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

3 smiling trophy hunters kneel behind the dead grizzly they have killed.

If you can’t beat ’em, buy ’em

Raincoast has a track record with big ideas.  In a move that garnered worldwide attention, we purchased an exclusive 24,700 km2 hunting license for $1.3 million in 2005. Our purchase ended commercial trophy hunting over this huge region. Grizzlies, wolves, and black bears were no longer targets for commercial trophy hunters throughout much of British…
A mountain lion is walking through a rocky area.

Cougar protection urged

By Ken Manning – North Island Gazette Published: January 27, 2011 Say the word “cougar” on the North Island and people pay attention. Say that cougars need our protection, not vice versa, and you are probably in for an argument…
A white bear and a black bear.

Raincoast to purchase Spirit Bear hunting territory

Last year, Raincoast began negotiations to acquire a very unique hunting territory – the primary place where spirit bears roam.  Despite a restriction on killing spirit bears, trophy hunting of black bears – that carry the recessive gene that causes the white coat – is allowed. Our purchase will help protect these rare bears and…
A mountain lion is walking through a rocky area.

The Magic of Cougars

Times Colonist January 22, 2011 Cougars help make Vancouver Island what it is. Most of us never see one. But their existence confirms that the wildness at the heart of this land has not been lost as humans have claimed more and more space for their own….
map of US and Canada

Kochs invade Canada

After losing their fight for Proposition 23 in California, one might have hoped the world would be safe from oil-rich climate deniers Charles and David Koch for a little while. But unfortunately their misinformation campaign is drifting over the border into Ontario, Canada…
Close up of the face of a cougar

Cougars: BC’s neglected carnivore

In anticipation of the first provincial management plan for cougars, Raincoast Conservation Foundation released the report, British Columbia’s Neglected Carnivore: a conservation assessment and conservation planning guide for Cougars.
A mountain lion is walking through a rocky area.

Government failing to protect big cats, conservation group says

By Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist January 19, 2011 Trophy hunting and habitat loss are putting B.C.’s cougar population at risk and provincial policies do not adequately protect the big cats, says a new report by three scientists from the Raincoast Conservation Foundation…
Cougar stalking on cliff with waterfall behind.

Cougars: BC’s neglected carnivores

In anticipation of a provincial management plan for cougars, Raincoast released the report on our neglected carnivore: