Proposed regulations could see motorized boats disappear from the Shuswap River
SHUSWAP – Proposed regulations could mean the end for motorized boats on much of the Shuswap River.
The reasoning behind the proposal is environmental degradation and the safety of other river users, such as tubers, swimmers and kayakers, says the North Okanagan Regional District’s sustainability coordinator Anna Page.
The proposed regulations would ban motorized boats on the Lower Shuswap River from Baxter Bridge upstream to the eastern end of Skookumchuk Rapids Park and on the Mid Shuswap River from South Mabel Lake to the Shuswap Falls, and allow only 10 horse power and under engines from Mara Lake to Baxter Bridge. There are currently no boating regulations anywhere on the river.
“(The proposal) is in response to community concerns,” Page says. “Over the last number of years, the board has heard from community groups and individuals with concerns with respect to motorized boats on the river.”
Among the concerns are bank erosion caused by the wakes left behind by boats and the disturbance to salmon spawning grounds and other fish and wildlife habitats, Page says. There’s also the safety issue of motorized boats and the risk of collisions with other river users.
“In speaking with people who spend time on the river they feel there’s a high risk of that happening,” Page says.
The environmental and public safety concerns were underscored in the new Shuswap River Watershed Sustainability Plan, and through the work of two UBCO students who studied the river in the summers of 2013 and 2014.
Boating regulations are common throughout B.C. and any level of government can ask Transport Canada to restrict the use of vessels on bodies of water to help achieve safety, environmental or public interest objectives, Page says.
What will follow over the next four months is public consultation in the form of open houses and a survey.
“We’re wanting to find out how people feel about the plan, whether they’re supportive or not,” Page says.
The proposal is a joint venture between the North Okanagan Regional District, Vernon Protective Services Safe Communities Unit, Lower Shuswap Stewardship Society, Enderby and District Service Commission, Enderby and District Chamber of Commerce and the City of Enderby.
Two open houses are set for the second week of June, the first at the Enderby Drill Hall, June 10 from 5-7:30 p.m. and the second at Mabel Lake Hall (Lumby end) June 11 from 5-7:30 p.m.
Surveys can be completed online and will also be mailed to all property owners adjoining the river in the affected areas. The surveys, maps of the zones and additional information can be found here.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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Are Indigenous people using motorboats for fishing activities or for traveling up and down the river? Have they been considered in this proposal? Why aren’t they among the groups of this so-called “joint venture”?
I find it interesting that when our Federal government has taken so much of out lakes out of protected status, that they come up with this boner.By the way, who is going to enforce this?A police boat with twice the HP as the offending boat owner?
No way,property values would drop ,tourism would suffer,small business would be hurt by this,cook creek caused more damage to the river than fifty years of boating ever could have done because the govt should have known about it and fixed it before it happened,same as falls creek,this is an too much invasion into private lives and choices ,the speed limit I agree on but not no access or restricted hpmust all go to this meeting and let transport Canada how we feel,why is are own council supporting this crazy,a ten hp motor creates more wake than a larger boat going slow, we must stop this before they slide it through as law BOATERS RIGHTS
also by the time salmon season and spawning grounds by that time the only boats tearing them beds up are the fisheries boats on the river true fact.
as a boater that has used this river for the last 8 years , i have picked up more garbage and beer cans from tuber and floaters than I care to think about, as for shore damage due to our wakes? have you ever heard of high water in the spring? this move more shore line than a 1000 boats a day going up/down! I have never heard of a collision on the river between any one, i think the twoUBCO “students ” need to get their facts straight, land owners also need to acknowledgethat their farms along the river with pesticides and animal shit does more harm to the river than our boats! also YOU DO NOT OWN THE RIVER!
This is a joke, when we look at all the environmental failures we’ve suffered because of harper’s attitude to the environment. Motor boats are a drop in the bucket vis the environment and people who are so heated up about the issue should take that energy and look provincially and federally.
also how many people hae drown do to tubeing on thever I think if your going to close it do it for all water craft and floaters.
has there ever been a collision on the river that has involved a BOAT and banks giving out ok high water does that and salmon fishing is always good tell the complainers get a life there just jelous they cant boat.
Maybe just imposing a speed limit in certain areas and patrolling those areas more often?Boaters shouldn’t be on the rivers going as fast as they do, they also leave behind garbage, piss over the edge of their boats and leave trails of gasoline, but I also don’t think a lot of these river floaters should be there either with the mess they leave behind and using the river as their personal bathroom. If it was an option I would say ban everyone. Such a lovely disgusting world we live in, all in the name of having fun. Pretty soon our rivers will be just like China’s rivers. I enjoy both the boating and floating but also am as respectful as possible, wish it was the same with everyone then there would be a problem.
You shut this down and every waterway in Canada could be shut down to boats. Don’t kid yourselves….that’s exactly what “they” are hoping for. The excuses “they” use to close the Shuswap River to boating could be said for every single waterway in B.C. Lets just close ALL rivers and lakes in B.C. to boating…..WTF!
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! My favorite sign in the world is “No power boats”!
Stop boats, dangerous, amazing a floater hasn’t been hurt yet, and it’s so beautiful , places like this, need our help , before man distructs.