Top Ten Endangered Rivers named

The Taku in northern B.C. and the Theodosia near Powell River on Vancouver Island are the two most endangered rivers in the province. That's the assessment of the Outdoor Recreation Council in its annual list of the Top Ten Endangered Rivers in BC.

The ten rivers it has identified can be found in the remotest parts of the province and in the most crowded parts of the province. They are big rivers and small urban streams. The Recreation Council says all are being pressured and in some cases degraded by mine operations, gravel dredging and urban sprawl.

The Taku River tops the list this year. It's threatened by the possible reopening of a mine. Number two on the list is the Theodosia River near Powell River, which is choked off by an under-utilized dam. The list also includes the Fraser and Coquitlam rivers, as well as urban streams.

Council Chair, Mark Angelo is calling on the provincial government to do more to protect waterways. Angelo says, "these are crucial issues". He says, "when you talk about the future of salmon, the protection of rivers is an extremely important part of the equation and it hasn't got the attention it deserves".