COMPETITORS from Kaslo, Revelstoke, Nakusp, Cranbrook, Squamish and Vancou- ver Island wiil be vying for cas! 1 Interior Log- gers’ Sports Association, sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club, holds it competitions at Pass Creek Park in conjunction with the Castlegar Sunflower Fest. Events Include Sunday when the South Kootenay Savings Credit Union Term Deposits. Term Deposits with Higher Interest Rates.a Now In Effect. . More Options, Too! Call Us Now for the New Higher Interest Rate Schedule. Hydro Still Undecided on Diversion — By RYON GUEDES CasNews Editor A decision to divert part of the Kootenay River into the Columbia River is not “a fore- gone conclusion.” That was the assurance Charles Nash, B.C. Hydro's corporate affairs manager, gave ata Castlegar and District :Chamber of Commerce-spon- sored luncheon here last Wed- nesday. Ina low-key question-and- answer session’ with an audi- ence of about 12, Nash said the Crown corporation has consult- ed.the public “right from the very beginning” of its exami- nation of the diversion proposal and spent a_ considerable amount of time and effort seek- ing their views. Nash was responding to suggestions by audience mem- bers that Hydro had already decided to seek government approval for the projects re- gardless of the concerns voiced by residents of the areas which ; would be affected. Sue Cote, a member of the Save the Kootenay Committee, also noted the effort and money devoted by Hydro to public and private meetings in the area to ‘ discuss the proposed diversion, but she questioned their intent. “Why are you spending so much money on these group information or misinformation.” “We could go about these proposals as we used to in years gone by, when Hydro would make a decision to build a project and go ahead and built it without consulting anybody," “I don't think you can do that anymore, nor should you do that anymore. I think you've got to involve the public and put them in the picture of what you're doing.” He said Hydro accepted that area residents “know a lot more about the area than we do,” and used their views to guide its studies and future decisions on the proposed pro- ject. “Had we' decided to go back to the original way I think we would be severely crit by you as well as everybody else for being—as the news- papers have put it incorrectly— secretive,” he said. But chamber member Leo Bosse said he was convinced it was “a foregone canclusion that this thing's going to go ahead and B,C. Hydro will hold true to its past actions.” He said the Castlegar chamber opposed the construction of the Hugh Keen- leyside Dam ““but no matter how much we screamed it still went through.” Bosse noted there had also been public opposition to the and public if you haven't already decided what's going to happen with the Kootenay Diversion?" Cote said. “It seems to me from the amount of time and effort you're putting into it that you've already decided and this is purely’ a public relations ploy." Nash said the company was holding the meetings be- cause it had adopted “the route of information rather than no proposed construction of the Revelstoke Dam, and he cited a letter from the Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S. entity in the 1964 Columbia River Treaty, as evidence Hy- dro had already decided to approve the project. Repeating his claim that Hydro was “not doing things now the way we did 10 years ago,” Nash said such projects as the Keenleyside Dam would not have been built today without FEATURING custom homes: additions interior design: renovations design: drafting: displays CHERNOFF DESIGN SERVICE grand forks b.c. 942+5312 Company consultation of the public affect- ed by it. The Hydro corporate af- fairs manager said the contro- versy surrounding Bonneville secretary Charles Cancilla's tet- ter to an Arrow Lakes area resident had resulted when a single sentence in. the letter was taken out of context and misinterpreted, by the press. Hydro answered the misinter- pretation “to the fullest extent” in correspondence with- Can- cilla, and Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco, who brought the letter to the attention of the news media, he said. Commenting on the Revel- stoke Dam, Nash agreed there was some public opposition to its construction but added that a large number of residents in the Revelstoke area “saw the benefits” of the project, He also denied reports that Hydro started construction on the Revelstoke Dam before it was granted a water licence for the project. The company, anti- cipating the loss of a year’s A second:phase, two-year study will seek answers to environmenta! problems which would result from the