At approximately 7:15am on August 5, 2005, a CN train enroute from North Vancouver to Prince George derailed at mile 56.6 in the Cheakamus River canyon near Squamish. The train consisted of 144 cars. A total of 9 cars derailed, including one carrying 73% sodium hydroxide solution (common name: caustic soda.)
Virtually all swimming fish occupying the Cheakamus River at the time of the spill were killed. While over 4,700 dead fish were collected, examined and archived, the numbers killed were clearly much greater, with estimates as high as 501,000 fish killed.
The fish kill and survivorship data indicate that multiple brood years for the majority of salmonid and for all non-salmonid species will be depressed in the future.
Broader impacts are probable given the complexity of food webs, community structures and the well documented role of
To hear the train press play.
salmon in the Pacific Northwest ecosystem as a keystone species. The impacts of the fish losses on the rivers ecology, fish diversity, future brood year returns, and potential for recovery are large, and difficult to fully assess in some cases.
The direct impact of the spill of 41,000 litres of sodium hydroxide into the Cheakamus River was from a fisheries perspective, clearly devastating, at least for many species of fish, based on evaluation of the dead carcasses found. Medium to long term affects in the assemblages of fish will occur on this watershed over several generations. This will also result in immediate and on-going environmental impacts related to wildlife, socioeconomic interests, cultural heritage in addition to the effects on public perception and aesthetic valuus.
The animation at right shows the extent of the Cheakamus River that was affected. The effected areas of the Squamish River have not been assessed here, and are likely to be low dur to dilution, however, some impact is likely. The photos below are but two examples of fish species that attempted to get out of the water due to the burning effects from the sodium hydroxide.
In the Sea-to-Sky corridor there are many railway bridges across rivers, and other vehicular traffic that pose a threat to the natural environment and beauty of this magnificent area.
Further Links on this Story:
http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/sry/p2/eq/special_studies/cheakamus/cheakamus.pdf
http://www.pskf.ca/publications/cheakums05/index.html
http://commonground.ca/iss/0510171/cg171_arne.shtml
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/02/07/cheakamus-report060207.html
Sources:
Map:
Created by Robert Price, Base map sourced from Data Warehouse, DMTI Dataset, Can Map Street Files, CanMap_StreetFiles_v2005, BC, BCTop
Animation Created by Robert Price. base map digitized from Figure 4 of Final Draft of Assessment of the CN Sodium Hydroxide Spill August 25th on the Cheakamus River by: D.J.F. McCubbing, C.C. Melville, G. Wilson, and M. Foy, March 1, 2006. Received from the Pacifice Streamkeepers Federation November 6, 2006.
Photos:
Death in the Cheakamus Graphic retrieved November 30, 2006 from: http://www.pskf.ca/publications/cheakums05/photos05.html
Photo of Gauge Pool 4 (Dead fish on bank) retrievedNovember 30, 2006, 2006 from: http://www.pskf.ca/publications/cheakums05/photos01.html
Photo of Gauge Pool 194 (Dead fish on rock attempting to escape water) retrievedNovember 30, 2006, 2006 from: http://www.pskf.ca/publications/cheakums05/photos01.html
Vancouver/Squamish map Retreived Secember 3, 2006 from: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/02/07/cheakamus-report060207.html
Video retrieved December 3, 2006 from: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/08/06/bc_derail050806.html
Text sourced from the Final Draft of Assessment of the CN Sodium Hydroxide Spill August 25th on the Cheakamus River by: D.J.F. McCubbing, C.C. Melville, G. Wilson, and M. Foy, March 1, 2006. Received from the Pacifice Streamkeepers Federation November 6, 2006.