Wabamun Lake Investigative Project

Name: ________________________________Name of Partner: ________________________Due Date: _____________________________

Investigation Request

To: Investigations Department Associate Environmental Investigator

Re: 2005 Wabamun Lake Oil Spill

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

On August 3rd, 2005, there was an oil spill near Wabamun Lake, Alberta. A CN train derailed near the summer village of Whitewood Sands, spilling approximately 1.3 million litres of oil and other toxic chemicals – an estimated 734 000 litres of the oil and toxic chemicals were spread over the surface of Wabamun Lake.

Since the oil spill, Alberta Environment has been monitoring CN’s clean-up efforts, as well as the environmental impacts of the spill.

INVESTIGATION ASSIGNMENT:

Your assignment, as an Associate Environmental Investigator, is to analyze scientific and historical information to determine the impact of the spill on this aquatic ecosystem.

To assist in your investigation, Alberta Environment has provided data and analysis templates for your work:

q Step One: Historical Analysis

q Step Two: Updated Analysis

q Step Three: Investigation Conclusions (presented to Alberta Environment in the format of your choice)

o Recommendation for recovery effortso Other environmental concerns in the Wabamun areao Contributions to environmental protection technologies

Non-Examples:

Examples:Synonyms:

Term:

INFERENCE

Picture:

Antonyms:

WorkingDefinition:

Lake Wabamun Water Quality and Ecosystem Survey

2002 Report

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Wabamun Lake, approximately 60 km west of Edmonton, is large, shallow, and the water is generally well mixed. Sport fish in the lake include northern pike, yellow perch, and lake whitefish. There are also diverse populations of microscopic plants (diatoms, blue-green algae, phytoplankton), invertebrate species (zooplankton, worms, larvae, snails), waterfowl (ducks, grebes, swans, osprey), and big game animals (deer).

There is a unique mix of land uses in the lake watershed, which include undisturbed bush and forest, agriculture, two coal mines with active and reclaimed areas, three coal-fired power plants, major transportation (road and rail) corridors, residences, and recreation. The mines supply fuel for the power plants, operated by the TransAlta Utilities Corporation (TAU). Industrial wastewaters, runoff and cooling water from the Whitewood mine and Wabamun power plant are discharged to the lake.

According to the 2001 Census, Wabamun Village has 601 residents living in the community year-round. The village, which is situated on the northern shore of Lake Wabamun, offers services such as shopping, restaurants, gas bar and auto service, car wash, laundromat, drug store, grocery store, post office, bank, beauty centre, tourist attractions and accommodations, as well as other service professionals. The community is surrounded by 62 acres of park space, which includes a paved nature trail system, provincial campground, and group camping sites.

SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS:

The water quality of Wabamun Lake from 1982 to 2001 was similar to other freshwater lakes of central Alberta.

Ongoing monitoring of groundwater and drinking water in the area show no sign of metal contamination.

Microscopic plants: Diatoms are usually dominant in Spring and Fall; Blue-Green Algae is usually dominant in the summer.

Invertebrate populations are different in the industrial run-off areas because of higher water temperatures – snails and worms are the predominant species in the warm run-off areas.

CONCLUSIONS:

Alberta Environment continues to work closely with Alberta Health and Wellness and the local Health Authority to ensure that the health of lake users is not affected. No health advisories are in place for recreational use of the lake or consumption of fish.References:http://cnebusiness.geomapguide.ca/ http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/5811.pdf http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/7011.pdfhttp://www.wabamun.ca/visitors/history http://www.city-data.com/canada/Wabamun-Village.html http://www.wabamun.ca/visitors/about-wabamun http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/Projects/Alberta-Lakes/view/?region=North%20Saskatchewan%20Region&basin=North%20Saskatchewan%20River%20Basin&lake=Wabamun%20Lake&number=87&page=Biological

CN Rail: Wabamun Lake AreaLocation of Railway & CN Stations

Wabamun was declared a village in 1912 – in its early years, the village's economy centered around two things: the proximity of the lake and the presence of the rail line.

