S T A n D I n g W a V e S
Don’t suck the Nipple.
Photo PAtrick cAmBlin
DouBle D hYDro DeVeloPMeNt TWISTIng AT SlAve RIveR AnD MOlly’S nIPPle
The 30,000 cMS SlAve RIveR and its world-famous 25-kilometre stretch opposition and fears the project could ruin 25 kilometres of what many pad-
of rambling class I to boat-eating class vI waves and holes have been the dlers consider the best park-and-play, massive-volume whitewater in the
source of high water salivation for energy producers since the mid-1970s. world. Oregon’s Trip Jennings, a professional kayaker and filmmaker with the
carving its 430-kilometre, Arctic-bound escape route from lake Athabasca epicocity Project is just one of many pros irked by the idea of losing play
in northeastern Alberta and emptying into great Slave lake in the northwest spots like Molly’s nipple, Rollercoaster or little Sister.
Territories, the Slave is now being eyed for a massive run-of-the-river dam “Diverting the Slave would be a sad loss for the whitewater community,
project. certainly comparable to the futaleufu or White nile,” Jennings says. “here,
Times have changed in 30 years. What was once an $8-million dam pro- you have a situation where indigenous people, ecosystems and even really
posal that met its demise due to its high cost and opposition from area first great whitewater are at risk of being ignored to invest in hydropower, which
nations groups is now a $5-billion project. The run-of-the-river dam would will be used to extract more unclean energy in the form of oil from the nearby
be put in place on the Alberta side of the Slave near fort Smith, nWT, sur- oil sands. I think I’ll ride my bike to the river tomorrow.”
rounded by first nation’s land on either shore. Paulette believes it will also threaten north America’s northernmost flock of
Transcanada corp and ATcO are in the preliminary stages of their plan, river pelicans, the 21 species of fish that spawn in the river and negatively af-
including design and public consultation, but expect to generate 1,800 fect the MacKenzie River Delta, already suffering from lower water flows.
megawatts annually to make it the largest hydro generation source in all of “This dam would just dry up the delta. I will guarantee the people down the
Alberta. The run-of-the-river project would divert the main flow into penstocks Slave River, the MacKenzie River people, would be very opposed to all this,”
to drive turbines. In an interview with the Edmonton Journal, Transcanada Paulette says.
corp spokeswoman Shela Shapiro said there would be some form of dam or
weir on the river to funnel water into the turbines. “But it would not be a huge
EriC AlbErt is a flight paramedic in northern Alberta, thompson rivers University Adventure travel
Guide Program graduate, former Outward bound and british Army Whitewater Adventure trainer and has
dam with massive reservoirs,” she said.
guided extensively in b.C., Alberta and the western United States.
Smith landing first nations elder francois Paulette has helped lead the
RAPID
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