Green/Cheakamus watersheds: Water quality report for the 2024-25 wet season

Executive summary

Water is essential for life, and steps are needed to understand, protect and restore its health in fish habitat throughout British Columbia. The Raincoast Healthy Waters program was launched in 2023 to establish community-oriented water pollution monitoring in select BC watersheds. Two Healthy Waters sampling events take place every year in each watershed – the first in the dry season (summer), and the second being in the wet season (winter). 

While the Healthy Waters program typically focuses its work within singular watersheds, this partnership featured two Whistler area watersheds: the Green River, which drains through the Lillooet and Fraser Rivers into the Strait of Georgia (watershed area of 875 km²) and the Cheakamus River which drains south via the Squamish River to Howe Sound (watershed area of 1,034 km²). Combined, these watersheds cover an area of 1,909 km². This report highlights results from the second wet (winter) season sampling carried out with the support and participation of the Whistler Lakes Conservation Foundation (WLCF). 

Briefly, the Healthy Waters – WLCF team determined basic water properties (temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen and turbidity) in situ at sampling sites on November 12, 2024. Water samples were collected from five water categories, including source water (2 samples), stream and river water (7 samples), road runoff (6 samples), tap water (10 samples – pooled into a single composite sample) and marine water (one sample). The samples were pooled into composite by category and then analysed for coliform, nutrients (6), physical parameters, metals (37), pesticides (62), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 76), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs; 141), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; 209), alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs; 4), bisphenols (BPs; 6), per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS; 40), sucralose and 6PPD-Quinone.

We detected 113 contaminants out of 577 measured in the stream and river category – i.e. fish habitat – for the in the Green/Cheakamus watersheds, excluding nutrients, fecal coliform and physical parameters. Overall, the Green/Cheakamus watersheds had relatively good water quality in the wet season, but additional sampling and analysis will provide additional insight into contamination impacts from forest fires, domestic wastewater, industrial chemicals and road runoff on the health of this valued watershed.

The Green/Cheakamus Watershed

Key findings

• This assessment of water quality in the Green/Cheakamus watersheds reflects the fourth of several site visits; our understanding of water quality in these watersheds will grow with additional sampling.
• We collected composite water samples in the Green/Cheakamus River watersheds during the wet season (November 12, 2024).
• We analysed 589 contaminants in each water sample.
• Marine water was the most contaminated water category in the wet season; it had the highest concentrations of alkylphenols, metals, nitrate, PAHs and pesticides.
• Stream and river water was the second most contaminated water category in the wet season; it had the highest concentration of E coli, PCBs, PPCPs and sucralose .
• The road runoff water was third and had the highest concentrations of 6 PPD-q, bisphenols and PFAS.
• The two source water samples (Cheakamus R. and 21 Mile Cr.) and the tap water were the least contaminated water categories in the wet season.
• Overall, the Green/Cheakamus watersheds had relatively good water quality in the wet season:
  • There were nine exceedances of Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines.
    • Aluminum in the Cheakamus R. sample;
    • Aluminum, copper and iron in the stream and river samples;
    • Aluminum, cadmium, copper and iron in the road runoff sample;
    • Boron in the marine sample.
  • There were no exceedances of Health Canada Drinking Water Quality Guidelines.

Background

Raincoast’s Healthy Waters Program (www.raincoast.org/waters/) delivers high-resolution, community-oriented water quality analysis to watersheds across southern British Columbia. The goal of Healthy Waters is to empower communities with the understanding of the status of water quality in their watersheds, to allow for local stewardship regarding both point and nonpoint source pollution. 

The Whistler Lakes Conservation Foundation (WLCF) studies, informs and acts to protect the waters in the Whistler area, including Alpha, Nita, Alta, Lost and Green Lakes, and their tributaries. The WLCF partnered with the Raincoast Healthy Waters team in 2023/24 to generate an analysis of contaminants of past, current and emerging concern in local waters. Water samples were collected from sites within two Whistler area watersheds: the Green River which drains northeast via the Lillooet and Fraser Rivers down into the Strait of Georgia and the Cheakamus River which drains south via the Squamish River to Howe Sound. Combined, these watersheds cover an area of 1,909 km².

A watershed based approach to sampling

We collect samples from five different categories of water in each of our partner watersheds: from source water, upstream of human impacts, down to the marine environment. 

Source water serves as an upstream reference sample, allowing us to determine which contaminants are being introduced as water traces its path down through the watershed. 

Stream and river samples allow us to investigate the quality of fish habitat directly, by collecting samples from streams, creeks, and rivers used by salmon and other fish species (either currently or historically). 

Road runoff serves as an impacted sample category of current concern, as many contaminants, including  PAHs, metals, surfactants and chemicals such as 6-PPD quinone can be washed off roadways and into fish habitat during rain events. 

We include tap water samples in our analysis as a way to bring our homes into the conversation – we borrow water from the environment in the form of municipal or well water, and generally return it to aquatic habitats in a more-degraded state in the form of storm and sewage effluent (treated or untreated).

Marine water samples provide insight into those contaminants that may degrade fish and whale habitat in the ocean, and enable an understanding of the contribution of land-based pollutants from the adjacent watershed to the marine environment.

Collectively, the lessons learned from our partnering watersheds will contribute to a greater understanding of threats to water quality across British Columbia, and ultimately what policy changes can be implemented to preserve the quality of water for the future of salmon, whales, and people.

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