The railway company promoted Wabamun as a summer resort to encourage tourists from Edmonton. The combination of the rail line and the lake also allowed for the development of a commercial fishing

industry. Fish were shipped by boxcar as far away as New York. In winter, ice was cut from the lake to supply railway refrigeration cars. The rail line also allowed development of the nearby coal resources.

Part 1: Historical Investigation

Review the 2002 Alberta Environment Report to determine:

What was the Wabamun Lake ecosystem like before the 2005 oil spill?

A. Organisms found in Wabamum ecosystem:

Vertebrates Invertebrates Plants

B. Population Changes : Invertebrate and microscopic plant populations

Facts from 2002 Report:Inferences:

Based on the facts, what can you infer about these organisms’ adaptations?

Invertebrate Populations:

Microscopic Plant Populations:

C. Human activity in Wabamun ecosystem:

Recreational

Commercial

Industrial

D. Scientific Findings :

Facts: What is being monitored?Inferences:

Why might scientists be monitoring this ecosystem?

E. Existing water quality concerns:

Focus Question:As an Environmental Investigator, highlight 4 things that you are

concerned about and/or are pleased to see happening in the Wabamun Oil Spill recovery efforts.

Faulty track caused derailment, oil spill in Lake Wabamun: TSBSafety board recommends replacing worn-out rail, improving track testing

Last Updated: Thursday, October 25, 2007 | http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2007/10/25/tsb-wabamun.html

A defective rail caused a CN train to leave the tracks, dumping oil into a popular Alberta lake two years ago, according to the final report by the Transportation Safety Board.

The derailment, which led to an environmental charge against CN, spilled more than 700,000 litres of bunker oil and other chemicals into Lake Wabamun, 50 kilometres west of Edmonton, in August 2005.

A 12-metre section of replacement rail had at least 13 defects that went undetected before the derailment, said George Fowler, a track specialist and TSB investigator, at a news conference in Edmonton on Thursday.

Fractures in the faulty track, installed in 2003, grew until at least one broke, sending the train onto the shores of Lake Wabamun.

The safety board made three recommendations in its latest report:

Set minimum standards for the quality, strength of rails. Review Canadian rail procedures, equipment used to test tracks. Establish standards that require that fatigued rails be replaced.

The report also said weak emergency response plans by both CN Rail and the provincial government contributed to the impact of the spill.

Residents of the village of Wabamun who feel CN did not respond quickly enough to the spill had called for similar recommendations.

On the second anniversary of the spill in August, health officials warned boaters and swimmers to stay away from oil patches and tar balls still in Lake Wabamun.

E. Hunter Harrison, CN Rail's president and CEO, did not respond directly to Thursday's recommendations, but praised the "thorough investigation of the unfortunate accident."

More than 40 rail cars derailed just metres from homes bordering Lake Wabamun.(John Ulan/Canadian Press)

An aerial image of Lake Wabamun from August 2005 shows the oil

In a news release, Harrison said: "I'm pleased to say that CN, as the report notes, has already taken many steps to reduce the risk of recurrence of accidents of this nature, and will continue to do so together with government and industry experts."

In June 2006, Alberta Environment charged CN Rail with failing to take all reasonable measures to remedy and confine a spill, an offence punishable by a maximum penalty of $500,000. The case is not yet resolved.

The TSB said 71 trains have derailed in Canada in the past 10 years because of worn-out rail.

Other Recovery Effort Articles:

An aerial image of Lake Wabamun from August 2005 shows the oil

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2006/06/05/cn-wabamun.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2005/08/11/Wabamun-spill-050811.html

2005

2006

CN Rail: Wabamun Lake AreaLocation of Railway & CN Stations

Spill Site

Lake Wabamun Oil Advisory

EDMONTON SUN First posted: Friday, May 21, 2010 04:50 PM MDT | Updated: Friday, May 21, 2010 04:56 PM MDT http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/alberta/2010/05/21/14037361.html

Lake Wabamun residents and visitors eager to hit the beach for the summer are reminded to look out for lingering oil substances, still present from the 2005 train derailment.

