Will the spill result in long-term impacts to the Cheakamus River ecosystem?
It is not anticipated that the spill will result in long-term impacts to the ecosystem, although some species will likely take longer to recover than others. Benthic invertebrates appear to be recovering; salmon and adult steelheads have spawned in the river since the spill; and millions of juvenile chum and pink salmon were estimated to have migrated out of the river in spring 2006. The rotary screw traps operated by BC Hydro and electrofishing and trapping studies undertaken by CN show coho, pink, chinook, stickleback, lamprey, and rainbow trout/steelhead juveniles are all present in the river.
