plan to axe website

[kickingfrog]

http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2760949

 

Water info continues to flow

 

Public Works Canada backs off on plan to axe website

 

Posted By DAVE DALE The Nugget

 

Posted 9:30pm Sept 16

 

Public Works and Government Services Canada — which owns dams on the French River — has retreated from a plan to ditch a water level and flow information website.

 

Lake Nipissing boaters use the data for navigation because lake levels and river flows dictate where rocks and shoals exist.

 

The federal body told the Sturgeon-Nipissing-French Citizens' Advisory Group two weeks ago that the information service wasn't part of its mandate and PWGSC was going to ask the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to host the website instead.

 

 

"Should they decline to do so," a letter dated Aug. 30 stated, "the website and phone number will be discontinued effective Oct. 31, 2010."

Chairman of the citizens' advisory group, Phil Hall, a lands and water specialist with the North Bay district MNR, let members know about the plan.

 

Michael Eedy, who uses the website water level information to plan his excursions, said the data is important for safety reasons.

 

"This is silly," Eedy said. "They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars charting the lake and unless you know the water level, the nautical maps are useless."

 

With Lake Nipissing experiencing low levels this year, Eedy said the removal of the service also appears to be an attempt at "hiding mistakes."

 

Calls for an explanation about the notice to a Public Works staff in Toronto, a person who manages the website and a toll free telephone recorded message, were relayed to a communications manager in Vancouver.

 

Ruslan Tracz, of the engineering assets strategy sector, said Tuesday the dams are operated in accordance with advisory groups including dam operators and communities.

 

Tracz said Public Works follows the MNR's advice when it comes to opening and closing the dams.

 

He said the MNR would be the "more appropriate" administrators of this site.

 

On Wednesday, Tracz added to the Public Works comments and clarified the website will not be closed Oct. 30.

 

He said Public Works is working with the MNR and advisory committee "to ensure that we can achieve a mutually acceptable solution. PWGSC will continue to operate the water levels website until such time as we can facilitate a transfer."

 

The toll free information line, however, was not mentioned in the updated notice.

 

Eedy said that sounds a lot better than the original notice.

 

"I'm not as concerned about who maintains the website, as long as somebody is," he said.

 

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