waterways

Hoy Creek Hatchery named Grand Champion

A photo with the Communities in Bloom ‘Grand Champion’ certificate. Left to right: Robbin Whachell, HSWS Director of Communications; Kyle Uno, HSWS President; and Anne Woosnam, HSWS Secretary / Asst. Hatchery Manager.

The City of Coquitlam - Municipality hosted an evening to celebrate their Communities in Bloom - Collectivités en fleurs accolades on Nov. 10, 2022 at the Vancouver Golf & Country Club. Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was acknowledged as 'Grand Champions' for the Hoy Creek Hatchery with the Coquitlam receiving the prestigious 5 Bloom Gold status.

A big thanks to assistant hatchery manager, Anne Woosnam, who led our Coquitlam in Bloom judges' tour when they came through town in July 2022.

Following their evaluation, volunteer CiB judges Berta Briggs and Larry Hall wrote, "The City of Coquitlam provides support to groups to implement some amazing programmes and projects. The Hoy Creek Hatchery is a project of the Hoy/Scott Creek Watershed Society. The Hatchery is located in a public park for all to learn about and witness the raising of salmon through many stages until they are ready for release. All work is done by volunteers under the guidance of the Watershed Society and the City. Water monitoring is constant to assure water quality is ongoing. As important as the Hatchery is to maintain fish populations, just as important are the learning opportunities and the human relationships that are fostered. The waterways are such an important part of natural heritage and their health is vital to environmental protection. One of Coquitlam's slogans is "Fun is in our Nature" and the Hoy Creek Hatchery provides fun for many while they work to preserve and protect nature."

"Communities in Bloom is about greening through environmental, natural heritage conservation and horticultural actions that involve citizens, businesses, institutions, and municipalities. The program is focused on environmental stewardship through the enhancement of green spaces.

A Tri-City News article stated, "Coquitlam took the prestigious '5 Blooms - gold' accolade in the Grand Champions category, with a special shout-out for the Hoy Creek Hatchery that it runs with the Hoy/Scott Creek Watershed Society."

Second paint spill of the summer at Hoy Creek

DESCRIPTION - Hoy Creek running milky - looks like paint in the water coming from a culvert Trail off of Walton Ave - first culvert just before the bridge
LOCATION - Hoy Creek - trail off Walton
REPORTED - 09/08/2022 03:08:19 PM
PHOTO taken at 6 p.m.

The City of Coquitlam has advised the Society of another paint spill in Hoy Creek. The report came in at 3 p.m. on Sept. 7 and it was noted at the same location as the spill on Aug. 21.

We have been told that "Environment and Public Works Staff were dispatched and were able to identify the source of the spill. It was a single-family home that had completed exterior painting work and then poured the remaining paint/paint water directly into the catch basin. Staff have educated the homeowner and enforcement action will be taken. The catch basin is being vacuumed out and there is a boom at the outfall, but unfortunately, there is still some contaminated water making its way downstream (very slowly). "

An HSWS volunteer took this photo at 6 p.m. We continue to monitor our coho smolts at the hatchery with the new Flowlink water monitoring system.

The residents were fined $500.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which include chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc. Nothing but rainwater should go down storm drains.

If you have information related to this spill, or to report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Paint Spill Reported in Hoy Creek off Walton Avenue

Photo taken at 7:15 p.m. two and a half hours after it was reported to the City of Coquitlam.

A spill in Hoy Creek was reported to the City on Monday, August 16. Thanks to a resident who posted information on a Facebook community group, the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was alerted. A volunteer of the Society reported it to the government and this photo was taken at 7:15 pm. This is the inflow area off Walton Ave east of Walton School on Hoy Trail.

On Tuesday, August 17, the City of Coquitlam provided the following update:

We received a report at 4:41 pm that Hoy Creek was running white and cloudy. Staff from both utilities and environment were immediately dispatched.

Staff believe the substance was paint. The boom at the Walton outfall was able to contain some of the substance, but some of it settled onto the bottom of the creek at the Walton outfall and is still there today.

Unfortunately despite having three staff working on the response, they were not able to trace the spill. They did a thorough patrol through the catchment areas and couldn’t find any leads. There were also no traces left in the storm main.

They checked the hatchery and the water was clear and there were no signs of harmed fish at the outfall or downstream. We checked FlowLink and it looks like turbidity at the hatchery increased to about 12.0 NTU around 7:00 pm yesterday.

Staff will continue to look out for any potential sources (paint contractors, construction/renovation work, signs of spills into catch basins etc). It is also possible that the washout was on private property through an onsite drain or perimeter drainage. It would all tie into the storm main, but would be difficult to catch unless it was actively occurring.

This screen shot was taken via the Flowlink water monitoring system. The sensor is down beside the hatchery, quite a ways downstream from the spill.

Fish being held in the outside rearing pond were monitored after and no fish deaths were reported at the hatchery.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which include chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc. Nothing but rainwater should go down storm drains.

If you have information related to this spill, or to report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Photos taken on Aug. 18, two days after the spill. It was great to see fish swimming around in the same area.

Spill Report from March 7, 2022

Thanks to Mike for the photo

Thank you to an area resident for sending us photos of a spill in Hoy Creek on Monday, March 7 at 4:25 p.m.

Should you see a spill in any city waterway please contact the City of Coquitlam as soon as possible at their 24-hour emergency number: 604-927-3500. It also helps to email photos to epw@coquitlam.ca

Note, that we keep this info in the hatchery display window as well as at our hoyscottcreeks.org/contact page.

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was able to go in and check our real-time water monitoring through the City of Coquitlam and Flowlink Environmental.

Water turbidity peaked at 4:23 p.m., the time the above photos were taken.

Fish Kill Reported in Hoy Creek

Submitted photo

Submitted photo

A fish kill in Hoy Creek was reported to Hoy/Scott Watershed Society and the City of Coquitlam on Sunday, April 12 after dead fry were seen on the bottom of the creek.

The city reported to the Society that their staff attended the creek on Sunday and went out again an additional two times this week. Approximately 20 – 30 fish were observed dead on Sunday with no new reports since then.

The incident appeared to localized in the stretch of the Hoy Creek around Hialeah Court and Woodbine Place.

There were no indications of contaminants (no smell, nothing observed in the creek, etc.) and there were smaller fry and water striders observed upstream and downstream of the dead fish.

There is always the possibility that someone discharged chlorinated water into the storm drain while cleaning their swimming pool or hot tub, but the chlorine evaporates fairly quickly and is very difficult to trace.

HSWS-storm-drain.jpg

City staff also reported the incident to the Provincial Environment Officer who didn’t believe there was any point in taking a sample of the water or dead fish given that the contaminant was already gone.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which includes chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc.

To report a spill in the creek click here.

Click here to read Home Tips for Healthy Streams