WINDSOR, N.S. — A steady stream of vehicles weaved its way through Windsor to Falmouth Sunday afternoon as a way to draw attention to concerns over the region’s freshwater supply.
Meanwhile, in a show of solidarity, recreational users aboard multiple watercrafts — from speedboats to canoes and kayaks — positioned themselves on Lake Pisiquid, a manmade head-pond between Windsor and Falmouth.
The Sept. 27 event was spearheaded by the recently-formed Avon River Freshwater Stakeholders as a way to bring to light concerns related to the causeway that separates the Avon River.
Victor Oulton, a Martock farmer, said multiple groups are now voicing their concerns as saltwater enters the freshwater they rely upon.
The government has been “allowing some (more) saltwater through the gates with every tide and we were told it would not go anywhere near as far up river or (that there would be) as much saltwater in the lake system as there is there now,” said Oulton.
In August, farmers began to notice plants wilting and livestock getting ill. When water quality tests were conducted, higher than normal salinity levels were present.
“It’s really come to a head for the farming community. We have to save this freshwater resource,” said Oulton, adding it also impacts businesses, like Ski Martock, which relies on about 60 million gallons of water from the river each snowmaking season.
The issue is back in the forefront as the Province of Nova Scotia works to twin Highway 101 between Windsor and Falmouth. The Avon River causeway, which opened in 1970, has to be addressed as part of the construction project. The causeway currently controls the discharge and incoming tidal waters through a series of flood gates.
The existing aboiteau system also restricts the amount of fish able to migrate up river to spawn. After much lobbying, the gates were opened for longer periods of time this year — allowing more fish, but also more saltwater, to enter Windsor’s freshwater side of the causeway.
There are multiple Mi'kmaw communities, environmental groups and fishermen that are opposed to the Highway 101 twinning project if it would see the causeway widened and the construction of a controlled tidal exchange installed.
FOOD SECURITY PARAMOUNT
But Oulton says they’re hopeful a compromise can be reached as maintaining the freshwater is crucial for the survival of several area farms and businesses.
“That freshwater resource is becoming more valuable all the time,” said Oulton.
“We’re seeing it with climate change coming on. We don’t know what we’re going to have for weather these days. We get lots of extremes,” he said, mentioning the direct relationship between a freshwater supply and food security.
“We’ve been kind of compared to the Okanagan Valley somewhat for our potential. That freshwater runs right through 3,500 acres of farmland that we could be irrigating,” he said.
“We all want better fish passage but we want to come to a way where we can all work together and accomplish this so everybody can benefit from it.”
Adrienne Wood, president of the Windsor Township Business Association, took part in the peaceful protest as she’s also concerned with food security.
“Right now, the infiltration of saltwater is the big concern and losing our freshwater resource,” she said.
“For me, it’s losing our food security; it’s not having the freshwater for our farmers to support their livestock and the crops that we need. This is a time of a global pandemic and food security has become more and more important.”
Wood said she hopes the event will serve to educate the public on what free tidal flow, or even longer gate openings, could mean.
Farmer Dave Oulton, who runs Char-Vale Charolais Limited in Falmouth, wants some clarity on the future of water levels and salinity levels. He says the extra saltwater that’s been allowed this season has negatively affected his farming operation.
“We’ve got 100-head over there drinking saltwater now,” said Oulton, “and something has to happen quick.”
He said high salt content is not good for cattle and he’s worried about what’s being planned for the area.
It’s anticipated that a revised design for the causeway area will be presented this fall.
CANOE CLUB’S FATE AT STAKE
Although the building of the causeway has long been referred to as a manmade ecological disaster, many businesses and organizations have built up around and benefited from the freshwater side.
Karen Lynch, who created the Pisiquid Canoe Club with her late husband, Fred, in the early 1970s, said opening the river to free tidal flow would devastate the organization.
“The canoe club is not going to exist there if it’s opened to free tidal flow because there’s no lake to paddle on,” said Lynch.
“Saltwater in that lake will corrode the wires that help steer the kayaks so the kayaks would just be ruined and so would the race course that has been put in place,” she continued.
The Lynchs moved to Windsor in 1969 and settled in to raise a family. As they were both national canoe and kayak champions when they were teenagers paddling for the Banook Canoe Club, they saw potential in the newly formed Lake Pisiquid. She’s still involved with the Windsor-based club.
“We’re training paddlers for national competitions now and they’re doing extremely well,” she said.
This season has been phenomenal for young paddlers.
Lynch said allowing saltwater “will shut down the canoe club, there is no question.”
But more than that, Lynch, who lives in Falmouth and owns land in Upper Falmouth that is farmed, said she’s worried about the repercussions of removing the freshwater supply.
“There’s so many more people who are going to be affected if that freshwater disappears from that body of water.”
RELATED LINKS
Ski Martock’s snowmaking operations in jeopardy without access to reliable freshwater supply
What the Petitcodiac River can teach us about Windsor’s controversial causeway
Nova Scotia has duty to consult on Avon River Causeway: First Nation
Avon River causeway opened to allow fish passage
West Hants council seeking info as questions abound around fate of Avon River causeway
