Timber Harvesting and Potential Impacts to the Duhamel Creek Alluvial Fan

NEWS RELEASE

Logging unlikely to increase existing risks at Duhamel Creek

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board accepts the opinions of professional geoscientists that the risk of flooding or landslides resulting from logging activity at Duhamel Creek is low, according to a report released today.

“Primarily because of their location, the three specific cutblocks that were the subject of this complaint should not increase the risk to residents on the Duhamel fan,” said Tim Ryan, board chair. “However, the watershed has a history of natural flooding and slides, and previous reports have identified a high risk to residents on the Duhamel fan, so it’s understandable that they are very concerned about any forest development in the watershed.”

“In the board’s view, a local planning process that involves the provincial government and the regional district would be a good idea. At the very least, government should inform residents about how it is responding to the earlier reports that identified the high risks to homes on the fan,” added Ryan.

The Duhamel fan is at the mouth of Duhamel Creek on the west arm of Kootenay Lake near Nelson and is made of alluvial deposits in the lake ― material that has washed out of the creek over time. A residential community has developed on the fan over the past 100 years. There have been landslides in the watershed in the past and the fan has experienced major flooding from high water flows in the creek over the years.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board investigates public complaints about forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

Helen Davies
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899