Skip to content

Industrial Update: Remediation is now complete at Mount Polley

Environmental monitoring of the Mount Polley will continue for the life span of the mine
28451789_web1_220317-WLT-IndustrialUpdate-MountPolley_2
After seven years of remediation work in Hazeltine Creek in response to the 2014 tailings dam breach, the salmon have returned to the creek to spawn. (Mount Polley Mine photo)

The Mount Polley team has worked tirelessly and spent over $70 million dollars on the clean-up, environmental impact and risk assessment studies, and remediation and monitoring of the Mount Polley site.

We are excited to announce that the remediation of the site is now complete!

The mine staff, our First Nation business partners, local contractors, and consultants have all been involved in the clean-up and response to the spill. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved.

Mount Polley environmental team member surveys remediated sites

After years of remediation work in Hazeltine Creek in response to the 2014 tailings dam breach, the salmon have returned to the creek to spawn. In stream work was completed in late August 2021, just in time for the sockeye migration in the region.

After seven years of remediation work in Hazeltine Creek in response to the 2014 tailings dam breach, the salmon have returned to the creek to spawn.

The current habitat of upper Hazeltine Creek is now over 1.5 times more likely to spawn fish than the pre-breach habitat. A recent report prepared by Golder, Mount Polley’s environmental consultant, reveals that the fish population in Hazeltine Creek is increasing as a result of the remediation efforts made by the Mount Polley Habitat Remediation Working Group since 2014.

Abundant Rainbow Trout observed upstream of fish fences, looking to transit into Hazeltine Creek from Polley Lake to spawn.

A wildlife nonitoring plan has been implemented in the Hazeltine Creek corridor, utilizing wildlife cameras to build an inventory of animals that are using the corridor to support local wildlife studies.

Remediation efforts have helped re-introduce wildlife usage in the area and also created a suitable habitat for a diverse range of wildlife activities from nesting birds to foraging and predator/prey interactions.

Remote cameras at the Mount Polley site have been installed for mammal species monitory

To better understand the impacts and implications of these programs and remediation efforts on Mount Polley as well as potentially other mine sites, specialized wildlife cameras have been installed for mammal species monitoring. As a result, an inventory of identified species including numerous bird species and even some large insects within the Hazeltine Creek corridor by remote cameras have captured a library collection of raw footage.

An inventory of identified species including numerous bird species and even some large insects within the Hazeltine Creek corridor by remote cameras have captured a library collection of raw footage

Environmental monitoring of the Mount Polley site, including remediated areas, will continue for the life span of the mine.

As we move closer to the end of the pandemic, we look forward to offering more opportunities for community engagement and more in-person tours.

This article was submitted for Industrial Update by the Mount Polley Mine Environmental Team.

READ MORE: Regulator fines engineers 8 years after Mount Polley disaster in B.C.



news@wltribune.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

28451789_web1_220317-WLT-IndustrialUpdate-MountPolley_3
Abundant rainbow trout observed upstream of fish fences, looking to transit into Hazeltine Creek from Polley Lake to spawn. (Photo submitted)