Spillway opened in Eastmain not a cause for major concern, climate change might be

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While the image associated to the opening of the spillway is that of a tidal wave, Francis Labbé, media spokesperson for Hydro–Québec, assured the increased water flow will be comparable to a spring run-off following a winter with heavy snowfall.

On May 8, Hydro-Québec opened their Eastmain-1 spillway, gradually increasing the flow rate of the Eastmain River by 1300 cubic metres per second over the course of 33 days until June 10.

Between June 10-30 the spilling will be reduced as much as possible to ensure the adjoining fishway isn’t affected.

But according to Ivan Gilpin, Public Safety Director of Eastmain, the increase in water current isn’t cause for major concern.

“Whenever there’s an increase in water flow, we’re always more concerned for visitors to the area,” said Gilpin. “Our people are used to this kind of thing and know the areas to avoid.”

The reason for opening of the spillway, as opposed to just the typical spring run-off, is due in part to a particularly snowy winter. According to Labbé, this year saw 20-55% more snow than recent years and there was also a lower demand for electricity than what Hydro had initially expected.

“We cannot produce electricity that won’t be consumed,” said Labbé. “So sometimes we have to shut down turbines and let the water go elsewhere in order to lower the reservoir.”

And while Labbé believes the demand for electricity will go up once a contract between Hydro-Québec and the state of Massachusetts is finalized, climate change is becoming a concern.

“We know that our previous models to predict weather conditions aren’t as reliable as they used to be,” cautioned Labbé. “Rain, as opposed to snow, is falling longer into the fall in the region, which is affecting our reservoirs.”

This past rainy season, followed by heavier snow, has caused Hydro to consider the opening of a spillway that has stayed closed since 1985. The spillway near Kuujuaq might be opened between mid-June and August.

The last time that particular spillway was opened, flooding occurred and an estimated 10,000 caribou drowned. But Labbé says waters in the area will only rise by about 10-50 centimetres (0.32-1.6 ft) if the dam is opened.

On May 8, the annual spring run-off began near Waskaganish affecting the Rupert River.

“Of course, Mother Nature can be dangerous,” said Ryan Erless, Director of Community Services in Waskaganish. “But we have Elders informing the young people and bush radio to inform the hunters and land users. Crees are really cautious, especially after the diversion.”

Currently all travel over the ice has ceased in Waskaganish, but at this time of year that wasn’t always the case.

“Most people follow the school calendar for Goose Break, meaning that people would cross the river to get their kids back to school when the ice had started to melt,” said Erless.

“There was one instance back in the 1980s where a family was crossing the river to get home from Goose Break. The ice was already pretty thin and a bunch of people were forced to watch on in horror as this family tried to get their children home for their education.”

Luckily, the family made it across, but it was a wake-up call to the community. Since then there’s been a service partially subsidized by the Niskamoon Corporation that taxies families across the river by helicopter when the ice becomes unsafe. There’s also a traditional ice monitoring program.

According to a representative from the Alma-based company Panorama Helicopters, they flew around 150 hours over the course of two weeks – a comparable total to previous years.

In closing, Erless passed along an ominous observation from the traditional ice monitoring program. “The Elders say the ice looks different now,” he said. “Listening to their stories and then looking at the ice, you realize we don’t have the same kind of ice they describe in their stories.”

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