Fish Kill in Hoy Creek South of Lasalle Place

Photo of water at the bridge adjacent to the hatchery around 10:30 a.m., taken by a hatchery volunteer.

A milky substance was observed in Hoy Creek and was reported to the City of Coquitlam the morning of Tuesday, May 11.  

The City provided the following report:

”An investigation and cleanup work was carried out throughout the day to prevent further impacts to the creek. There was also an earlier incident of a surcharging sewer manhole that also impacted the creek on the same day.

 At around 8:30 a.m., a sewer manhole was surcharging at Erskine and Brewster.  A vactor truck was sent to the site to flush and clean up the area.  Around the same time, a report was received regarding a brown, odorous sludge seen in Hoy Creek west of White Pine Place. Engineering staff checked this site shortly after but the creek was running clear by the time they arrived.

 At around 10:30 a.m. the City received another report regarding Hoy Creek. A member of the public advised that the water near the hatchery looked milky. Engineering staff inspected the creek from the aquatic complex (CCAC) downstream past the hatchery and observed the creek by the hatchery having a milky colour, but downstream the creek was running clear.  They also noted that the fish in the creek were swimming about and did not look like they were impacted. 

Further inspection was conducted downstream nearest the south end of Lasalle Place where staff identified a soapy substance at an outfall and observed about 15–20 small dead fish in a tributary of the creek.  They tried to trace the source upstream and noticed a strong acidic smell in one of the manholes, so they flushed out the storm main in that area to ensure that the acidic smelling substance did not continue to impact the creek.  It was not clear to the attending staff whether this fish kill incident near the south end of Lasalle Place was related to the reported milky substance by the hatchery, and the investigative and cleanup work concluded at around 4 p.m.”

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

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

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Water Quality Monitoring Underway at Hoy Creek

Kim Mayes, a volunteer, and director of the Society is leading up this project. She also provided the overview below.

Earlier this year the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was approached by both Flowlink Environmental and the DFO to see if we were interested in capturing some basic water quality data in order to establish baseline water quality for Hoy Creek. This is something we had already been considering as stewards of Hoy Creek, so jumped on the opportunity to partner with Flowlink and start collecting.

Three sites were chosen along Hoy Creek to begin manually collecting in-situ data, with the support of Flowlink volunteers, who visit the creek weekly to test for and record the following:

  • Water Temperature

  • pH

  • Turbidity

  • Conductivity

At the time of testing, the current weather conditions are also recorded for reference. This is useful for helping us evaluate how seasonal trends influence the water quality parameters.

At two other locations along Hoy Creek, and with the support of the Departments of Fisheries and Ocean’s (DFO’s) Pacific Science Enterprise Center (PSEC) and their Community Steam Monitoring Project (CoSMo), we have now installed two temperature data loggers as well. This will help us record the data much more frequently (logs hourly), as well as more efficiently. The data loggers can store up to 5 years of data at a time and have a battery life of about 1 ½ years, so require little maintenance. Our aim is to collect the data 2-3 times per year (and when water levels of the creek permit), by removing from their current hidden locations and downloading the data via Bluetooth to a smartphone app. From there the data can be emailed to the DFO for analysis, as well as sharing with other nearby stream keepers.

We have plans to set up a more comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program in the near future, which will also include sampling and testing for the following, ideally on a monthly basis.

  • Alkalinity

  • Anions scan (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, etc.)

  • Ammonia

  • E.coli

  • Total metals (full suite)

  • Dissolved oxygen

The overall goals for the program are to be able to identify emerging key water quality issues, allow us to be proactive in identifying spills/contamination sources, as well as raise public awareness, facilitate participation and education of our member volunteers.

We thank both Flowlink and CoSMo for supporting us with this work this far. However, in order to carry out our program initiatives indefinitely, we rely on the support of our volunteer members, and cannot do the important work we do without them.

Related article.

Earlier than expected release of 23,500 chum fry to Hoy Creek

Bucket after bucket was carried from the hatchery to Hoy Creek just south of the hatchery for release.

Not even a month in Hoy Creek Hatchery’s Capilano trough, 23,500 chum fry made an earlier than expected exit into Hoy Creek on March 20.

The chum had to make way for the coho fry which were ready to leave the incubation stack.

The last time the Society raised and released chum fry was in 2017, and before that, the society had not raised chum salmon since the mid-90s.

The hatchery Capilano trough now houses around 10,500 coho and the outdoor rearing pond holds approximately 2,800 soon-to-be smolts that will be released in May.

A closer view of the chum salmon fry released on March 20, 2021

23,000 Chum Fry Ponded at Hoy Creek Hatchery

Kim and Tyler check for morts witin the freshly ponded chum fry on on Feb. 27.

Kim and Tyler check for morts witin the freshly ponded chum fry on on Feb. 27.

After a four-year lull and only the second time raising chum since the mid-90s, Hoy Creek Hatchery is holding 23,000 chum fry.

The final 19,000 were moved from the incubation stack and were ponded in the Capilano trough this last Saturday. The salmon are 3 – 4 months old.

The chum fry will be fed and released within three weeks of ponding; this will occur in two releases with the Feb. 18 fry (~4,800) being released first.

The hatchery had released several weeks ago, 1,500 unfed chum fry that had matured well in advance of the remaining heath trays. The last time the society released chum was in 2017.

In addition to the chum, we have ~10,500 healthy coho alevin in the hatchery incubator and ~2,800 soon-to-be smolts in our rearing pond that will be released in May.

In the video above, hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard ponds the last of the chum salmon from the incubator which was funded by the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

See more photos on our Facebook page.

