The Raincoast Conservation Foundation said excess nutrients, minerals, faecal bacteria, hydrocarbons and pesticides — as well as cocaine and painkillers — were detected in 29 surface water samples from the Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford, BC, over a seven-week period after the flood. “This is a red flag that says these waters are unsafe for salmon and dangerous for fish,” Peter Ross, a toxicologist and lead author of the report, said Thursday morning in an early release. In a statement released with the findings the same day, the foundation said the declining health of Sumas fish habitat became clear during this investigation. Raincoast said its analysis of the water in the fish habitat found that “excess nutrients, minerals, hydrocarbons and pesticides” were the main pollutants of concern. It also said cocaine and painkillers were found in its samples, which were taken from 11 locations between December 2021 and February 2022. Ross places those impurities in a category he called pharmaceuticals and personal care products and said cocaine dominated. “We found that cocaine is the most prevalent contaminant in this category,” Ross said. “The concentrations weren’t very high, but … they were everywhere.” Raincoast Conservation Foundation collected water samples from 11 locations on the Sumas Prairie between December 15, 2021 and February 2, 2022. The area in blue shows the location of Sumas Lake before it was drained in the 1920s. (Provided by Raincoast Conservation Foundation) The study was supported by several groups, including the Sumas First Nation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the BC Ministry of Environment. The foundation noted that water quality in the Sumas Prairie – formerly Sumas Lake, before the area was drained in the 1920s – is “poor, regardless of flooding, having been degraded by agricultural and domestic activities.” The lack of historical data makes it difficult to know how much contamination was a direct result of the flood and how much was a pre-existing problem, he added. Residents were warned to stay away from the icy, murky waters that flooded the area last November. Officials warned that debris such as oil, garbage, drums and dead animals are polluting the water.
Soil quality “is not compromised”: Ministry
Much of the food production of BC it takes place in the Sumas Prairie, a low-lying part of the Fraser Valley about 90 kilometers east of Vancouver. The area is irresistible to some of the largest agricultural operations in the province for several reasons: the fields are flat, there is a temperate climate all year round and it is close to the big city. The soil is also strong. The fact that the meadow was formerly a shallow lake makes its soil – sandy at the edge of the former lake and clay towards its center – particularly rich in nutrients and suitable for dozens of varieties of vegetables and berries, as well as livestock. WATCHES | The 100-year-old decision that contributed to the Abbotsford flood:
The 100-year decision that contributed to the flooding of Abbotsford, BC
More than 100 years ago, a lake outside what is now Abbotsford, BC, was drained to create lucrative farmland. Many say this decision is a major contributor to the devastating floods. After the flood, the PK Department of Agriculture conducted a preliminary soil quality assessment to determine if the area would still be viable for farming. About two dozen soil samples were analyzed for pollutants such as gas, diesel, pesticides, herbicides and asbestos. “Upon review of the soil quality results, it was determined that the sampled farmland was not compromised during the flooding and the integrity of agricultural food supply production for this area remains strong,” it said in a statement. An image of Sumas Lake before it was drained to make way for farmland. (Vancouver City Archives) Ross said the report reveals a collective failure to protect water and fish habitats from contamination. He wants these findings to contribute to “innovation, stewardship and collective investment in green infrastructure” that will protect people, communities and fish habitats. “What we hope is that the Sumas First Nation and other organizations and agencies will look at this report and use these conclusions, use our findings to try to design a better way of living with water in an era of changing climate.” , he said. CBC News contacted the Department of Agriculture to clarify the difference between the soil and water findings in the foundation’s report.
