From: on behalf of Panel Registry Subject: FW: TNG registration of ...

season and below detection coliform counts. The Klokon aquifer on which the community depends
is
estimated to be quite large, stretching from the bifurcation of Klokon creek down to the valley
bottom, which is expected to serve the community quite easily for years to come.
The Xeni Gwet’in rely on water sources other than their water systems. Because they are
somewhat
nomadic within the XGCA for traditional activities such hunting, fishing, collecting and
back country riding, they often acquire drinking water from local streams, rivers, and lakes.
Water for non‐potable uses such as gardening depends on these same systems, except in the case of
large scale irrigation for hay farming. To irrigate fields in the Nemiah Valley, the Xeni Gwet’in use
flood irrigation. This involves allowing natural flooding or diversions from nearby streams during
the spring or early summer. Elkin’s Creek Ranch however diverts water regularly from Elkin’s
Creek via a pump and sprinkler irrigation system. Other pasture lands in the XGCA are largely rain
fed and wild, which the cattle, wildlife and wild horses graze on the fall, spring and summer.
Watering
of livestock is also dependent on water directly from streams or ponds and is largely
unmanaged, leading to frequent and unmonitored contamination with fecal matter.
Climate change will bring a variety of risks to water supply but most of these are likely to occur in
the medium to long‐term, barring any damage to water systems or water courses due to fire or
flood. Milder and wetter winters will cause peak flows to occur earlier in the spring or summer,
which could lead to increased flooding but also less water stored as snow for flows in the late
summer. Drier and hotter summers could lead to increased evapo‐transpiration from XGCA lakes,
streams and accelerated melting of glaciers, which in the short‐term may not affect water flows but
in the medium and long‐term may result in reduced water flows in the summer. Both increased
flooding
in the spring and reduced flows in the summer could jeopardize property or potable water
supplies. 76. These events may also affect water supplies for livestock, wild life and vegetation.
The one weakness of the current water system is that it is fed by the Klokon glacier, which may be
in jeopardy in the long‐term with milder weather. However, should this system fail due to low
glacial flows, Konni Lake has been designated the back‐up water source for the community, which is
quite large, deep and easily accessible by the community. The community is also near to Chilko
Lake, which could also be a long‐term source of freshwater. Hence, the Xeni Gwet’in might be
considered fairly resilient as far as water supply goes due to the abundance of fresh water sources
in the Nemiah Valley. This could change rapidly if outside interests begin contaminating these
water sources as a result of industrial logging or mining in the area or if they attempt large scale
water diversions. 77 None of these risks are improbable. Indeed, the Prosperity Mine project is at
its final stage of review and it is only one mountain range away from the Nemiah Valley. Moreover,
as
the southern US becomes more arid due to climate changes, XGCA water may become a hot
commodity
and may either attract more development or attract increasing pressure to export.
6.4. Food Supply
76 Flooding could cause contamination of wells and surface water as well as creating stagnant water in poorly drained
areas. Increased evapotranspiration could result in lower flows, lesser recharging of water supplies and therefore result
lower dilution ratios to particulates or contaminants.
77 The Taseko Lakes were proposed to be part of a massive hydroelectric development which would have seen the flow of
the Taseko River dammed and diverted westward via a tunnel to Chilko Lake, which would have been also dammed and
diverted through further tunnels to Tatlayoko Lake on the Homathko River, which unlike the Taseko and Chilko Rivers
drains directly to the ocean at Bute Inlet rather than via the Chilcotin and Fraser Rivers. Fisheries and aboriginal land
claims concerns have derailed the Taseko diversion, although the Chilko diversion remains as a possibility.
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