Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: bkk on August 05, 2005, 01:39:24 PM
-
Some time this morning there was a massive chemical spill of caustic soda into the Cheakamus River due to a train derailement in the Cheakamus canyon. Estimates are a 151 000 litres into the river ( 4 railcars). Fish kill is very large with adult chinook, pink ,steellhead (rainbow trout) and juvenile coho, steelhead, trout, chinook, lampreys and sculpins all found in a brief survey near the North Vancouver Outdoor School. There is evidence of lots of dead fish in the margins of the river along with many juveniles which are stressed and most likely damaged. PH reading's taken were off the scale at above 8. Very toxic. More info to follow.
-
That's not good news. :(
-
bummer news :'( :'(
-
Ouch.
I hope nobody on the train was injured.
That's nasty. At least it's a bit early for the Pinks. If it had been in about a month, the Squamish would have an alternating year Pink run too :(
-
FYI: Caustic Soda is known as sodium hydroxide, used in pulp bleaching process. At 10% concentration it can burn the skin. Paper mills etc use it at 50% concentration or highe (pH 14). It causes severe corrosive damage.
-
I'm hoping the naturally acidic environment there, will help to neutralize it quickly. That, plus the high flow rate of the Cheak.
-
I was just in Squamish yesterday, checking up on the pink run and thinking to myself that it is one of my favorite places to fish and explore. CN had better get off their butts on this one, the Cheakamus is a great river and so much work has gone into bringing it back, this is just a slap in the face. Like DS said, thank god this did not happen 3 weeks from now. From what I understand the sodium hydroxide gets flushed fairly quickly and does not linger in the system, so thank god for that. However, if the ph of the cheakamus is altered for a period of time is there a possibility that it will mess up the "guidance system" of the returning pinks? I think ph is one of the indicators salmon use to find their spawning grounds, and since under normal conditions the difference from stream to stream is small, then even a slight change in ph may prevent returning pinks from finding the spawing grounds. This is just thinking aloud, but I wonder if this is a possible threat to the cheakamus pinks that are about to move into the system.
-
Only time will tell. Let's hope it doesn't.
-
Just heard on the radio that the PH level is back to normal. Not causing anymore damage
-
Damage is already done. The kill off of thousands of juvinile fish will be felt for years to come. >:(
-
Flyfished the Squamish from morning to afternoon. , must have hit the tide right this mornin' cause I sure got into lots of pinks, so they are in..slowed down later afternoon. did see a few pinks foating bye belly up possibly a result of the chem. spill up river. silty color, about 1 ' vis. What a blast getting pinks on the fly rod. lotsa action for awhile.
-
Unfortunatly many of those fish willl die due to contaminated water comming down. CP need to step up to the plate on this one >:(
-
From my post on another site.
Unfortunately a similar event happened on July 31, 1991 on the Upper Sacramento river near Dunsmuir CA (Cantara). We were driving back home to Vancouver and an hour after we passed through they shut down I-5.
See http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Documents/cantara_web.pdf
The ramifications were significant. The Upper Sacramento flows into Lake Shasta which is a water source for Northern and Central California. It took years and millions of dollars to recover. As I stop at Dunsmuir on my annual trip to California (it is exactly 12 hours from Vancouver and I can get to Ted Fay's fly shop in time to pick up my 10 day license) I can confirm the fish are now back and plentiful.
Cal
-
that really sucks >:(. I saw it on the news last night and it showed all the fish that were killed. Tons of salmon and steelhead smolts and a few springs belly up...I say sue them ;D, lol! This is really bad news, especially for the years to come :P :-X
-
Some updates:
By now I am sure all of you have heard of the spill of Caustic Soda 51,000l of 73% conc Sodium Hydroxide) to the Cheakamus.
First of all I can not understate the effect this has had on fish populations on the Cheakamus and lower Squamish.
ph readings taken today during the height of contamination were 14+ if there is such a thing. ph is back down to 7 as of mid afternoon.
Today a number of people spent a very hot afternoon collecting more dead fish than I care to think about (yes I am a little emotional about this).
