The annual celebration of the Cheslatta鈥檛en 鈥� Chesaltta Carrier Nation, returning to their homeland, has been postponed due to the flooding of their Skatchola village, IR#7 on the shores of Cheslatta Lake.
This flooding started wreaking havoc over the last couple of weeks, leading to the cancellation of the week-long camp out planned for the event.
According to Mike Robertson, Senior Policy Advisor with the First Nation, the intensive planning for this event always begins much in advance, after the holidays and this year in particular would have been very significant as COVID caused the last two years to be cancelled.
鈥淎s Cheslatta Lake is located below the Skins Lake Spillway and the fluctuating spillway water releases can cause the surface elevation to rise dramatically,鈥� he explained.
Additionally, this year鈥檚 three unusual combination of events developed at the same time has made the unusual spills necessary.
First, because of the unusually cool spring, the snowpack in the mountains surrounding the Nechako Reservoir has not been able to melt. Second, a predicted hot and sunny spell has started and will likely last well into next week, and the hot weather is expected to melt quickly causing unusual inflow into the Reservoir. And finally, the Nechako Reservoir is within one foot of maximum elevation.
鈥淭herefore, in order to maintain a safe elevation of the reservoir and taking into account the increased inflow, a decision has been made to increase the releases at the spillway,鈥� he said.
However, that means having to cancel the event as there is no other alternative site within the Cheslatta Territory suitable for the 200-300 expected guests.
A permanent solution that Robertson listed for this constant flooding issue is to construct and operate a spillway at the Kenney Dam, adding that this was a priority issue the Cheslatta Carrier Nation has campaigned for since 1991.
