Rain the New Worry in Mt. Polley Breach
Likely, B.C. – While the water use ban has been all but rescinded in the Quesnel Lake area ( still in effect for Polley Lake, along Hazeltine Creek, and 100 meters around the sediment plume at the mouth of the creek ) weather poses another concern.
“We are very concerned about the first rain event and what will happen to the Polley Lake level, discharge to Hazeltine creek and the run off from the Hazeltine Creek impact zone” says Minister of the Environment Mary Polak .
The pollution abatement order issued to Imperial Metals requires the company to reduce risk to the environment, and Polak says Ministry staff have been talking to the company about mitigation needs with respect to an imminent rainfall. “The Ministry is also working on preparation of Ministry and company monitoring action for fall frequent rain events also for the winter freshet water management needs.”
Imperial Metals is to submit its detailed mitigation plan by the end of the day this Friday.
Yesterday, Interior Health Medical Health Officer Dr. Trevor Corneil announced the fish , outside the do not use water zone, can be consumed. That includes fish in Quesnel Lake, Quesnel river and the Fraser River. “I recognize the important role fishing plays to local residents, First Nations community members, and visitors impacted by the Polley Mine spill and I wholeheartedly appreciate the concerns that are being expressed regarding safety. I have consulted with numerous experts in this field, and I am reassured that the current fish living in these waterways, and those that may travel through it via the Fraser River or spawn in it are safe to consume.”
Comments
If they could put the same amount of effort into controlling environmental damage as they have controlling Public Relations damage, everything would be squeaky clean by now!
I bet everyone in the zone will be chowing down on those fish real quick.
If the initial runoff into Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake aren’t an issue, why would a bit of rain concern you Ms Environment minister?
Don’t you read Dragon? Or are you more of a between the lines reader? The concern about rain is it will raise the water level in Polley Lake and blow through the blockage at the mouth of the creek sending another swell of water into Dragon Lake and more debris. The pumps can maybe keep up with the inflow now but with heavy rain pumps will fall behind.
They need to pump the lake down and then clear the blockage with backhoes and like machinery, that is quite obvious so the debris at the mouth of the creek does not get washed downstream.
Why wouldn’t the salmon be any different to eat than past years? Salmon don’t eat when they are on their spawning run so nothing to contaminate them even if some shellfish are playing in the slurry, they blast through to their creek of birth and spawn. Unfortunately those going up Hazeltine Creek are without a paddle
They have been draining off the tailings pond water here for almost 20 years now, why all of the sudden is the tailings water full of highly toxic chemicals? All mines drain off the tailings water into a second pond for testing and/or treatment and then it is released back to whence it came
Dragon think about all the sewer outfalls all the way up the Fraser.
Just wodering.Did Polley mines pump their sewage waste into the tailings pond?
Sorry that reading comprehension isn’t your thing slinky old chap. Dragon Lake you say?
Slinky
Why wouldn’t the salmon be any different to eat than past years? Salmon don’t eat when they are on their spawning run so nothing to contaminate them even if some shellfish are playing in the slurry, they blast through to their creek of birth and spawn. Unfortunately those going up Hazeltine Creek are without a paddle
Are you kidding me? Thanks for the information that salmon do not eat while in fresh water. What about the water that bathes their gills and oxygenates them on their spawning run? Toxins can be ingested in a variety of ways. Like a cow eating organic feed and smoking ‘crack’ all day. Yummy tenderloin.
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