I am trying not to be over dramatic but I would say a very high percentage of fish in the mainstem Cheakamus and lower Squamish are dead. The juvenile steelhead have most likely taken the hardest hit as three year classes (2003, 2004 and 2005) juveniles were affected, this is not to underestimate the effect on other species i.e pink and chinook adults who are currently in river to spawn). For example in a 105m stretch of river edge chinook and pink adults, rainbow adults, dollyvarden adults, steelhead and rainbow juveniles, coho juveniles, chinook juveniles, sculpins (better known as bullheads) and lamprey (adults and juvenile) the later two species only die when things are pretty tough in my experience.
Anyhow now that I have given vent to my feelings, here's how you can help. Under the direction of Provincial fisheries biologists we would like to collect as many of the dead fish as we can. We will be processing these fish at Tenderfoot Hatchery and will be meeting at 8:30 Saturday or come by later if you wish as someone will be there to direct you all day, so please come and give us a hand. Bring waders and rubber gloves.
Thanks
Caroline
Hi
Further to lastnight's e-mail here are few of the many photos I took yesterday. As you can see in the picture GuagePool 9 the fish were trying to escape the water, while photo Gauge Pool 23 is one dipnet full of fish taken from the bottom aprox 8m offshore. Other sites from near the canyon to below the confluence with the Squamish were also surveyed yesterday with similar results.
I just want to reitereate that this disaster should not be diminished, the reprucussions for the ecology of the lower Cheakamus are huge. As I stated last night a high percentage (maybe 90+%) of all the species of fish in the Cheakamus are dead and the three fish I saw alive yesterday did not look happy, not to mention the effect on the inverterbrates which we hope to assess today. Any help in making sure wide public awareness of this event is realized will ensure advocacy as we try to recover this precious
watershed.
I will try to keep everyone up to date on what is happening as we assess.Caroline Melville
-
read the vancouver sun this morning,it was a sad news,it almost wiped out everything in the river plus the wildlife ,it will takes a long long time to recover. :'(
-
what a waste,sad. cp should be held responsible $ $ to put the river right.gsus ....
-
Just heard on the news that the PH level has returned to normal. Unfortunately the damage has been done.
-
15 More photos, bkk asked me to post these:
http://www.fishingwithrod.com/member/gallery/album33
-
is cp rail going to take any responsibilty for this and commence cleanup and rehab on the cheakamus? what fines are going to be issued from the dfo or provincial government. i guess some answers would be nice!
-
This maybe a bit late, but they are still looking for volunteers to document the fish disaster (probably 95% of the Checkamus fish are dead, not lethargic as claimed by some media), ie. collecting fish, recording them, etc. Volunteers are meeting at Tenderfoot Hatchery at 8:30am, but you can come anytime after that also, there is plenty to do. Bring hip waders and gloves if you have them.
Direction to the hatchery: North, from Vancouver, on Highway 99. Look for hatchery signs just prior to the junction for Alice Lake Provincial Park. Turn left onto Squamish Valley Road. Travel four kilometres west to Cheekye, take the right fork (Paradise Valley Road). Four kilometres then turn right onto Midnight Way. Hatchery is at the south end of the road, approximately 1 kilometre.
-
no wander these trains do derail. While walking to the Scale bar the other day we saw some pegs 50% or more out of their original position. I even saw some completely out :o . With this rail maintanance we will definitely see more derailments.
-
just heard and ouch, :(
-
Same, back from Interior and hear about this news. What a tragic waste.
-
Electroshocking thru 8 sites on the Cheakamus today yielded ZERO fish in some prime steelhead/rainbow fry and parr habitat. We did witness ONE very small steelhead fry (~approx. 3 cm) that could have emerged since the spill (in the last 1-2 days).
-
Oh yeah... amoung the carcasses collected and documented: Chinook, Pink, Coho, Chum, Steelhead and Rainbow, Dolly Varden and Bull Trout, Sculpin and Lamprey. Not to mention the invertebrate mortality. Impacts on algae and other plant-life are yet to be determined.
-
thx for posting those extra pics rod.as sickening as they are to look at.cn better step up and make a huge "donation"to the hatchery.if i wasn t working i d be heading up to help.well back to work.
