Turner Valley contaminants reach River

Dramatic erosion in the Sheep River near Turner Valley has driven the west bank dangerously close to the contaminated soil of the Turner Valley Gas Plant.
Alberta Environment and Alberta Community Development, the owner of the property, said work must be done quickly to divert the river away from the site and contain contaminants.
Bill Strickland, Alberta Community Development spokesperson said hydrocarbons could be seen in the river at the gas plant site since this spring.
“We have seen small deposits of hydrocarbons,” he explained. “Surface stuff — like what you would see when there is a motor boat on the river.”
Since the discovery, water monitors have shown no detectable amounts of contaminants in the river. Detectable amounts are measured using a formula based on parts-per-litre. The formula being used by Alberta Environment in this case was not available by press time.
The erosion began with a flood in 1996, when the west bank of the river was approximately 50 metres from the gas plant site. Since then the banks have been retreating at a steady pace. However, this spring a metre to two metres of the bank was cut back, bringing the river up to the fence surrounding the site.
Gary Duguay, gas plant project manager for Alberta Community Development, said an assessment report and subsequent planning placed priorities elsewhere, as the river did not pose an immediate problem until recently.
“Because it has been so gradual we didn’t expect to lose as much as we did recently,” Duguay explained, adding that since the discovery the priority has shifted from on-site clean-up to re-routing the river. A tender is currently outstanding for the diversion project, which is expected to cost $250,000.
“We are going to divert the river back to its original location,” Strickland said.
A containment wall is in the planning stages. In addition, a new monitoring system will be required to ensure the containment wall is holding back all contaminants.
The provincial government recently rededicated $1.5 million towards reclamation work at the site.
Strickland said the river diversion will be completed by spring and it is hoped that the containment work could also be finished at the same time.

By Darlene Casten
Staff reporter

from, the OKOTOKS WESTERN WHEEL, September 17, 2003