Iqaluit (Mar 20/06) - One river near Iqaluit will be dammed for a hydro-energy project in the coming years. It's just a matter of Qulliq choosing which river.

Qulliq vice-president Jamie Flaherty said he was "really impressed" with the Greenland hydro-project. - photo courtesy of Nukissiorfiit, Gronlands Energiforsyning OUTSIDE EFFECTS If a river on the south side of Iqaluit is dammed, it will have an impact on Kimmirut because of that community's proximity, said Qulliq vice-president Jamie Flaherty. If the dam is to the north of Iqaluit, Pangnirtung will be affected because of the transportation route. That's why each community is represented on the committee. The hydro-plant could even provide power to those communities eventually, said Flaherty.

Qulliq formed a hydro committee to take a close look at five rivers within a 100-kilometre radius of the capital, deemed the most promising for the project.

The committee won't say which rivers were picked out of an initial group of 14 until environmental assessments and community consultations are complete.

"We don't want to lead anyone on until we have confirmation on the facts," says Jamie Flaherty, Qulliq Energy Corporation's vice-president.

Qulliq's loose timeline shows site-selection will be in 2006/2007.

"We will most likely be bringing the public up to speed then," said Flaherty.

The five rivers being looked at by Qulliq's Hydro Committee ranked highest in a pre-feasibility study which took into account fish presence, strength of flow, tenure, protected areas, heritage, traditional use and impoundment area - the area that would be flooded to make a lake just before the dam.

"What we need is a good, strong river that does not get in the way of cultural use and that is close to Iqaluit," said Flaherty.

"The preliminary findings from the consultants show that there are some sites that have these characteristics."

Jim Little, head of the Bill MacKenzie Humanitarian Society - an environmental group in Iqaluit - is all for the dam project.

"You're talking about global warming and greenhouse gases. We have to do something about it or forget it," said Little.

Iqaluit consumes 13 million litres of diesel fuel annually for electricity demands.

According to Qulliq, hydroelectric generation could potentially offset millions of litres of diesel fuel annually.

"Electricity from hydro does not produce greenhouse gas," said Little.

However, damming a river has the potential to alter its ecosystem and the surrounding area, Little said.

"Dams wipe out salmon stocks because they can't do the natural migrating upstream. Also, dams can flood the land and release mercury into the soil," he said, adding that this is only from what little knowledge he has on the subject.

Members of the hydro committee visited a hydroelectric dam site in Greenland, operated by power corporation Nukissiorfiit, last spring.

"There was no damage to the ecosystem and fish," said Joshua Kango, Amarok Hunters and Trappers chair and a member of the Qulliq Hydro Committee. "We foresee no damage, or not too much damage will be caused with a dam here."

Flaherty also went on the trip.

"We were really impressed with how clean everything is," he said.

There will need to be more community consultation before the company goes forward with its plans, he added.

Qulliq estimates construction of the dam will begin in 2009.

Although he emphasizes a "one step at a time" attitude, Flaherty did say Qulliq is planning to look into alternative energy sources for the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions this year.