Summer 2016: The Elk River Watershed
I'll be packing my microphone and heading out west to visit scientists and folks along the Elk River, the Kootenay River, Lake Koocanusa and south into Montana.Coal mining in this region involves blasting the seams from the mountains and removing the coal from surrounding blast rock. Every ton of coal comes with ten or more tons of waste rubble.
In its original tomb in the mountain, the rock is benign. Crushed and piled in natural funnels of the Kootenay landscape it becomes toxic. Water from snowmelt, rain or former creeks percolates through the rubble piles and extracts contaminants that flush down the drainages into local creeks and rivers.
Although mining has recently slowed in the region due to low coal prices, existing waste piles will continue to leach for decades.
Selenium
Calcite
Nitrate
Sulphate
Cadmium
Elk River pollution hit the news in 2013
Gordon Hamilton, Vancouver Sun
March 20, 2013
Mining company Teck Resources commits $600M to five-year cleanup plan
CBC News
Mar 21, 2013
Teck Coal facing serious water pollution in Elk Valley
MARK HUME
VANCOUVER — The Globe and Mail
Mar. 21, 2013
MARK HUME
VANCOUVER — The Globe and Mail
Mar. 21, 2013
The Elk Valley Water Quality Plan
A tremendous effort by Teck, governments (BC, Canada, US, MT), local communities and First Nations produced the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan.
In November 2014 the plan was accepted by the BC Minister of the Environment.
But then there’s this:
MARK HUME
VANCOUVER — The Globe and Mail
Oct. 12, 2014
And this:
The members of the Working group agreed to disagree on the characterization of the benchmark as “protective” of fish and wildlife populations.
So, I’m curious about what’s going on.
Why don’t scientists agree? Where does the truth lie?