Day 4 The Peace vs the dams.

Day 4 Aug 15

You call this a lake????

Now in Peace River country - beautiful rolling hills and prairie, deep river valleys, cottonwood meadows and boreal forest.  At Hudson's Hope, the prettiest of BC's northeast towns, we visit the great museum  and stop at a coffee shop on the high banks of the Peace River.  We are just below the Peace Canyon dam here, and we drive upstream 24 kms to the WAC Bennett dam.  Built in the 1960's, it is unbelievably massive:  600 feet high, 2 km across, creating a reservoir that stretches north and west for 250 km.  Williston Lake (if you can call it that - it's not pretty) is the largest body of freshwater in BC, and can be seen from space.  Together the two dams produce 25% of BC's hydro power.  In an interesting statement of defiance in the face of BC Hydro, the town of Hudson's Hope has a massive solar array powering their visitor centre and town hall.

In the afternoon we stop to visit old friends - Ross and Debbie Peck live on a beautiful ranch above the Peace, overlooking a stretch of pristine wilderness valley.  All that will change.  The Site C dam will create a reservoir along this valley, raising the water level 50 to 60 feet in front of their home.  The town of Hudson's Hope will need a berm to protect the town from the higher water.

Controversy continues to rage, the price tag continues to grow, and yet work continues.  For now, wildlife abounds.  Osprey, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, squirrels, chipmunks, deer and elk share this lovely spot with the Pecks. For how long though?  And why trade this for the sale of power to the US?  We are confirmed in our original opinions, having seen the trade-off.