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

Woman taking bear hair off collection site.

Collecting bear hair: more than a field season

The Bear Project, originally started in 2006 by William Housty and his team at QQS (Eyes) Projects Society, focuses on gaining a greater understanding of bears in Heiltsuk territory.
Stellar's jay in a cedar tree.

Next steps for Project TEACH

We must work together toward local solutions.
Man walking on a trail on a mountain.

Maxwell Creek Watershed Project Field Files Part 2: Developing surveying methodologies 

The project takes a watershed-wide scope to improve understanding of both existing and historical ecological conditions. The first question we aim to answer is: how has modification via forestry, fire, wetland drainage, etc. influenced hydrological dynamics, availability and quality of freshwater (i.e. source drinking water), and local forest ecology? We seek to find answers to…
Two sockeye salmon swimming in a river.

Bold, sustained action can revitalize wild Pacific salmon in the lower Fraser River

New research shows that Wild Salmon populations in the Fraser can recover if action is taken now.
Hands examining a rose hip.

Synthesis of Project TEACH learnings 

This article synthesises the information shared by the eighteen experts who contributed to Project TEACH.
Green frog in moss.

The story of Coastal Douglas-fir forests: All about amphibians

In this article, Elke Wind describes the amphibian species common to the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone; identifies their preferred habitat types; and makes recommendations for strengthening amphibian protection.
Mother and two children in the sun holding Raincoast printed materials.

Notes from the Market

You can find Raincoast at the Moss Street Market on Saturday, August 6th from 10am-2pm and at the Esquimalt Farmers Market on Thursday, August 18th from 4:30-7:30pm.
Brandt's cormorants face off in a beautiful pose.

The story of Coastal Douglas-fir forests: All about birds

Ann Nightingale, from the Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria, BC, introduces bird species common to the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone and shares recommendations for how people can better protect them.