proposed Kootenay River diversion pro- ject, B.C. Hydro’s corporate affairs manager said here last Wednesday. Charles Nash said’ the study, to follow up the first- phase environmental impact report released by Hydro last month, will examine possible solutions to damage which could be caused by the diver- -sion of up to 1.5 million acre- feet of water from the Koote- nay River into the Columbia River at Canal Flats in East Kootenay. “What we're doing in the stage we sce ourselves at now is moving on Officia ey arineat CHARLES NASH... no construction time as a result of the project's long lead time, issued tenders for the initial parts and placed clauses in the tenders allowing cancellation on those contracts should the project not go ahead, he said. The contracts were not awarded until after the water licence was granted, and an Environmental Problems Cited Second Study to Seek Answers to the water controller for a water licence to start the project, Nash said. Nigel Grant, the Hydro engineer responsible for the proposed project, said the first-phase report emphasized a “worst case” situation in which many of the severe impacts listed may not occur. (See Page B8 for story on first report.) Among the positive effects the diversion would have on the environment would be flood protection provided by an in- crease in the size of the river channel from Windermere Lake to Golden by dredging, Grant said, Grant said dredging the 70 miles of marshland between Windermere Lakes and Golden, inhabited by would Lakes, not needed for storage, ilize their water levels, “There is still one problem we don’t have an answer Lo,” he said. “That is the Kootenay River water is colder than the Columbia and = Windermere Lakes.” But the waterfowl manage- ment program would have lo be weighed against possible agri- cultural opportunities which would result from the diver- sion. , “There would be certain areas there that- would be better filled and made into agricultural land,” he said. “It's got to be looked at in a ey a aoe a Pp y assessment of the possibility of adiversion to the study of more detailed aspects to see what the problems are,” he said. “And now to find out what solutions we can come up with in order to take advantage of opportunities for the benefits of the Kootenay Diversion as well as the disbenefits.” When the second-phase study is completed with public participation “in all the steps from the inception of the pro- posal to the conclusion,” Hydro will then determine the an- swers to both problems and decide whether or not to apply also result in “a lot of left-over niaterial” which could be used to create a wildfowl manage- ment area similar to the reserve in the Creston Valley. Members of the conserva- tion group Ducks Unlimited have investigated that possibi- lity independently and have expressed a strong interest in the proposal, he said. “We would see the diver- sion as being the thing Uthat could make this come about,” he said. : Hydro would build control structures at the outlets of both the Windermere and Columbia Sunflower Fest y Sunday, July 23 - Your Kiwanis Glub wants you to enjoy Sunflower Fest to the fullest, so we have organized a program for everyone in the family. Have a Kiwanis Sunday at PASS CREEK PARK by of the river.” The cold water from the Kootenay would reduce the temperature of the lakes to about 8 degrees Celsius, Grant said. Its effect on fish in the lakes has not yet been deter- mined, he said. “The colder water tem: peratures in the lakes tend to kill of the coarser fish and enhance the sport type fish,” he nd of course if you start damaging the coarse fish this then slarts affecting your eco- system because you've gol your osprey who feed on the coarse fish.” In addition to determining the impact of the colder water, he said, the second-stage study will have to identify where fish spawning areas are and exam- ine the possibility of diverting around them. ° Other problems faced by Hydro include the reduced re ge ” Decision launched against the s of the water licence “did not affect the construction of the projee! cl said. Nash also refuted reports. “out of the mouths of people who get their facts wrong” that Columbia River Treaty projects cost Canada a total of about $1 billion. “The mistake they make is adding to the cost of the storage dams the cost of Canada the Treaty wi Nash said, “And it provided us with power much cheaper than we could have obtained if Canada had to pay for the whole works." Chamber member Gordon Brady noted Opposition Leader Dave Barrett, who visited Castlegar month, was among the Columbia River Treaty erities who used the $1 billion figure. Brady said Hydro should have been “right