Irresponsible gravel removal from the Fraser River is jeopardizing the natural fish habitat. Taking our cue from the major tenets of our July article Between a Rock and a Hard Place and bring you a closer look with video footage and commentary.

Gravel is the glue that holds our cities' roads, sidewalks, buildings, bridges, and home foundations together. It's part of a $300-milllion-a-year industry in B.C., and the average person's dependence on it far exceeds his knowledge of it. But is this silent partner to the city harming more than it's helping? The government purports gravel removal to be essential for flood protection, but local scientists and activists insist most of the excavation is unnecessary.

Gravel Excavation on the Fraser River

Video footage of a gravel excavation site along the Fraser River. These rocky planes are the remains of a former fish habitat.

Gravel Removal Environmental Effects

Dr. Marvin Rosenau, BCIT instructor and former provincial biologist, expounds on the environmental backlash from gravel removal in the Fraser River.

Gravel Removal Motives

Despite gravel removal companies operating under a mandate of "flood protection", environmentalists and ecologists are skeptical of their motives and critical of their lack of concern for this salmon-producing habitat. Activists are asking that the gravel removal be carried out responsibly in order to protect this ecologically rich spawning environment.

• Tags
  • salmon spawning, 
  • fraser river gravel mining, 
  • fraser river ecology, 
  • sturgeon, 
  • salmon habitats, 
  • gravel extraction, 
  • salmon, 
  • DFO