-
Provincial commission to tackle toxic spill
Thursday, August 11, 2005 Page S2
Victoria -- The British Columbia Environment Ministry is putting together a task force to develop a recovery plan for the Cheakamus River after a toxic CN train wreck last week.
More than 40,000 litres of sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda, spilled into the river on Friday when nine cars of a freight train derailed near Squamish.
The first job of the task force is to find out how much harm was done to fish stocks, wildlife and habitat, the ministry said in a news release.
Then the group, which also includes Canadian National Railway, the federal Fisheries Department and the Squamish First Nation, will develop an ecosystem recovery plan. The railway will be responsible for implementing the plan, the ministry said.
The province is also working with Environment Canada as it investigates the spill. Transport Canada is conducting a separate probe into the cause of the derailment. CP
-
CN's PR disasters
By SCOTT DEVEAU
Thursday, August 11, 2005 Updated at 11:27 AM EDT
Globe and Mail Update
The mess spilling out around the Lake Wabamun derailment is just one of several incidents that Canadian National Railways Co. has faced in recent months.
On Aug. 3, more than 500,000 litres of oil spilled into Lake Wabamun, 65 kilometres west of Edmonton. Initially, CN reported that one of the spilled cars contained lube oil, but it was discovered upon further investigation to be carrying pole-treatment oil, a carcinogen.
It is estimated that up to 80,000 litres of pole-treating oil were spilled at the site.
The revelation prompted local health officials to upgrade a warning to residents. After initially telling them not to swim or boat in the lake or drink well water, it subsequently warned against showering, brushing their teeth or even handling animals or birds that were trapped in the sludge that now coats the banks of the lake.
The upgraded warning came five days after the crash, well after many volunteers starting handling wildlife from the lake.
The Alberta government said it would hold CN responsible to full extent of the law if it were found to be negligent in reporting the contents of the spill.
On Aug. 5, two days after the Alberta spill, another CN Rail freight train derailed about 30 kilometres north of Squamish, B.C., sending nine cars into the Cheakamus River canyon and causing another toxic spill.
Roughly 40,000 litres of sodium hydroxide, a highly corrosive liquid used in the pulp-and-paper industry, spilled into the river, devastating the local marine wildlife. Residents reported dead fish covering the banks of the river, and several people also complained that it took more than 12 hours for officials to notify them about the spill.
The British Columbia Environment Ministry struck a task force Wednesday to develop a recovery plan for the Cheakamus River after the spill. As in Alberta, B.C.'s Environment Minister Barry Penner said that prosecution may ensue if culpability is determined under provincial environmental legislation or the federal Fisheries Act.
Fines for a spill under the Fisheries Act can range up to $1-million, and provincial fines could amount to up to another $1-million.
The province is also working with Environment Canada to investigate the spill, and Transport Canada is conducting its own investigation into the wreck.
On July 4, two CN trains derailed in Prescott, Ont.
Although no injuries were reported and there was only minor leakage, the incident could have been considerably worse.
The train was reportedly on its way to Montreal and had dropped off fuel at a nearby town just before the accident.
The engine and the first car were the only parts of the 50-car train that remained upright.
Last month, U.S. investigators cited CN's failure to properly maintain and inspect its tracks in a fatal Amtrak crash in Mississippi on April 6, 2004.
One person died in the accident, which investigators determined was caused by a misaligned track.
At the time, CN officials said the company “deeply regretted” and would review the safety board findings. CN officials were not available for comment Thursday.
Two of CN's unions joined a major environmental group Tuesday in questioning the railway's safety record.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and the Canadian Auto Workers Local 100, which represent engineers and shop workers respectively, have written Transport Minister Jean Lapierre asking him to investigate CN's maintenance, repair and inspection practices.
Meanwhile, the Sierra Club of Canada is demanding that Environment Minister Stéphane Dion prosecute the former Crown corporation for environmental damage caused by toxic materials that spilled in the Alberta and B.C. derailments.
CN defends its safety performance, arguing that despite privatization and job cuts, new monitoring technology has made it the safest railway in North America.