behind his shirttails” in correcting his Columbia River sa very good deal," genera and transmission systems associ- ated with generations in Can- ada which had nothing to do with the treaty,” he said. The treaty’s three storage dams cost Hydro $124 million and the added costs of genera- tion, transmission and trans- formation resulted in a total of $800 million to $900 million for the cost of treaty projects as well as generation in Canada, he said. “From the point of view of and providing stor- age essential to generation in water levels in the Kootenay River, Grant said. He said lower ground levels along the Kootenay which are now peri- odically flooded and would become dry us a result of the diversion will be looked at’ in more de Another diversion problem yel to be solved is the decrease in the amount of water avail- able to dilute effluent dis- charged from the Skookum- chuck pulp mill into the river, aid. The mill is undertaking its own study of the problem, he said, and is working on developing a new facility for disposing of wastes. Commenting on Brady's statement that Hydro was in- valved closely in provincial affairs, Nash agreed the Crown corporation was “involved in the outcome of politics.” Asked to explain the com- pany's relationship with the government in power, he said Finance Minister Evan Wolfe sits on the board of directors and reports individually, as does Hydro, to the cabinet. Authority for Hydro to spend money on major projects must he obtained from the cabinet while the authority to borraw money must be ob- tained by the legislature, Nash said. In addition to treasury board scrutiny for authority for funding of major projects, KINNAIRD TR L. A. (Tony) Gero Hydro is now also subject to examination by the legisla- ture’s committee on Crown corporations, he said. Asked by the Castlegar News how public opinion would affect the decision whether to proceed with the diversion project, Nash pointed out the final decision “is not really ours.” After completion, within two years, of Hydro's second phase of studies on the project's impact (see Page B8 for story on first study) Hydro “will be in a position to make a decision either for or against applying for a water licence,” he said. “When that application is made I'm sure there will be hearings conducted by the water controller on behalf of the government, Nash said, he was aware that several regional districts and municipalities which would be affected by the Kootenay Diversion are considering hold- ing a public referendum on the proposed project. “I think we've got to keep in mind that a referendum based upon half a study i really representative “What we would prefer to see is the public's view after it has had an opportunity to examine the results of the studies when completed.” ANSFER LTD nazzo, Manag EXCAVATION — HAULING — BACKHOES CONCRETE GRAVEL — PIT RUN GRAVEL TOP SOIL — % CRUSHED AOAD GRAVEL ORAIN ROCK — MORTAR SAND PHONE 365-7124 UNION SHOP Choose fr e Loungewear « Jumpsuits y/ 50% Rock © Pantsuits © Skirts « Dresses & Lots We’re Clearing Our... Summe r So make room In your closet for these bargains! Slacks & Blouses Buy eguermee $]00 get the second for to make room for new fall -arrivais! Take them away! ‘om our Summer Co-ordinates More? Dresses Swimwear Evening Gowns 9 5% All at Savings of Get a load of this... Upstalrs at the © Jean Scene @ AIR TRAVEL AGENTS FOR ALL AIRLINES * Reservations - * Accommodations Tonka Fire Truck Regular $4.98. Now ) pnins Vintage Paving Company Ltd. © Parking Areas © Driveways i TRS © Tennis Courts, etc. “SRE Columbia Ave. J ‘ Castlegar Suntlower Fest Friday, Saturday, Sunday, July 21, 22, 23 % ji 49 Max Factor Lip Potions 7 © Kiwanis Bavaritn Gardens — Noon - 5 p.m. Special a e ‘ — 2 © Kiwanis Concession Stand — Noon - 5 p.m. © Loggers’ Sports Day — 12:30 noon Includes fun things, like Log Burling, Chainsaw Sculpture, Ladies’ Nail Hammering, Chokermen’s Race, and more. © Kiwanis Ping-Pong Drop — 1:30 p.m. © Kiddies’ Fun Events — 1:45 p.m. Includes Watermelon-Eating Contest, Blind Ice Cream-Eating Contest, plus more fun events. © Sunflower Fest Frisbee Contest Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the festivities. 99 Regular $2.50. Special at. . fosleg)R Corner at Pine of Columbia YOUR LINK HARDWARE STORE ; Quality brand names such All Cords as: Pulse, Big Bee S Yl Roadi id U.F.0. & Jeans Hie runner ani Of Course— Don't Forget... Castlegar Drug For ALL Your Prescription Needs. Department Store » Call George at 352-6435 or Rob at 354-4303 21 PINE STREET, CASTLEGAR PHONE 365-7782 Update reminds You that big things are hap- pening this week- end. 365-7813 OPEN THISSUNDAY 12noon to1 p.m. & 6-7 p.m.