azeez said the province has an opportunity to reduce those impacts, adding that pump stations can be equipped with more modern "fish-friendly" pumps.

The Watershed Watch Salmon Society said it will keep advocating to ensure funds are available to local governments, in order for the dikes and pump stations to be upgraded while also providing better habitats for wildlife.

"We are at a fork in the road. The governments of B.C. and Canada are putting hundreds of millions of dollars into Pacific salmon recovery. Those investments will be wasted if the province and feds turn around and spend billions of dollars on the same old flood control systems that continue to kill salmon," said executive director Aaron Hill.

"If we do this right, it's a win-win. We give wild salmon a boost, save taxpayer dollars and make our communities even safer from flooding."

Azeez added that collaboration is key and we could learn a thing or two from our neighbours south of the border.

"Salmon-friendly flood control is working in places like Washington state because First Nations, farmers and all levels of government are working together…we can do it here too," she said.