“The main reason why we felt strongly about this is because we've got two aquatic eco-systems that have basically been destroyed,” Stephen Hazell, Sierra Club conservation director, said Tuesday from Ottawa.
“We haven't heard much from either level of government about what they plan to do about it, even though we have environmental laws in this country that cover these exact sorts of situations.”
Ottawa should prosecute the railway under the Fisheries Act or the Environmental Protection Act, he said.
“We have been concerned for many years about the growing reluctance of the federal government to prosecute polluters,” Mr. Hazell said. “These two instances are among the most egregious that I can recall.”
The unions contend that CN's safety record has declined since it was privatized in 1995 and began shedding staff even as it expanded operations by taking over U.S.-based Illinois Central Railroad in 1998, as well as Crown-owned B.C. Rail in 2003.
“We speculate or believe there are some correlating issues here between the downsizing, the weight increase, the train length increase, CN moving from a Crown corporation to a private organization and that kind of stuff,” said John Burns, vice-president of CAW Local 100 in Vancouver.
“We're asking the minister in a letter to him to do a comprehensive review of CN practices.”
Bruce Willows, senior vice-chairman of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, dismissed suggestions that his union was exploiting the incidents to push for more jobs.
“Railway safety doesn't impact directly on our numbers,” he said. “It impacts directly on our members' lives, their health and safety.
“What we want to do is exclude the possibility that somehow cutbacks have resulted in a reduction with respect to maintenance of track and equipment.”
-
it has taken me a few days to fully digest what has gone on with the cheakamus, squamish system. I for one will not be doing any fishing in that system until the rivers have healed, even if it takes years. I would encourage those who fish this sytem every year in it's many different fisheries, to hang up the rods and go fish a different river. It is kind of troubling me that so many people are willing to go c&r pinks in the wake of this disaster and also knowing that pink runs are going to be drastically lower than they should because of the floods a few years back.
My suggestion, if you value the cheakamus and the squamish system, stop fishing it and volunteer and donate $$ , don't sit back and wait for the government to make cn fix things.
I'm not saying this to trash on those who are fishing up there, they are just my thoughts on this terrible event.
-
Hey AF - I'm with you. I'm thinking I probably won't even get out for Chums on the Squ'ish. :( The river system needs every spawning fish, and every carcass to be there so that it can rebuild it's nutrient systems. (IMHO)
Looks like the Vedder and Chehalis will be REALLY crowded this year.
-
Don't think the chums are impacted by this spill. They don't return to spawn til late September
-
Nope, the brood stocks of the fish that were killed are not the only ones we should be concerned about. As mentioned in another post, all animals, plants and their physical surroundings in an ecosystem depend on each other.
Also, passing this along to you:
The impacts on the lower Squamish were less clear as most of the monitoring and dead fish recovery was concentrated on the Cheak. Anyone with any information on fish kill in the lower Squamish or those who were on the river the day of the spill it would be great to hear from you. The Squamish First Nation and Edith Tobe of the Squamish Streamkeepers both pointed out to observing dead and dying fish along with PH above 9 as far down as the estuary.
-
Spill cleanup ‘could take… years’
By Kim Thompson
Reporter
Investigation ongoing; task force struck to formulate Cheakamus recovery plan
kthompson@whistlerquestion.com
Whistler tourism outfitters that rely on the Cheakamus River are bracing for the worst after a CN Rail train derailment last week leaked thousands of litres of toxic chemicals into otherwise pristine waters.
Although the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) officials have now deemed the river safe, the effects of the chemical spill have devastated those closest to the river. Over the weekend, residents were warned not to approach the river and tourism outfitters were asked to cease operations over the weekend.
Nine cars from a 144-car train plunged into the Cheakamus River, 30 kilometres north of Squamish, en route to Prince George on Friday at around 7:30 a.m. Most of the rail cars were empty, but one was a tanker carrying caustic soda, or sodium hydroxide, a corrosive material used in paper manufacturing. Commonly known as lye, the substance raised pH levels in the water and killed nearly every species of fish in its wake.
