I don't know why you people can't play nice. Pay attention to the facts and not your immediate emotional reaction, and perhaps some meaningful debate can take place. The Outdoor Recreation Council released the following list of the 10 most endangered rivers in BC:
1. (tied) Cheakamus River (toxic spills, significant fish kills, low flows)
1. (tied) Greater Georgia Basin steelhead streams (historically low steelhead stocks, habitat loss through urbanization, water extraction, water contamination, destabilization of steep banks, low summer flows, high water temperatures)
3. Fraser River (urbanization, sewage, pollution, lower summer flows, gravel extraction, agricultural impacts, reduced protection for urban stream tributaries)
4. Taku River (habitat loss because of mining activity and road building, acid mine drainage)
5. Coldwater River (excessive water extraction, low summer flows, high water temperatures)
6. Coquitlam River (excessive sedimentation, gravel extraction, urbanization, urban runoff)
7. Chehalis River (proposed placer and gravel mining, concerns about siltation)
8. Okanagan River (channelization, water extraction, urban encroachment, riparian habitat loss and the building of dams and weirs)
9. Kettle River (potential dam, potential for reduced water flows from proposed power project, species at risk)
10. (tied) Salmon River (declining fish stocks, agricultural pollution, flash floods, falling water tables, urbanization)
10. (tied) Iskut/Stikine (impacts of proposed power project, loss of habitat through road-building, possible mining activity)
The major causes of degradation of these systems are development and urbanization. Only one river, the Salmon, is noted for declining fish stocks (presumably over-fishing) as a cause for river degradation. Note that the Alouette, Nicomekle, Serpentine, etc. are not there. Last year the Chilliwack/Vedder was listed number 5 due to development, but I didn't see anyone getting a twist in their knickers from folks posting reports on that endangered system. We all have our favorite little "secret" spots, but the reality is they aren't our spots and they sure as hell aren't secret. Lighten up and learn.