The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
August 7, 2007
A SPILL IS A SPILL IS A SPILL...
The 'landslide' last week at the former Similco Mines site is interesting.
As much as we have been told that the slide involved no tailings whatsoever, we have seen the crystal clear photos provided to us by the Okanogan County Sheriff's Department and we can say with 100% certainty that part of the slope that slid down the valley was tailings.
What we can't say for sure is how much, if any, tailings got as far as the Similkameen River probably a thousand feet below.
So we won't say tailings ended up in the river, because we can't be sure of that.
But we know what the landscape looks like when tailings have been piled and poured in place. But, since this is mining country, tailings are about as native to the landscape as the mountain pine beetle and we all know how much that is helping the local economy.
What we really want to focus on about the 'landslide' is not so much what material was in it as the size of it and why that should be a warning sign for all of us.
The photos we have seen show a slide that was so large in size that it had completely blocked the Similkameen River to a point that no wonder it virtually dried up downstream as the blockage basically created an earthen dam.
The location of the slide was on a bend in the river which also made it more difficult for the water to breach the blockage - at least more difficult than had it been on a straight stretch.
Now that you have a visual idea of the site, we think the red flag in all of this is the fact that there is some instability in the slopes along the river. This is nothing new as any road trip to Keremeos will reveal hillslides on virtually every hill side.
What gets our attention is that if water is one of our precious resources, we should be doing everything we can to make sure it continues to be. The 'landslide' at the former Similco Mines site should make us all aware of how precious the crystal clear Similkameen River water is and that it's something we shouldn't be playing with.
If anything, we should be protecting it.
We're not sure what triggered the 'landslide' but there's no doubt if we continue to push the boundaries of what we expect Mother Nature to put up with, she will eventually push back.
It just reminds us that this generation has inherited the mess of previous generations and part of our responsibility is to protect future generations from inheriting it and more.
Last week's 'landslide' should carry that message for all of us.
