Spill cleanup ‘could take… years’ By Kim Thompson
Reporter
Investigation ongoing; task force struck to formulate Cheakamus recovery plan
kthompson@whistlerquestion.comWhistler 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.
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Topic: Massive fish kill on the Cheakamus River (Read 22773 times)