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

Join us. Together we can stop the trophy hunt.

Conservation group buys hunting rights

by Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist A group adamantly opposed to trophy hunting of grizzly and black bears now controls hunting rights in a vast area of BC’s central coast…
A white bear and a black bear.

Raincoast secures ‘Spirit Bear’ trophy hunting territory

On the heels of coastal First Nations’ declaration opposing the grizzly and black bear hunts, Raincoast has purchased the commercial hunting rights to a large portion of the Great Bear Rainforest
Two black bears playing in a river.

Raincoast purchases another hunting territory

‘Spirit Bear’ hunting territory now secured   By Chris Genovali, Raincoast Executive Director   On the heels of last weeks declaration by 10 coastal First Nations of their opposition to sport hunting of grizzly and black bears, Raincoast announced the completed purchase of our second hunting territory. This purchase adds to our existing territory and…
A smiling woman wearing a hat and jacket.

Mae Moore

Known mostly for her music, Mae Moore writes songs that evoke connection to place and to the personal.
An older man leaning against a tree.

Robert Bateman

Besides being one of Canada’s best-known artists, Bateman is a spokesperson for many environmental issues.
A man is painting on a easel in front of a log.

Mike Svob

Mike’ Svob’s paintings are held in private and corporate collections throughout the world and featured in International Artists Magazine, Magazin’Art, Artist Magazine, and American Artist among others.
A woman in a red sweater standing on the bow of a sailboat.

Carol Evans

Carol is a self-taught artist, developing skills with watercolours over a period of thirty years. Her work has achieved international acclaim and is represented in exhibitions and private collections worldwide.
A woman wearing glasses and a hat.

Linda M. Feltner

Linda Feltner specialized in the precision of natural history drawings and scientific illustration which has given her art its trademark appearance.