Port Alberni Hog Fuel Dump Dust

Click on Pictures to see larger view.

(Wood Dust and debris with small oil patches)

(Wood Dust generated by traffic on south side, often finding it's way into the creek)

(Wood Dust on water surface and creek bank, small patches of unidentified oils in creek/North Side of Pile.  Leachate finds it way into the creek at places all along the south creek bank, best seen at low tide.)

(Wood Dust built up on creek bank and surface of creek, small patches of unidentified oils.)

(Wood Dust which has settled on water surface and along creek bank.)

Fri June 5, 1998.  12:40pm

Reported to Dept of Fisheries in A.M.
Sawdust & Oil patches above oil boom leaves & dust below oil boom.
Some Dust and unidentified oils are able to migrate up stream (on water surface around oil boom) with incoming Tide, and returns as the tide recedes.
Some of the fine dust below boom in picture could also be wind born.  The tidal area of Dry Creek extents inland several hundred meters.  The fish rely heavily on this area, as the flow rate in the creek above the tidal zone greatly diminishes in the summer months.

A close-up of the mouth of dry creek as it passes through the thick bed of rotting saw dust.
Welcome home Mr. & Mrs. Coho.

Mouth of Dry Creek
Low Tide
1. Creek runs through thick blanket of rotting sawdust.
2. Left center of picture - experimental plants growing with in confines of orange fencing.
These plants which were planted last year within the little squares of orange fencing are not
reproducing well.
3. The reed beds beside creek on both sides growing in the rotting sawdust have established
themselves naturally and have been there for many years, surviving but not expanding their range.
4. The entire tidal area of the Harbor seen in the distance is blanked with rotting sawdust for approximately 250 meters. And is largely a biology dead zone, how far this sawdust bed extends into the harbor is not known. Leachate is also a problem in this area.

Low Tide
Looking into mill from mouth of creek.  Note banks of rotting sawdust and choked bottom.  Why this condition has been allowed to persist for years is not known.

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