Oil and chemical spill tracking

Spills of oil and chemicals into freshwater and ocean environments have killed fish, degraded habitat, and led to closures of commercial, recreational, and Indigenous fisheries. Raincoast’s Healthy Waters Program is positioned to collect data at the scene of a spill and collaborate with various organizations and First Nations to understand the impact of a spill. 

Tracker will host a number of rugged analytical instruments, and enable the measurement of several contaminants in the field, including coliform bacteria, nutrients, metals, pesticides, and tracers of wastewater effluent.
Photo by Peter Ross.
Two sockeye salmon swimming in a river.
Photo by Fernando Lessa.

Spills happen

Spills originate from all manner of accidents. The 2005 train derailment that spilled caustic soda into the Cheakamus River that killed 500,000 fish, The 2015 spill of 3,000 L of Bunker C oil from the MV Marathassa into English Bay. The 2020 fire aboard the MV ZIM Kingston in Juan de Fuca Strait that resulted in the loss of 104 mixed cargo shipping containers into the ocean. Each and every accident is bad news, and threatens the health of fish and whales, and contributes to the degradation of their habitats.

Being prepared is key

Given the sudden and unpredictable nature of oil and chemical spills, our oil and chemical spill response work entails being agile and available for support to First Nations, government agencies, and industry during a major spill. We are developing science protocols, and acquiring sampling kits, field equipment, and safety gear, and are poised to deploy our team to the scene of a spill. 

Being prepared on all fronts is key to limiting the damage from a spill. We recognize that with spills, it’s not a matter of if, but when. Research and monitoring to confirm the origin of the spill, track the fate of the spilled product, and monitor the recovery of ecosystem components routinely fails to be a priority. We will deploy expert capacity where and when needed, and work to prevent harm to valued ecosystem components.

Two people working together to collect water samples in a farm field with the mountains in the background.
Photo by Alex Harris.
https://www.raincoast.org/reports/flood

Semá:th X̱ó:tsa (Sumas Lake) Floods of 2021

The catastrophic floods of late 2021 in southern British Columbia (Canada) and neighbouring Washington State (USA) destroyed homes, farms and businesses, with excess water spilling debris, animal carcasses and diesel fuel into historically productive fish habitat. 

We assembled a team to assess water quality in the former Semá:th X̱ó:tsa (Sumas Lake) area of the Fraser Valley over a seven-week period after the floods. We collected water samples from 11 surface water sites and four groundwater sites for comprehensive contaminant analysis and a subsequent risk-based evaluation. We measured 379 analytes (chemical components and bacteria), including 262 anthropogenic contaminants. We examined excess nutrients, metals, fecal coliform, hydrocarbons, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds, sucralose, and tire-related chemicals.

Read the report

Recent articles

A killer whale just before breaking the surface tension of the water.

Uncovering the causes of degraded fish and whale habitat 

These are not just stories about chemistry, numbers, and water quality. These are stories about watersheds, fish habitat, and the well-being of communities.
2 people planting trees in front of the "Restoration work in progress" sign.

Communities for Coastal Douglas-fir habitats

Restoring and stewarding the coastal forest ecosystems we call home.
A group of 7 people sit/stand in a circle aboard Achiever.

Educating on land and at sea

Engaging youth through land- and sea-based exploration, learning and conservation.
A male chum salmon lurking in the estuary of a stream.

Climate resilience for salmon habitat

Drones, snorkel surveys, and how the drivers of severe wildfire affect watershed security and salmon habitat in BC.
Tiny salmon fry swim around in the dark waters of a central coast stream.

Long may they run

Fighting to rebuild the resilience of BC’s wild salmon.
Suzie and Valeria whack the pole on Achiever during observations.

What does whacking a metal pole tied to the side of our research vessel have to do with killer whale conservation

Behind-the-scenes of killer whale field research.
The Raincoast Wild Salmon team wades into the waters of the Fraser River Estuary to work on restoration.

Habitat restoration and salmon research

Restoring vital habitat for salmon in the Fraser River estuary.
A world map with circles of influence and impact shown with circles all over the Northern hemisphere.

30 years of Raincoast’s reach

Our influence stretches internationally, with our researchers and scientists contributing to groundbreaking work across the globe.