We recognize that hunting, trapping and fishing are important to Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Citizens, local resident and many Yukoners, as is outdoor recreation and wilderness tourism.
We’ve studied the health of the fish in the Aishihik and Canyon lakes. The studies show that the fish and fish populations are healthy.
We have made it easier for fish to move through the fishway at the Aishihik Lake Control Structure (Dam) and are working to make additional improvements to increase opportunities for upstream fish passage from Canyon Lake to Aishihik Lake (downstream fish migration appears unaffected).
The Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan will continue to define what fish and wildlife data will be used to measure the impact of the hydro facility (e.g., fish populations), what studies should be done to measure impact and how often those studies should be done.
WATER FLOWS
Yukon Energy and Champagne and Aishihik First Nations acknowledge that there are icing and wintertime flooding issues downstream of the Aishihik hydro facility.
The Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan will define measures that may include how water should flow downstream of Aishihik hydro facility to help reduce winter flooding and potential winter erosion.
More work is required on this piece of the plan. We will engage additional experts later this year to further this work.
IMPACTS ON SETTLEMENT LAND AND TRADITIONAL LAND USES
We recognize that Aishihik Lake and the surrounding areas are culturally important to Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Citizens.
The long-term proposal outlines requirements to monitor Settlement Land affected by icing.
Our Heritage Resources Management Plan will be updated by February 2021. Heritage Resource Overview Assessments will be conducted for any work areas not previously assessed.
The Yukon Waters Act provides a process for compensation as part of the licence renewal proceedings.