Oil sheens and tar balls that range from small specks to baseball-sized globs could be found on the beach or in the shallow water along the beachfront and can cause rashes or health problems if touched or ingested.

"Most of the oil has been removed and the lake water quality is good so there is no warning against swimming," said Nelson Fok, provincial manager of environmental health.

"But we are asking people to use a common sense approach and avoid areas with tar balls or oil sheens."

Some oil resurfaces every year and the amount is dependent on the currents and the temperatures, Fok added.

Pets and people who do come into contact with oil substances should immediately clean the affected areas with a product suitable for oil removal and later rewash the same areas with soap and water or detergent, he said.

Anyone who swallows the substances or develops unusual rashes should immediately seek medical help. For more

information, please call Health Link Alberta at 780-408-LINK or 1-866-408-LINK.

The province has been issuing a warning every year since August 2005, when a CN train derailed due to a defective rail and dumped nearly 800,000 litres of oils and chemicals into Lake Wabamun, about 65 km west of Edmonton.

Hundreds of birds and fish were harmed or killed.

CN agreed to pay $1.4 million in fines related to provincial and federal charges for the spill. The company and their insurers had spent more than $132 million following the spill for cleaning and compensation.

clara.ho@sunmedia.ca

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146638005000616

Forum Discussion Post on http://www.fishtactics.com/ViewThread?threadID=1910

Few scars from Wabamun spill The Edmonton Journal January 2, 2007; http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=3a6453e8-0dfe-40d5-ab6f-b43ec5b224c4&k=66252  

EDMONTON - Wabamun Lake will suffer no lasting damage as a result of a 2005 CN oil spill, says a new report prepared for the railway.

Testing last year showed whitefish that hatched from eggs exposed to oil residue had five per cent more deformities than normal, but even that damage is expected to eventually disappear.

"Since that time, additional oil residue has been removed from Lake Wabamun, therefore reducing the risk of exposure by the fish eggs," noted the report by

Golder Associates Ltd., an environmental consulting company hired by CN.

"Additionally, tests have shown there are no spill-related contaminants present in the flesh of the fish in the lake," said a CN bulletin.

Small aquatic worms living in certain areas in the lake might also have been affected by oil residue, though no impact was detected on the mix and number of species living in those areas, the report said.

http://www.albertawow.com/campgrounds/Wabamun_Lake_Campground/Wabamun_Lake_Campground.htm

Nor is there evidence that remaining oil contamination is any threat to human health, the report says.

The test results compiled by Golder were presented Dec. 14 to agencies overseeing CN's Wabamun Lake cleanup, including Alberta Environment, Capital Health and Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.

A massive cleanup, after a train derailment in August 2005 spilled about 800,000 litres of fuel oil and pole-treating oil, ended in October, when the lake froze, though environmental experts continue to monitor the lake.

CN and government officials will conduct a shoreline assessment this spring to determine if further cleanup is required, said CN spokesman Jim Feeny.

"What we're seeing is pretty much what we expected. The effects of the derailment and spill were severe. We began working to mitigate those effects immediately after the spill, and we've put a tremendous amount of time and resources into that program, so I think the recovery that we're seeing is what we would expect to see, given the level of resource that we've put into it."

Alberta Environment spokesman Kim Hunt said provincial officials are reviewing the findings in the Golder report.

The chairman of the Lake Wabamun Residents Committee said the group will have its own environmental expert review the report.

"Of course, we'll be looking to the experts at Alberta Environment and Capital Health to see if there are health issues here," Doug Goss said. "If you're looking at deformities and things like that, that obviously causes some concern. People say, 'What does this mean?'

"People want to know their lake is safe, whether it's related to the oil spill or other issues."

A variety of aquatic life in the lake has suffered negative effects from toxins not related to CN's oil spill, the Golder environmental report noted.

Capital Health has advised people not to eat fish from the lake.

