August 11, 2026
Lemon Creek Fuel Spill
Information Update #10
Here is the latest information regarding the Lemon Creek fuel spill for August 10, 2013.
Breaking News – Resiliency Center To Demobilize Washcars & Potable Water
As more residents of the Slocan Valley reactivate their water systems in response to the lifting of the water bans, fewer and fewer people have been using the washcars and potable water facilities set up at the Resiliency Centre. In consideration of those still transitioning back to their own water systems, EFC is maintaining the water and showers until Wednesday August 14th at which time the need will be re-evaluated.
Residents are advised to flush their water systems in accordance with the Interior Health Authority’s recommended process outlined in the document “Procedure for Flushing a Domestic Water System after a Do Not Use Water Advisory” which is located at www.interiorhealth.ca. Copies of this advisory are available at the Resiliency Centre.
The Resiliency Center remains an important venue for congregating and sharing information. Staff at the Resiliency Center can provide a private place to discuss how the incident has affected residents and their families and provide direction and support to those who are affected.
Breaking News – Ongoing & Long Term Monitoring Plans Being Developed
Executive Flight Centre is committed to ongoing and long-term monitoring plans for assessing the environmental impact to fish,wildlife, water and other criteria. SNC Lavalin is currently developing plans which will meet the MoE’s requirements for monitoring the overall health of the river system.
Water Orders Lifted For All Areas
Interior Health Authority has lifted the DO NOT USE WATER ORDERS for all reaches of the Kootenay and Slocan Rivers and Lemon Creek. Water sample data provided for this area meets the Canadian Guidelines for Drinking Water and has been declared by Interior Health as safe for home, irrigation, recreation and drinking use.
Interior Health Authority advises residents in this area thoroughly flush their drinking water and irrigation systems as there will be stagnant water in the lines. Directions on how to do this are posted at www.interiorhealth.ca. If, after flushing, residents have any concerns or detect any odours of fuel, please contact IH Health Protection at 250.420.2220.
Unified Command Structure Disbanded
As a result of the water bans being lifted, the need to maintain a Unified Command Structure (which included MoE, RDCK, EFC and IHA) has been re-assessed and was disbanded effective August 10th.
The clean-up has progressed from an “emergency phase” into a “project phase” and will continue with cooperation from all agencies; however, in a more streamlined structure.
Quantum Murray will continue to lead the “project phase” through to completion on behalf of EFC and will be subject to meeting the standards and requirements of the Ministry of Environment.
Shoreline Clean-up and Assessment Technique (SCAT)
Executive Flight Centre has engaged Polaris Applied Sciences from Kirkland, Washington to conduct a Shoreline Clean-up & Assessment Technique, or SCAT.
Polaris’ staff will have completed over 200km of detailed shoreline assessment. Their assessments have been instrumental in ensuring clean-up efforts are focused in the right place and achieving the right result. This includes the various reaches along the north side of Lemon Creek.
A Polaris scientist remains with the clean-up team to help guide daily activities and follow up on isolated reports of product in the environment.
Lemon Creek Containment Booms
As a result of Polaris Applied Science SCAT assessments, Quantum Murray has focused its efforts in Lemon Creek and has containment booms located in this area.
Smaller boom setups, including both containment and absorbent booms and pads, will continue to be used for localized flushing operations which continue to be done in Lemon Creek on a reach-by-reach basis.
Quantum Murray deployed boats and crews to collect the boom equipment and continues to take all appropriate steps to ensure the residual contamination is captured and removed to a licensed waste facility.
A small and very light sheen of product is visible along the water surface along the edge of the debris. It is being effectively contained and captured by the absorbent boom.
Potable Water Locations
Potable water is available at the the Junction of Highway 6 and Lemon Creek Road and at the Resiliency Center in Winlaw. With the water ban being lifted, the drinking water stations are no longer required; however, EFC has committed to keeping them on site until Monday August 12th.
