Dear editor,
The recent heat wave has raised the worry that there will be a shortage of water this summer.
This is in keeping with the prediction that the climate change that is occurring will lead to warmer, wetter winters and hotter, dryer summers – the result being winter flooding and summer drought.
Recently, Courtenay city council sent a letter to the oil companies suggesting they take some kind of financial responsibility for the impact that fossil fuel-caused climate change is having on municipal budgets.
I think they could have been more specific.
To me, an obvious mitigation solution to the flooding/drought problem would be to store the winter water better and save it for the summer.
The way to do that would be to build a dam on the Cruickshank River.
Courtenay city council could send a follow-up letter to the oil companies asking them to pay for it.
The public relations benefit would be huge.
“Sure”, the oil companies would say. “We are definitely having an impact on the climate of the Comox Valley. But here’s what we’re going to do to help out. We’re going to build you a dam.”
Erik Eriksson,
Courtenay