storm drains

Fire Foam Suspected Cause of Fishkill in Hoy Creek

HSWS photo

On Sunday, September 15, a member of Hoy/Scott Watershed Society reported a fishkill in Hoy Creek after seeing a foamy substance on the surface of the water and dead young fish in the stream.

The sighting was reported to the authorities.

The City of Coquitlam advised they were investigating.

HSWS photo

On Tuesday, September 17, the City provided the following information to the Society highlighting an incident that took place on Sunday at the City Center Aquatic Complex. Their report stating the following:

  • On Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, a fire rescue incident had occurred in the vicinity of the CCAC parking lot that led to fire foam entering a catch basin and the drainage system leading to Hoy Creek

  • EPW received a report of foam in Hoy Creek around 3pm and that there was evidence of fish kill.

  • The catch basin in the CCAC parking lot was vacuumed out and booms were deployed in 3 locations along Hoy Creek (see map below) to prevent the foam from travelling further downstream.

  • This morning (Monday, Sept. 16), an Environment Officer from the City inspected the CCAC parking lot, the outfall near Guildford Way and Pacific Street, and the water quality pond near Glen Drive and Johnson Street. The officer did not observe any further signs of water quality impact.

Should you see a spill or dead fish in the stream, please contact the authorities. Here's more information on who to reach out to via our Contact page.

Protecting Our Salmon with Yellow Fish Decals

Saki assists with peeling and Robbin does the pounding.

On July 23, Hoy-Scott Watershed Society volunteers took another important step to protect our local salmon population. Led by the ever-enthusiastic Anne, we installed yellow fish decals in the parkade of a residential complex adjacent to Hoy Creek. The "peel and pound team," made up of Saki and Robbin, worked diligently to place these bright yellow markers as a reminder of the direct connection between our urban environment and the health of our waterways.

These yellow fish decals are part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about stormwater pollution. When rain falls on streets and driveways, it can pick up oil, trash, chemicals, and other pollutants, which often end up flowing untreated into nearby streams and creeks. In our case, this means pollutants can quickly reach Hoy and Scott Creeks, threatening the delicate ecosystems and the salmon that call these waters home.

By placing these decals near storm drains and in parkades, we are helping to remind residents to be mindful of what goes down the drain. It’s a simple yet powerful message: what goes on our streets and parking lots can impact the life in our streams.

A big thank you goes out to Anne for organizing this initiative and to Saki and Robbin for their excellent work. Your efforts make a significant difference in protecting the vital habitat for salmon and other aquatic life in our creeks.

If you live near Hoy or Scott Creeks and notice that your streets or parkades could use some yellow fish decals, please let us know! We are always looking for new locations to spread awareness and make an impact.

Storm Drains Marked before Salmon Return

Society volunteer, Saki helps pound down a decal east of the hatchery. (HSWS photo)

Society volunteers managed to get more area storm drains marked with bright yellow fish decals before the rains of October and the return of salmon to our streams.

Areas of focus were east of the Hoy Creek Hatchery, along Princess Crescent and northward along Town Centre Boulevard south of Douglas College, as well as drains along Lansdowne Drive from the Coquitlam Crunch Trail down to Guildford Drive.

It is important to note that the water that goes into a storm drain doesn't get processed through a sewage system like household water does, but goes directly into our waterways. Marking our storm drains is an opportunity to help educate the public and to draw attention to having clean streams that help keep our fish safe.

In previous years yellow fish were stenciled on with paint near storm drains, but the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society volunteers use a new method with supplies provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Bright-yellow sticky peel-off decal fish are pounded into place with a rubber hammer.

Please be mindful - everything entering a storm drain ends up in a creek. Creeks contain aquatic life that can’t survive pollution being dumped into the habitat. As members of the public, we all have a duty to steward and protect the environment that we live in. Should you witness any suspected pollution being dumped into a storm drain, please take immediate action to report it to the authorities:

  • City of Coquitlam Engineering 24-hour emergency (Municipal): 604-927-3500

  • Observe, Record, Report (Federal): 1-800-465-4336

  • Report all poachers and polluters (Provincial): 1-877-952-RAPP

Freshly marked for the return of the rain. (HSWS photo)

Fish don’t smoke! We’re always surprised at how many cigarette butts we see next to storm drains. (HSWS Photo)

Sewage Spilled into Hoy Creek

Photo taken the morning after the spill.

On the evening of Sept. 13, the Society was notified by a resident that sewage had been spilled into Hoy Creek. She had been walking the trail and smelled and saw it at the Walton Culvert inflow, a common spot where we’ve noticed spills. It feeds from storm drains up the mountain.

