Residents say proposed placer mine in Yukon's Ibex Valley threatens their drinking water

Despite a thick layer of ice, you can still hear the creek gurgling.

Meta Williams uses a stick of alder to poke through a thin layer of ice that's formed over a hole, and stoops to fill a large pail with water she'll later use for drinking and cooking.

Stony Creek, about 50 kilometres west of Whitehorse and near Mendenhall Landing, is so clean, Williams said, that she drinks straight from it  — something she's done for about five decades. And it's no different for many other Ibex Valley residents, she said.

"It's one of those places where we feel safe to drink the water," said Williams, who's of mixed Yukon First Nations ancestry, including Southern Tutchone. "We feel safe to go on the sides, go up the sides of the hill and pick the berries in the springtime. Some of the medicine plants. We pick our soapberries here.

"It's like a part of everything I breathe. It's been a part of my life, all my life."

Williams is among a group of dozens of area residents speaking out about a proposed placer mine along a portion of the creek. They're afraid it would deal irreparable damage to the waterway which has long provided for the surrounding community.

An Alberta-based miner wants to build a class four placer mine upon 11 claims, each of which span the creek, a tributary of the Takhini River. The project is now undergoing an environmental assessment.

Stony Creek travels through Steve Thomas's property. He told CBC News the project would be 500 metres away from his house. And while he's concerned about noise from heavy machinery and how the project could affect his property value, preserving the creek trumps all of that for him.

Stony Creek runs through Steve Thomas's property. Thomas says the creek should be protected. (Julien Gignac/CBC)

"I really think the creek should be protected, because how many sources of clean water are there?" Thomas said. "It seems absurd to put this at risk, for future development of agriculture and residential."

Thomas and his late wife, Sue Thomas, selected their property because it's set in an area known for its natural, rugged beauty.

A mine, Steve said, threatens many people's lifestyle choices, including his.

"It's just crazy to me."

The proposal that miner Willy Driedger has in front the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board includes building several fords across the creek, a camp big enough for a crew of 12, and diversion of part of the creek. The mine would use up to 4,001 cubic metres of water per day, roughly equivalent to two Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Driedger didn't return requests for comment.

A spokesperson with the Yukon government said it would be "premature" to comment, provided the matter is still before the assessment board.

A spokesperson for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, another decision body, said in an email the proposal is "generally consistent" with laws governing fish and their habitats.

"The proponent has stated they will maintain an access point for the public to access drinking water from Stony Creek," the spokesperson said, adding that public drinking water isn't within the purview of the department.

Mine could disturb salmon habitat, First Nation says

Kwanlin Dün First Nation, in a submission filed to the board, says the majority of Ibex Valley residents depend on the creek for drinking water.

"All deep water wells from Takhini subdivision to Champagne suffer from uranium contamination," the submission states. "Hence, the use of drinking water from Stony is said to be up to half of the use in these households."

The First Nation also states, if approved, the proposed mine would join two other operations along the creek and further affect the waterway.

The creek supports grayling, and there's also evidence the waterway could be salmon-bearing. At least one Kwanlin Dün citizen who publicly wrote to the board states he's caught chinook salmon fry at the creek.

A 1998 report prepared for the Yukon River Panel also states that juvenile chinook salmon were caught along certain portions of the creek.

Stony Creek, where many Ibex Valley residents have long drawn their water from. (Julien Gignac/CBC)

Kwanlin Dün states it's concerned mining activities and creek diversion will harm salmon fry or eggs.

"Salmon populations are in a critical state and any diversion or potential to damage their habitat has to be avoided," it states.

In another submission, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations state it's identified a heritage site near the claims along the creek. Now, it's calling on the board to stop the project from advancing until a heritage investigation is completed.

A 'beautiful place'

Meta Williams's pail is now brimming with water. The haul should last her at least a couple days. And soon, she'll return to the water's edge, in her pickup truck.

Williams wants to keep things just as they are.

"I really want the decision-makers to sit down and look at the historic imprint of this beautiful place, and can we keep it like that?" she said.

"I want my adult children to continue to get water here, and to know if they need fish, they can come here, too. They can pick the berries."