After the spill, CN offered affected Wabamun residents shares in a $7.5-million compensation package for loss of use of the lake. Nearly all of the eligible 1,500 residents have accepted the compensation.

A proposed class-action suit was dropped in the fall.

"I think, for most people, the hope is that this is behind us," Goss said.

asands@thejournal.canwest.com

© (c) CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.

Officials work to re-establish walleye population in Alta. Lakes

Updated: Fri Jul. 16 2010 22:18:05

Follow link for Video News Report: http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100716/edm_walleye_100716/20100717/?hub=EdmontonHome

Years of overfishing, industry impact, and a major oil spill back in 2005, have all contributed to extremely low numbers of walleye in Lake Wabamun.

Sustainable Resource Development is now working to re-establish the population.

Over the past four days, officials have taken more than 800 walleye from Lake Isle and more than 500 fish from Lac. St. Anne and are releasing them into Lake Wabamun.

"This should be a short term project -- maybe five or six years and then after that the population should be fine on its own," said senior fisheries biologist Stephen Spencer.

A ban has been in place on keeping walleye -- also known as pickerel -- at Lake Wabamun.

A Lake Isle resident says he chose to retire in the area in part because he likes to fish. Harry Gnadt isn't thrilled at the province's plan.

"What I can't understand is why we can't fish pickerel and they can take them from this lake and install them into Wabamun? It don't make sense to me."

Spencer says they are taking less than one per cent of walleye from Lake Isle. He says the idea is to eventually increase population in Lake Wabamun with a spawning program.

"These were the best lakes. They are close so we can move them quickly without having much mortality at all," said Spencer.

Roger Kulhawi has lived in the area his whole life. He says he doesn't mind sharing the walleye as long as it means more fish for everyone.

Next year, walleye eggs from Lac Ste. Anne will be sent to the Cold Lake Fish Hatchery, and a portion of those fry would also be returned to Lac Ste. Anne to increase the walleye population.

With files from Sean Amato

Screenshot from Golder Associates’ Newsletter, discussing the ways they helped monitor oil spill effects.http://www.golder.ca/archive/Technically-Speaking/TS_74/05.html

Part 2: Updated Investigation

Review the updated information sources to determine:

What was the Wabamun Lake ecosystem like several years after the 2005 oil spill?

F. Effect of the oil spill on Organisms found in Wabamum ecosystem:

G. Effect of the oil spill on human activity in Wabamum ecosystem:

Recreational Industrial/Commercial

H. Additional scientific monitoring in the area:

Facts: What is being monitored?Inferences:

How might this research help the ecosystem recover from the spill?

Think about the facts and inferences above, as well as your historical analysis:

What can you infer about how well microscopic plant and invertebrate populations are recovering after the oil spill?

What does this suggest about the current water quality?

I. Overall effect of the oil spill on the Wabamun aquatic ecosystem:

Short-Term Effects Long-Term Effects

Water Quality

Organism Populations

Part 3: Investigation Conclusions

Consider your Historical and Updated investigations:

What conclusions can be drawn from the Wabamun Lake oil spill?

J. Recommendations : Wabamun Ecosystem Protection

What recommendation for change can you make that will benefit the Wabamun ecosystem recovery the most?

Environmental Impacts of this Recommendation:ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

You may present your conclusions to Alberta Environment in the format of your choice.

K. Overall Analysis : Wabamun Ecosystem

Are the water quality and environmental issues in Wabamun only a result of

the oil spill? Are there other factors?

(circle one)

YES NO

Explain your analysis:

L. Investigator Contributions :

What 2 jobs are similar to an

Environmental Investigator?

How do people in these jobs help to protect aquatic

ecosystems?

How do people in these jobs help to develop environmental technologies?

Job #1:

Job #2:

Evaluation of Partner. Partners Name: _____________________________

Work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas, procedures and results

Group Process QuestionsDescribe any communication problems within your group, or describe how well members of your group were able to communicate with each other.

Did you meet outside of class to establish goals and stay in tune with each other?

What worries you the most when working in groups?

Did you think you did your fair share?

Did your partner do their fair share?