The chemical spill also forced raft companies to cancel all trips during the busiest weekend of the summer.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) announced the formation of a task force to develop a recovery plan for the river. The task force is to include officials with the MOE, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Squamish Nation and CN Rail.
Evan Phillips, operations manager for Canadian Outback Adventures, said the disaster had obvious immediate effects, but said the long-term implications will be subtle. Since the spill, walk-in traffic for Cheakamus River float trips had dropped by 100 per cent, he said.
“The Cheakamus River is a fantastic family rafting product and the wilderness component has been affected,” Phillips said. “We are back on the water but it is not all happy smiles because there are fish carcasses on the side of the river. As a guide, it’s not fun t o explain what happened.”
Eric Ridington, president of Whistler Whitewater Co., is still waiting to get back on the river. Ridington said he is frustrated because news of the spill reached him through the media rather than a phone call from CN. He is still waiting to hear whether it is safe to return to the river.
“I have a lot of questions and I have to make some phone calls. I want to know what measures have been taken to deal with this mess,” Ridington said. “I am surprised no one from CN contacted me.”
Companies such as Whistler Fly Fishing are bracing for the effects of the chemical spill this winter. Jason Klimock of Whistler Fly Fishing said the Cheakamus is used more in the winter for guided trips and lessons than it is in the summer. Without species to fish, a guided trip to the Cheakamus River is less enticing.
“A lot of bug life died as well, which serves as a food source for the Chinook salmon. I think all the guide companies will suffer,” Klimock said.
Thousands of dead fish are the most prominent sight along the banks of the river.
Lance Sundquist, MOE incident commander admitted the cleanup is a daunting task and there are no plans to remove every fish carcass. Instead, dead fish piles next to recreational or residential areas will be targeted for cleanup, he said.
“We don’t anticipate removing every dead fish carcass from the river. We are monitoring large accumulations of fish that could be attractants to bears, whose presence could cause conflict with humans,” Sundquist said.
The long-term effects of the spill will be felt all along the river’s course into Howe Sound.
Caroline Melville, a contract wildlife consultant, said people cannot underestimate the damage done. She said the two most durable fish in the river, the eels and young salmon, are turning up dead, which is a telling sign.
“We are always fighting things like urbanization and hydroelectric extraction, but this blows that all away. I have looked at other caustic soda spills and to be hones t, it takes years to recover. We will need support and the process could take up to 10 years,” Melville said.
In the meantime, CN is still working to remove the busted tanker that still contains 10,000 litres of caustic soda. CN spokesperson Graham Dallas confirmed that a planning group of experts is trying to stabilize the chemical inside the tank. The goal is to cool the substance into a solid state with dry ice before removing the tanker, which might take until Friday.
“We will be giving the community a 24-hour notification prior to the removal of the tankers, although we do not expect any problems,” Dallas said.
Transport Canada is investigating the cause of the derailment.
http://www.whistlerquestion.com/madison/WQuestion.nsf/WQnews/FB52F3B0D63052D28825705A006D2E3B?OpenDocument
-
News Release
August 12, 2005
http://www.barrypenner.com/
Penner Visits Train Wreck and Speaks with Clean-up Crews
‘We’ll be sending CN the bill for the clean-up and recovery process,’ says Penner
Chilliwack – Yesterday, BC’s Minister of Environment, Barry Penner, toured the site of the CN Rail derailment and chemical spill along the Cheakamus River north of Squamish, BC.
"I’m very grateful for the efforts of ministry personnel and other agencies who have worked non-stop during the past week to minimize environmental damage,” said Penner. “We are very fortunate that no one was killed in the train wreck or has become ill as a result of contaminated water. Nevertheless, I’m very distressed by the impact on the river and the deaths of thousands of fish.”
One week after the derailment, workers were able today to remove the rail car from the riverbank with 10,000 litres of sodium hydroxide still inside. About 40,000 litres spilled into the river last week, with a devastating effect on fish stocks. Fish in the river were suffocated when the chemical removed oxygen from the water. That means the dead fish were not poisonous for birds and other predators to eat. To help fish stocks recover, Penner says the Cheakamus River, Mamquam River and lower Squamish River will remain closed to all fishing until at least September 30, 2005. The rivers are open again for recreation purposes, however, and the water has returned to normal.
