Supporting sustainable hydropower operation and development in British Columbia through research on fish entrainment and fish responses to gas supersaturation

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In Canada, 60% of electricity generation is from hydroelectric sources. British Columbia in particular has several large watersheds that have been subject to hydropower development, with other large projects under consideration. BC Hydro, the primary hydro utility in the province, has a long tradition of using scientific evidence to guide the siting, development and operations of hydropower facilities. At present BC Hydro is exploring the development of a "mega-project" called the "Site C Clean Energy Project" (Site C) which is a proposed 3rd dam and generating station on the Peace River in BC. Two particular issues that have arisen for Site C are fish entrainment risks (ENT) and elevation of total dissolved gasses (TDG) downstream of the dam and their consequences for fish. BC Hydro has two existing facilities in the Peace River basin - the WAC Bennett Dam and the Peace Canyon Dam. The WAC Bennett Dam and the associated Williston Reservoir have been identified as priority targets for research on the entrainment risk for several key fish species. The Peace Canyon Dam has been identified as a site where TDGs downstream of the dam can be elevated to potentially harmful levels, with unknown consequences for resident fish. Given that the fish communities in and around the Bennett and Peace Canyon Dams are similar to what would occur in and around the Site C development, and that the two projects are located adjacent to one another on the same river, focused research on Bennett (ENT risk) and Peace Canyon (TDG) would address those dam-specific issues and yield knowledge that would directly inform the development of the Site C project. We have established a team combining behavioural ecologists, population modelers, fish physiologists and hydraulic engineers necessary to address the complex ENT and TDG issues. Failure to address these issues will make it difficult for BC Hydro to identify potential mitigative or off-setting options which are necessary for them to continue to operate their facilities and to develop new ones. The project will involve significant interaction with a multi-stakeholder technical team to ensure that results are both relevant and rapidly mobilized.