Air Quality & Odors
Atmospheric concentrations have been well within established government standards. Due to the hot weather, the jet fuel is readily evaporating (the preferred method of clean-up) but this does cause some odor. Interior Health advises everyone that smell alone does not constitute a health hazard.
Agricultural Land Testing
SNC Lavalin experts, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, have collected vegetation and soil samples in support of the program of assessment for agricultural land. The Kootenay Organic Growers Society is also working closely with the various agencies on its members behalf. Results of these tests are still pending analysis and more information is expected this week.
Containment and Remediation
Quantum Murray is progressing with the clean-up efforts. The response effort continues to focus on those areas identified by the SCAT Assessment.
Light “flushing” activities are being conducted by field crews with hoses and clean water. This allows responders to free product (Jet A1 fuel without additives) from streambanks and vegetation to make it available for evaporation or collection.
This process is working very well and allows the product to either evaporate or be collected in absorbent booms – but may cause people in the vicinity to smell the jet fuel. IHA advises that this smell is not a health hazard at these levels; however, if you feel that your health is being impacted – please visit your personal physician.
In-stream flushing crews working in Lemon Creek. These crews uses hoses and pumps to spray the rocks and shoreline and streamside vegetation to remove the product.
Flushing crews continue to work in the Lemon Creek area, as well as in isolated pockets along the upper Slocan, and are using smaller containment booms, plus absorbent booms and pads, to isolate their immediate work areas while they free up the product which is caught in the shoreline.
Water Quality
Water quality meets the Canadian Guidelines for Drinking Water and Interior Health Authority has lifted all bans. Residents concerned about the safety and quality of their well water should contact the Interior Health Authority at 250.420.2220. Environmental Health Officers will be able to provide direction and advice on what to do and answers questions on whether your well water needs testing.
The Public Eye
Your help has been beneficial in helping us to identify locations where fuel is present. If you spot a site, identify the exact location and forward the information along with your name and contact to the Executive Flight Centre at (or call the toll free number at 1-855-399-1694).
The information will be forwarded to Quantum Murray which will investigate the area and, if necessary, dispatch a response clean-up crew to the site. This is particularly important for private landowners who may be required to grant access to the river from their property.
Losses and Claims
The cause and circumstance surrounding the incident are still under investigation by Transport Canada and by our safety team. While the investigation continues, anyone who may have questions about personal losses, impacts to property or livelihood, or other specific claims must follow the procedure as set out by the insurance company. Leona Ashcroft, an insurance specialist in Nelson, has a special claims number you can contact her at:
Leona G. Ashcroft, CIP Branch Manager ClaimsPro Inc.,
A division of SCM Insurance Services
2032- 622 Front Street, Nelson, BC V1L 4B7
Toll free: 1 – 800-880-8384
| www.scm-claimspro.ca
Communications
Executive Flight Centre is committed to keeping you informed. Our dedicated website at www.lemoncreekresponse.ca is your source for information and the place to leave comments and questions (). The Executive Flight Centre toll free information line is now in operation. The number is 1-855-399-1694 and will be staffed daily from 8:00am-4:00pm. Please leave us a message if you are calling outside those hours. We will return all phone calls and respond to all e-mails. As well, staff from EFC will be in the area to monitor progress and respond to concerns. We know how important it is to have someone to talk to.
Key Contacts:
Questions? Need more information? Here are the key contacts to call:
Executive Flight Centre:
Response website: www.lemoncreekresponse.ca
Toll free: 1-855-399-1694 (staffed 8:00am-4:00pm PDT)
Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK): 1-800-268-7325
Ministry of Environment (Nelson Office): 250-354-6333 (Mon-Fri)
Interior Health Authority- Health Protection: 250-420-2220
Ministry of Agriculture: 1-888-221-7141
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: 250-387-3198
Claims inquiries: 1-800-880-8384
Media Inquiries: Jonathan Lok ()
Information updates will be posted on a regular basis. Thank-you.