HSWS Collaboration with Flowlink Discussed

Left to right: Tom Hayes, Co-founder, Flowlink Environmental; Robbin Whachell, President, HSWS; and Elena Ranyuk, Co-founder, Flowlink.

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was contacted by Flowlink Environmental in January 2021 and they then attended our monthly meeting that month to present the work they do related to water-monitoring solutions.

After providing an initial Hoy Creek water sample test result they came to visit the Hoy Creek Hatchery for a tour and walked the Hoy Creek Trail to be shown the most common areas where spill inflows have been detected over the years.

The Society is looking forward to collaborating with Flowlink in order to find solutions in keeping the salmon in the hatchery and the creek safe.

Left to right: Kim Mayes, Director, HSWS; Elena Ranyak, Co-founder, Flowlink; Tom Hayes, Co-founder, Flowlink; and Tyler Storgaard, VP and Hatchery Manager, HSWS.

Left to right: Kim Mayes, Director, HSWS; Elena Ranyak, Co-founder, Flowlink; Tom Hayes, Co-founder, Flowlink; and Tyler Storgaard, VP and Hatchery Manager, HSWS.

HSWS attends meeting with MPs McKinnon and Beech

MP Ron McKinnon and MP Terry Beech

MP Ron McKinnon and MP Terry Beech

On January 18, MP for Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, Ron McKinnon provided an opportunity for local hatchery administration to speak with Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Terry Beech, to discuss the current issues, as well as challenges facing watersheds and hatcheries in our community.

President, Robbin Whachell and hatchery manager and vice president of Hoy/Scott Watershed Society, Tyler Storgaard attended the meeting. Also in attendance was the Watershed Watch Society, Hyde Creek Watershed Society, Mossom Creek Hatchery, and the Maple Creek Streamkeepers Society.

HSWS Continues Adults Salmon Spawner Survey in 2020

Rodney Lee, (right) speaks to three of the four volunteers (left to right: Anne Woosman, Jerome Cho, and Hannah Blanchard about that day’s spawner survey tasks.

Rodney Lee, (right) speaks to three of the four volunteers (left to right: Anne Woosman, Jerome Cho, and Hannah Blanchard about that day’s spawner survey tasks.

Former hatchery manager and Hoy/Scott Watershed Society director, Rodney Lee led a spawner survey in 2020.

Spawner surveys are a basic form of stock assessment where the data can be used to gauge the health of salmon returns. In short, we walk the creek and count live and dead salmon (by species) to get a sense for the number of returning fish. Data is submitted to the Streamkeeper’s database as well as to the DFO.

Four of our volunteers participated and went out each Saturday between Sept. 26 and Nov. 7. Participants had to walk in chest waders in and around the stream including stepping over fallen trees, walking on in-stream rocks and muddy banks, and crouching under overhanging tree branches to identify salmon species targeting chum and coho but occasionally other species (chinook, pink) may have been seen.

Thanks to those who participated!

Left to right: Maiya Callister, Anne Woosman, and Jerome Cho.

Winning Greeting Card Entry Unveiled

HSWS greeting card cover 2020.

In November we put out a call for photos or artwork for our first annual greeting card.

We’d like to thank everyone who provided images or artwork, and those that helped vote for their favourite entry via our Facebook page.

Our winner was seven-year-old, Daniela Guidos who presented this drawing of chum salmon returning to Hoy Creek, specifically in the pool area below the bridge adjacent to the hatchery. Her image also feated the cement salmon that sits by the creek.

Daniela’s image received over 80 likes.

May we take this opportunity to congratulate Daniela, and wish everyone the best of the season!

Photo or Artwork Sought for 2020 Holiday Greeting Card

Your photo or artwork can be featured on our first ever holiday greeting card!

Your photo or artwork can be featured on our first ever holiday greeting card!

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society is looking for a photo or drawing of the watershed and/or salmon returns, to be featured on our 2020 holiday greeting card.

If you’re a resident of the Tri-Cities and love to draw, paint, or take photographs, you can submit an entry that depicts the wonders of nature along Scott or Hoy Creek, or the Hoy Creek Linear Park. Or, perhaps you’re an artist who can provide a drawing about the work we do as a Society.

To submit your high-resolution photo or artwork, please email hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com with ‘Holiday Greeting Card Submission’ in your subject line. Provide your full name, home address and contact phone numbers.

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27.

Entries will be posted to the Society's Facebook page on Saturday, Nov. 28 by 12 noon whereupon the public can weigh in on favourites and the most 'Likes' will become our winner.

Contest rules:

  • Must be a resident of the Tri-Cities.

  • Open to all ages and abilities.

  • One entry (one image OR art piece) per person.

  • Must be your own image or artwork.

  • Must depict nature scenes from Hoy or Scott Creeks, or watersheds of same, or the work of the Society.

  • The photographer or artist's name will be used in promotion and credit provided on the greeting card.

  • By providing your image or artwork, the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society has full rights of use in print and digitally (web and social media).

Questions? Email us at hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com

Coho broodstock collection underway at Hoy Creek Hatchery

An unmarked coho male (HSWS Photo)

After reaching our quota for chum salmon eggs which are now incubating at Hoy Creek Hatchery, the volunteer team has switched to coho broodstock collection.

On Saturday, Nov. 7 the crew headed up to seine the fish trap pool which is located below the fire hall. On the way up they performed a trail clean.

Eight coho were transported back to the hatchery and placed in the Capilano trough where they will ripen for egg take.

Four of the catch were unmarked males and the other four were hatchery marked females.

NOTE: With current BC Health orders in place, hatchery management has suspended all group activity at this time.

Youth volunteers seining for coho salmon broodstock in Hoy Creek with hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard. (HSWS Photo)

A hatchery marked (no adipose fin) female coho. (HSWS Photo)