BC Hydro Controls the Water Levels on Stave Lake. Maple Ridge Gets Almost No Say in How.

The management of Stave Lake by BC Hydro affects recreation, ecology, and property values in the Maple Ridge area. The community's voice in those decisions is minimal. That imbalance needs to change.

Stave Lake sits in the mountains above Maple Ridge, its water levels managed by BC Hydro for power generation. The decisions BC Hydro makes about when to draw down the lake and when to hold it — decisions made primarily on the basis of power system needs — have direct consequences for the recreational users, property owners, and ecological interests downstream.

Low water years, when drawdown is deeper and longer, leave extensive mudflats that affect the aesthetic and recreational character of the lake and its surroundings. High water management can create flooding risks and shoreline instability. The salmon and fish populations in the Stave River system below the dam are directly affected by flow management decisions made for generating capacity rather than ecological health.

BC Hydro is required to consult on its water licence conditions. Consultation is not the same as shared decision-making, and the experience of communities adjacent to BC Hydro facilities is that consultation often confirms decisions rather than genuinely informing them.

Maple Ridge should be advocating — through its own government channels and through partnerships with First Nations whose traditional territories are affected — for a stronger community voice in how Stave Lake is managed. Not a veto over power generation decisions, but a seat at the table where ecological and recreational values are given genuine weight alongside generating capacity.

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