"I spoke to a number of the 200 people working on the recovery and assessment effort, and they told me they are generally pleased with the unified command structure the BC Government has put in place,” noted Penner. “Still, we all wish the spill had not happened. I’ve asked my staff to participate in an investigation into whether laws were broken and whether charges should be laid. And we will be sending CN the bill for the clean-up and recovery process.”
Under BC’s Environmental Management Act, fines of up to $1,000,000 and six months in jail are possible. In addition, the Spill Cost Recovery Regulation allows the province to recover costs associated with cleaning up a spill of hazardous substances.
-
CN train removed from river
Squamish, B.C. — Rail crews have succeeded in lifting a derailed tank car out of the Cheakamus Canyon near Squamish without any further spillage, B.C.'s environment minister said on Friday.
The tanker spilled thousands of litres of caustic soda into the Cheakamus River when nine cars of a CN train derailed on Aug. 5.
“That rail car was successfully lifted out in one piece,” Environment Minister Barry Penner said. “The Cheakamus River and the Lower Squamish are now open again for recreation so if people want to river-rafting or swimming or anything else, it's safe to do so.”
The spill killed hundreds of fish and in an effort to preserve remaining fish stocks, Mr. Penner has announced a fishing ban on the Cheakamus, Mamquam and Lower Squamish rivers effective on Monday.
He said the ban will likely remain in effect until September.
It has the support of all levels of government, First Nations and regional sports fishing groups.
Mr. Penner has said that CN will be charged if there's evidence of any wrongdoing in the derailment.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050812.wderailment0812/BNStory/National
-
Squamish area rivers closed to fishing
Tanker pulled from Cheakamus in bid to save fish
Gerry Bellett
Vancouver Sun
Saturday, August 13, 2005
A mangled tank car of caustic soda is pulled from the bank of the Cheakamus River Friday by CN crews using bulldozers. The car was part of a freight train derailment a week ago.
Spectator has a bird's eye view of the operation from the cliff beside the river.
Squamish I Three rivers in the Squamish area contaminated by the spill of 41,000 litres of caustic soda when a CN Rail train derailed there a week ago will be closed to angling effective Monday, provincial Environment Minister Barry Penner announced Friday.
"We're doing this to preserve the fish stocks that survived the spill and to protect those stocks that will be returning," said Penner.
The closures will affect both the Cheakamus River and the Mamquam River and that part of the Squamish River that flows downstream from its confluence with the Cheakamus, and will remain in effect until at least Sept. 30, he said.
The spill wiped out fish in the Cheakamus River and the effects will be felt for years.
On Friday, crews working in the Cheakamus Canyon removed the ruptured tank car which had spilled the chemical into the river.
The car still contained about 10,000 litres of caustic soda which had been frozen after crews packed the car in dry ice during the last week.
"We wanted to make sure that there wouldn't be another spill once the car was moved," Penner said. "Freezing it prevented this from happening."
He added that he was happy the car was removed in one piece without any further spills.
"I'd like to commend all the hard work and diligence of the people who have been dealing with this for the past week. They'd done a great job. The river is now safe and can be used for recreation and that's good news," Penner said.
Meanwhile ministry officials will be tabulating the cost of the cleanup in preparation for giving the bill to CN Rail.
"Under the Environmental Management Act, CN Rail will have to pay the full cost associated with the cleaning up the spill and that is likely to be substantial," said Penner, who couldn't estimate what the final cost might be.
He said there was a healthy contingent of provincial staff among the 200 or so people who have been working to contain the spill and clean up the damage.
Depending on the outcome of investigations into the cause of the derailment, CN Rail could be liable for prosecution under the act which provides for fines and imprisonment of upwards of $1 million for causing environmental damage, said Penner.
"In fairness to CN Rail, they have said they will pay all the costs resulting from the spill. But we will still be looking at such things as the handling procedures used on this train to make sure everything was done correctly," he said.
gbellett@png.canwest,com
© The Vancouver Sun 2005
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=167e1cd3-9dbc-4202-bd66-bdb7b3e9fdeb