Long lauded as a model of international cooperation, the Columbia River
Treaty governs the storage and management of the waters of the upper
Columbia River basin, a region rich in water resources, with a natural
geography well suited to hydroelectric megaprojects. The Treaty also
caused the displacement of over 2,000 residents of over a dozen
communities, flooded and destroyed archaeological sites and up-ended
once-healthy fisheries.
The book begins with a review of key historical events that preceded the
Treaty, including the Depression-era construction of Grand Coulee Dam in
central Washington, a project that resulted in the extirpation of
prolific runs of chinook, coho and sockeye into B.C. Prompted by
concerns over the 1948 flood, American and Canadian political leaders
began to focus their policy energy on governing the flow of the
snow-charged Columbia to suit agricultural and industrial interests.
Referring to national and provincial politics, First Nations history,
and ecology, the narrative weaves from the present day to the past and
back again in an engaging and unflinching examination of how and why
Canada decided to sell water storage rights to American interests. The
resulting Treaty flooded three major river valleys with four dams, all
constructed in a single decade.
At the heart of this survey of the Treaty and its impacts is the lack of
consultation with local people. Those outside the region in urban areas
or government benefited most. Those living in the region suffered the
most losses. Specific stories of affected individuals are laced with
accounts of betrayal, broken promises and unfair treatment, all of which
serve as a reminder of the significant impact that policy, international
agreements and corporate resource extraction can have on the
individual's ability to live a grounded life, in a particular place.
Another little-known aspect of the Treaty's history is the 1956
"extinction" of the Arrow Lakes Indians, or Sinixt, whose transboundary
traditional territory once stretched from Washington State to the
mountains above Revelstoke, B.C. Several thousand Sinixt today living
south of the border have no rights or status in Canada, despite their
inherent aboriginal rights to land that was given over by the Treaty to
hydroelectric production and agricultural flood control.
With one of the Treaty's provisions set to expire in 2024, and with any
changes to the treaty requiring a 10-year notice period, the question of
whether or not to renew, renegotiate or terminate this water agreement
is now being actively discussed by governments and policy makers. A
River Captured surveys important history that can influence debate on
who owns water, how water should be valued and whether or not rivers can
be managed for non-human values such as fisheries, as well as the
familiar call for more affordable electricity.