It was already dark, but an email was sent to the City to investigate. A Society director went to assess the next morning and a City worker was already on site assessing the situation.

The City environmental protection officer later updated the Society that:

The engineering customer service team had received the report on the evening (Sept. 14), and the next morning their Public Works and Environment crews went to investigate. Staff confirmed (by sight and smell) that there was the presence of fecal matter in the area but they were not able to confirm the source.

The existing boom at the Walton culvert was replaced with a new one, and any residual in the creek outfall was cleaned out. Environment staff had also been doing spot checks in the area that week but had not yet been able to identify the source.

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society would like to thank the resident who called this in.

If you see something or smell something in the streams, say something. Find out who to call by visiting our Contact Page, and it’s very helpful to capture a photo and record the location and time of day.

Photo taken on Sept. 14, the morning after.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which include chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc. Nothing but rainwater should go down storm drains.

If you have information related to this spill, click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Oil Spilled into Hoy Creek

Look closely to see the colours of oil on the surface of the water.

On February 6, at approximately 2:45 p.m., a hatchery volunteer noticed oil on the surface of the water by Hoy Creek Hatchery.

The oil was reported to the City of Coquitlam by Hoy/Scott Watershed Society.

The City went out to investigate and reported back to the Society that the source was found by Douglas College staff and drainage crews were deployed.

The City later provided further details:

“Our sewer/drainage crew was working with facility staff from Douglas College yesterday afternoon/evening and reported that multiple private side catch basins (CB) were affected and had fuel/oil leaking into it. Apparently, it was caused by a leak from a dump truck. Absorbent pads were placed at these CBs to control the spill, and a vactor truck was called in to remove the oil from the system. It sounds like they found some oil left in some of the private CBs as well as one public CB. The vactor truck was at Douglas College the day of the spill vactoring out whatever was left in the City-side CB.

The Society was advised that City staff will also check some of the private side CBs to see if there is a need to have those vactored.”

The public is urged to be mindful of storm drains, which are meant for rainwater only, and are not for refuse disposal.  Individuals observing a dumping or a fish kill in our streams, or the presence of any other possible pollutants are encouraged to immediately report the event to the authorities. Contact numbers are provided on our website’s contact page.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Summer Storm Drain Marking to Raise Awareness

Photo: HSWS

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was again out on the streets of Coquitlam over the summer to place yellow fish markers beside storm drains.

With two paint spills within a month, the need to make residents aware that our streets drain lead directly into our creeks and rivers was as important as ever.

Nothing but rainwater should go down storm drains.

To report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Volunteer, Adela pounds down a yellow fish decal on Walton Ave.

Homes adjacent to a storm drain received an educational flyer. (Photo: HSWS)

Paint Reported in Hoy Creek

Photo: Wayne Noble

Photo: Wayne Noble

On June 17, 2020, the Society was alerted to a spill report made by a resident. The substance smelled like and appeared to be white paint. The Society check two spots along the creek between the spill area and the hatchery, as well as hatchery fish, and all appeared well and isolated to the inflow area east of Walton School on Hoy Trail.

The Society was advised that City of Coquitlam staff were dispatched just after 6 p.m. to the spill site. They reported that the spill appeared small, and City staff checked the outfall and pulled the street manholes in an attempt to get a direction of the paint but neither showed colour.

The sweep of the area did not indicate the source. City staff also check the site at the same time the following day (June 18th) for more evidence in case the activity continued but there was no spill identified.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which includes paint.

To report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Storm-drain-Coquitlam HSWS.jpeg

Fish Kill at Hoy Creek Hatchery a Reminder of How Precious Our Ecosystem Is

Photo taken approximately 4:30 p.m. on May 29, 2019 (HSWS photo)

Photo taken approximately 4:30 p.m. on May 29, 2019 (HSWS photo)

On May 29, president of Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, Robbin Whachell was alerted by the City that a resident had reported dead fish in Hoy Creek. An hour later photos of the fish in stream were emailed to her.

At 4 p.m. she went down to the hatchery to investigate, finding that much of the fish in the hatchery Capilano trough were dead. These fish were coho salmon fry about 5-6 month old. She alerted the hatchery manager, Rodney Lee, who joined her there. It appeared that about 80% of the fish were lost.

The hatchery manager did an assessment of the creek north and south of the hatchery taking photos, trying to locate the source. The storm drain outfall at the foot bridge north of the hatchery close to Walton School did show bubbly foamy substance, and ammonia levels there could point to high concentrations of bleach or chlorine. Here is his hatchery manager’s report.

