Facts:
- Historical flow data from Environment Canada’s water office shows that the proposed hydro-electric generating station at the Bala falls would run at its full 96 m³/s capacity an average of 21 days each summer. So the proponent’s water velocities shown in our composite graphic are valid. We have requested more than once that they detail any errors in our use of these values, but they have not provided any.
- In the past, almost all flow in the summer has been through the Bala south channel, but this would be changed by the operation of the proposed generating station so almost all flow would be through the Bala north channel, which is directly adjacent to the municipal Town Docks and the boat rental, creating new and extreme dangers for in-water recreation there.
- While safety booms are great for visibility, as reported by the Coroner for a drowning due to a hydro-electric generating station, “safety booms” actually create dangers as they tip boats held against them by the current, and the floats are too large to hold on to.
The most extreme risk would be to people in the water, for example because:
- They fell out of a canoe or a kayak at the boat rental docks.
- Their motor stalled approaching or leaving the Town Docks and their boat was drawn by the current to the upstream safety boom, where it was tipped by the current and the occupants did not know what to do.
- They were Scuba diving off Diver’s Point and were drawn downstream by the current created by the proposed generating station.
These are all legal activities, to be expected in a navigable waterway and there are no signs in the Bala north channel prohibiting anything. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks refused to respond to these most-extreme dangers in their February 6, 2019 letter, even though they have the responsibility to protect human life.
As the upstream safety boom would actually be part of the danger (tipping boats and the floats being too large to hang on to), once these people are past the upstream safety boom, they would be at the proposed generating station’s intake within 45 seconds, and that would be their end, as the station would have no local Operator or emergency stop button.
It would be a deadly booby-trap.
The government should not permit a private developer to endanger such people’s lives.