Avon River gaining attention

Attempts by environmental groups, particularly the Friends of the Avon River, to gain public attention on the plight of the once-famous tidal estuary are starting to pay off.

For years now the group has fought to provide the public with information about the river and how it got to be the way it now appears, full of mud and virtually lifeless.

In 1970, when the causeway was first installed, there were arguments offered that really made little sense. It was the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and the (then) U.S.S.R. and Canada was caught in the middle. Mobilizing the military was listed as a reason to span the river with a dam rather than a bridge. Farmers were told they would be paid to have their dykes, many built originally by the Acadians in the 18th century, dozed down to create more arable land.

Today there are few farmers who would argue the causeway is a good thing. There has been a dramatic shift in the weather surrounding the river since the dam was installed decades ago. The cool tidal breeze no longer follows the waters to the head of the tide and groundwater levels are purportedly lower than ever, which, some suggest, is a direct result of the dam and the inability of the tide to hold back run-off groundwater.

The Avon River used to be the second largest tidal estuary in the province and was famous for its high tides and abundance of fish, particularly endangered Atlantic salmon. The Friends of the Avon River would like the federal government, through the department of Fisheries and Oceans, to look at the possibility of breaching the dam to allow partial or full tidal flow to ensure migratory fish stocks have the ability to travel upstream to breed and lay eggs.

The recent sign debacle in Lower Falmouth at the home of Irving Smith is one example of how childish some can be when it comes to the public expressing an opinion. A huge sign reading ‘River in Distress’ was vandalized recently, but instead of the attackers getting satisfaction the group simply made a new sign and added another.

Since its formation five years ago, the Friends of the Avon River have garnered the support of most of the environmental groups in the province, and have joined forces with the River Keepers. The New Brunswick chapter of River Keepers, under the direction of Daniel Leblanc, has forced the federal government to remove a causeway on the Petticodiack River that is eerily similar to the dam at Windsor.

The consequences for marine life in the Petticodiack are nearly identical to the problems facing the Avon and other rivers on the Basin side that are filling up with silt.

We are aware of at least one farmer who dozed his dykes down at the head of the tide several years back who now regrets the decision. Erosion has widened the river at the former head of the tide and every year as the ice melt forces its way downstream, huge clumps of former dyke soil are gouged out and travel with the ice flow.

It’s only through hard work that most change happens. The problems associated with the causeway have spelled disaster for the river and the way of life it once sustained. However, it’s never too late to fix a mistake. So hats off to all those fighting to bring the river to the forefront of public attention.

The only problem is no one in government will take responsibility for the mistake and do something about it. Perhaps this is where the Friends could focus their considerable energies and expertise in the future and demand political accountability.