Autumn at Big Falls – Trout Lake River
This is Big Falls – a beautiful stretch of rapids and falls located on Trout Lake River. This is a sacred place that holds many precious memories for the NamekosipiiwAnishinaapek First Nation community. They have had no say in whether this site will be destroyed and replaced with a hydroelectric dam – at least if Horizon Hydro Operations has their way. Horizon is proposing a 3 to 4 MW run-of-river hydroelectric dam, with an 18.8 metre head, and 1.7 km headpond that will encompass 15.5 hectares. This would feed hydro to approximately 1500 people – on a good day.
The Experimental Lakes Area has studied the impact of newly inundated headponds and discovered that methylmercury can increase by 10 to 20 times. Mercury can become elevated in fish tissue, and result in fish consumption restrictions. That is not good for First Nations when fish is a main staple in their diets. Does this sound like “Green Energy”? If you agree that Big Falls should not be developed, then please write the Honourable Kathleen Wynne to let her know this is a bad idea – premier@ontario.ca.