Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
British Columbia's energy regulator is rationing the water supply for some oil and gas companies because of drought in the northeastern part of the province. On Thursday, the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC) suspended 20 water permits for 12 energy companies that draw water from rivers, streams and lakes in the Peace River and Liard River watersheds, in the Fort St. John and Fort Nelson areas.
The threat of flooding in a small N.W.T. community, perched on the bank of the South Nahanni River, is subsiding. After watching the river swell over the past week — quickly at first, and then more slowly — people living in Nahanni Butte noticed water levels drop an inch or two on Tuesday morning. About 24 hours later, Burton Campbell, one of the community's 93 residents, said it had gone down by eight inches.
Cheryl Cli’s house is so new, it’s still in the packaging. The modular build sits on a muddy lot on safe, high ground about five minutes outside of Fort Simpson, N.W.T. Some of the industrial plastic is ripped away, revealing its cherry red siding. On this April day, the air smells of meat and veggies cooking over an open fire. Cli is having a cookout with friends and family to “claim” the lot. Earlier in the week, she noticed some firewood had been taken. “It’s OK, they probably needed it,” she says.
Water levels in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., dropped to 9.25 metres Sunday morning, and Mayor Sean Whelly said residents are heading back to their properties for the first time since an evacuation order was issued last weekend. More than 700 people were displaced and evacuated to higher ground or neighbouring communities as water levels grew to new extremes in the community, which rests at the intersection of the Mackenzie and Liard rivers. At one point, the water had swelled as high as 16 metres. "We're just telling people, go on down, it's time to check on your property and please let us know what damage has occurred," said Whelly.
