 Managing natural resources responsibly |
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Canada’s hydro power facilities are not only a leading source of electricity. They can also provide a number of environmental benefits. Hydro power facilities do not produce air pollutants or generate any toxic by-products. According to the Canadian Hydropower Association, greenhouse gas emissions from hydro power facilities are at least 60 times less than those from coal-fired plants. Hydro power facilities can also help to restore and sustain local plant and fish species --- including MPT’s Wawatay hydro facility on the Black River in Northern Ontario, built in 1992. The Wawatay facility features an engineered nursery channel and tailrace to support the river's local fish populations. Over the past 17 years, extensive fish and fish habitat monitoring studies have taken place at Wawatay, reflecting the facility's commitment to effectively manage and maintain a healthy habitat for fish and other aquatic life. These efforts have paid off: studies showed that a large number of fish species used the nursery channel as spawning grounds and as a shelter for young fish. But over time, flood events occurred and sediment naturally built up in the channel. In 2008, the Wawatay facility sought and was granted approvals from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ministry of Natural Resources to dredge and improve the nursery channel, with the work completed in 2009. As a result of this initiative, the nursery pool is nearly twice as deep as it was before the dredging. In 2008, nine species of fish were recorded to be using the nursery pool and channel. Since the enhancements to the pool and channel in 2009, at least 18 fish species have been observed. Success stories such as Wawatay showcase the important environmental benefits of hydroelectric generating plants. All of MPT’s hydro power facilities --- including Wawatay --- bear the federal government’s EcoLogo™ certification, which reflects that they meet stringent environmental standards.
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