HISTORY OF TSOLUM RIVER RESTORATION

· The Tsolum River originates on Mount Washington, where an open pit copper mine operated between 1964 and 1967.

· By the 1980s, copper leaching from the abandoned mine had virtually eliminated the fisheries resource in the entire Tsolum River watershed.

· The river had previously supported large populations of salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout, and contributed significantly to the local economy.

· The economic benefit to the community, in 2007 dollars, has been estimated at $2.7 million annually.

· Past remediation efforts have contributed to improved water quality in the Tsolum River. However, further improvement is needed in order to allow restoration of the fisheries resource.

· The Province, through the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources funded a remediation project at the mine site from 1988 through 1991. This remediation was partially successful but not sufficient to reinstate the fishery resource in the river.

· A unique six-way partnership was founded in 2001 between the Ministry of Environment, Timber West, the Tsolum River Restoration Society, the Pacific Salmon Foundation, Environment Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

· This partnership led to an innovative and successful wetland project, which has reduced the copper levels to the point that fish stocks have now returned to the Tsolum River.

· The wetland has a limited life of five to 10 years, after which copper leachate will again impact the emerging fish populations.

· During a site visit to the Tsolum River Hatchery in March 2006, Minister Penner presented an initial $50,000 grant to the Pacific Salmon Foundation to be used towards the evaluation and design of an engineered remediation plan for the abandoned mine site. Further funding came from a number of sources, including the federal government and the local community.

· SRK Consulting, leading international experts in the field of mine site remediation, was hired to determine the best remediation option for this mine and to complete the detailed engineering, design and cost estimates for the work.

· SRK worked closely with the Tsolum River Partnership in the development and review of remediation plan. Expert peer review was also done through the Mining Association of B.C.

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Contact:

Kate Thompson

Media Manager

Ministry of Environment

250 953-4577

Jake Jacobs

Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources

250 952-0628

250 213-6934 (cell)




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