In review of social media messages later, it was discovered that one resident reported the dead fish at 6:30 p.m. on May 28 to the HSWS Facebook page.

The City of Coquitlam took a water sample the night of the 29th. HSWS president was around the area for about 2 hours and reported smelling a chemical similar to chlorine or ammonia, and could also taste chemical on her tongue.

The following day the hatchery was visited by various media houses and in the afternoon the dead fish were removed and buried.

The society was advised that the City looked into homes that have pools.

A week later the remaining fish were fin-clipped and another count was done. We’re pleased to report that 2700 fish survived. There is no way of knowing how many fish, crawfish, and lamprey died in the stream.

A report of the water testing was provided to the Society in June, but there was no water quality parameter that was identified as the culprit, but the ammonia levels at Hoy creek storm outfall north of the hatchery had considerably high levels which would could point to high concentrations of bleach or chlorine.

A community door-to-door education initiative will be planned by the society and hatchery manager Rodney Lee sent the following Letter to the Editor:

It only takes the carelessness, thoughtlessness or malicious action of a single individual to destroy life in our waterways. Unfortunately, this occurred on Hoy Creek last week. A highly toxic substance was dumped into a storm drain. This substance proceeded to kill thousands of fish and other aquatic animals in Hoy Creek. The loss of our hatchery salmon were dramatic. We, as hatchery volunteers, have spent countless hours raising our fish. We lost a good many of them in an instant. The losses amongst the wild fish populations truly heartbreaking as these are the populations we work hard to protect. They are priceless.

It’s been a week since this has occurred. I return to look at the Creek to find a single Coho fry present at the Hatchery bridge — a place where hundreds of wild fish lived a short while ago.

Please be mindful - everything entering a storm drain ends up in a creek. Creeks contain aquatic life that can’t survive pollution being dumped into the habitat. As members of the public, we all have a duty to steward and protect the environment that we live in. Should you witness any suspected pollution being dumped into a storm drain, please take immediate action to report it to the authorities:

  • City of Coquitlam Engineering 24 hour emergency (Municipal): 604-927-3500

  • Observe, Record, Report (Federal): 1-800-465-4336

  • Report all poachers and polluters (Provincial): 1-877-952-RAPP

My heartfelt thanks,

Rodney Lee
Hatchery Manager, Hoy Creek Hatchery
Vice President, Hoy/Scott Watershed Society

Global News: Pollution suspected in mass fish die off in Coquitlam

Tri-City News: Toxic Water Kills Hundreds of Fish in Coquitlam Creek

CTV News: Hundreds of Fish Die at Coquitlam Hatchery

Tri-City News: Coquitlam trying to fInd the source of fish kill

Daily Hive: Unknown Pollutant Causes Mass Death of Salmon in Coquitlam Hatchery

Fish kill in Scott Creek reported

Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS

Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS

On August 22nd, the City of Coquitlam Environmental Services Division reported a salmonid fish kill on August 22nd in Scott Creek of approximately 200 juvenile fish.

"This was most likely due to extreme heat, (30 C plus degrees) experienced last week in combination of the introduction of fire foam and contaminants to the creek through the storm sewer as a result of a large multiple vehicle fire on August 19th in the area of Lansdowne and Charter Hall," said the notice advising the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society. The notice also stated, "The condition of the fish indicated they had been dead for several days, and the location was along Scott Creek from Eagleridge Drive to Guildford."

"Not all pollutants entering the storm drain are intentional, but they still kill fish," said Rodney Lee of the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society. "Research has indicated that contaminants from roadways (e.g. wiper fluid, automotive fluids, brake dust etc) kill fish.  Individuals may occasionally, deliberately dispose of contaminants like paint, concrete wash water etc into a storm drain which also kill fish.  However, this occurs less frequently as the public has become knowledgeable about acceptable waste disposal practices. It's quite possible that the combination of products used to fight fires (pollutants), low water levels (pollutants stay in the water longer) and high stream temperatures (reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the stream causing stress on fish and reduce their ability to cope with poorer water quality) all contributed to the fish kill."

The public is encouraged to be mindful of storm drains, which are meant for rainwater, and not for refuse disposal.   Individuals observing a fish kill in our streams or the presence of any other possible pollutants are encouraged to immediately report the event to the Fisheries & Oceans Canada "Observe, Record, Report" (ORR) 1-800-465-4336 [Call: 1-800-465-4336] or in Greater Vancouver: 604-607-4186 [Call: 604-607-4186]   http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/points/ORR-ONS-eng.html