| ID |
2469 |
| Citation |
Petticrew E.L., Albers S.J., Baldwin S.A., Carmack E.C., Déry S.J., Gantner N., Graves K.E., Laval B., Morrison J., Owens P.N., Selbie D.T. and Vagle S. (2015) The impact of a catastrophic mine tailings impoundment spill into one of North America's largest fjord lakes: Quesnel Lake, British Columbia, Canada, Geophysical Research Letters 42(9) DOI:10.1002/2015GL063345 |
| Organization |
University of Northern British Columbia; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; University of British Columbia; Vynx Design Inc. |
| URL |
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL063345/pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
On 4 August 2014, a catastrophic breach of the Mount Polley mine tailings impoundment released ~25Mm3 of tailings and water and scoured an unknown quantity of overburden into the West Basin of Quesnel Lake. We document Quesnel Lake and Quesnel River observations for 2months postspill. Breach inflows raised Quesnel Lake by 7.7 cm, equivalent to ~21Mm3. The West Basin hypolimnion was modified immediately, exhibiting increased temperature (~5°C to 6–7.5°C), conductivity (110 to 160 _S/cm), and turbidity (<1 to 200–1000 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)). Cooscillating seiches moved West Basin hypolimnetic water both westward and eastward contaminating the Main Basin. Postspill, high-turbidity water propagated eastward (~1 cm/s), introducing a persistent ~20m thick layer below the thermocline and an ~30m thick layer at the bottom. The contaminant introduction, mobilization, and bioaccumulation may pose risks to resident and anadromous fish stocks, which support recreational, commercial, and First Nations fisheries. |
| Information Type |
Article |
| Regional Watershed |
Quesnel River |
| Sub-watershed if known |
Quesnel Lake |
| Aquifer # |
|
| Comments |
|
| Project status |
|
| Contact Name |
Ellen Petticrew |
| Contact Email |
[email protected] |
