False Creek(39)s high bacteria count likely due to resident boaters-gctid807047

[rossi45]

Bit of a buzz news item in Canadian news today. In Vancouver in False Creek, E Coli bacteria levels are starting to rise. The article is blaming boaters for illegally dumping their sewage, which is undoubtedly true. I'm sure there are other mitigating factors as well. I watched an interview with the manager of environmental services on the news last night and although she gave a couple skeptical answers to the news anchor about where and how many boaters are doing this, I like the idea she floated about funding a mobile pumpout system as a pilot project. I'll be interested to see how that works out as we had/have the same issue here in Victoria Harbour until the city started removing the derelict boats and live aboards. The point they made about the housing issue in Vancouver causing more people to consider live aboards is also a really interesting angle on the crunch in Vancouver which is also rearing its head here in Victoria.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/false-creek-s-high-bacteria-count-likely-due-to-resident-boaters-1.4096643

[Johnny_Vintage]

Interesting that they all look like Blow Boats!!

[rossi45]

hah, fair point! I guess if you knew False Creek, there's a healthy dose of every kind of boat.

[Solandri]

How many birds are around the area?

One of the beaches near where I live got a failing grade by the Surfrider Foundation for excessive bacteria levels. The city decided it was due to all the seagulls in the area pooping in the water. They hired a guy to go out there every day with a hawk, and chase away the seagulls. The beach got an 'A' grade the next time they tested it for bacteria levels. (Ignore that this doesn't solve the problem, just pushes it elsewhere. This beach didn't have this problem until other beaches nearby started similar hawk programs. So now all the beaches are exactly where they were before any of this started, except they're all paying people with hawks to go out and harass the wildlife every day.)

Not saying that birds are the cause in False Creek. But migratory birds would be more common during the summer, which correlates with the higher bacteria levels. Temperature plays a big role too. As does agricultural runoff. I wouldn't be so quick to conclude boaters are to blame.

[Norton_Rider]

My recollection is that the park areas adjacent to False Creek get a lot of large birds like ducks and geese. I presume that the runnof from these areas ends up in False Creek. This may contribute to the issue.

[Old_Man_With_A_Boat]

In the area of South Carolina that I am docked in they do have free pump out. The pump out boat comes to our marina every Thursday and will pump you out if you need it. It is a free service and is sanctioned by S.C. DNR. They do except tips.

[rossi45]

I suspect that the fact that False Creek is in the dead centre of Vancouver, surrounded my the downtown core, there are other things flowing into False Creek. Not sure if they have sewage treatment or not in that area. It is also a shallow inlet and i think I heard something on the news last night that it was dredged to make it deeper. At low tides, it used to be fairly drained so the water depth adn warmth most definitely contribute to the bacteria counts being high. it's a beautiful area, though. I'd be nice to know the waters were clean.

Ol man With A Boat +1 on the mobile pump out in your area. I guess they do have free pump out stations already in place in False Creek. Problem is they aren't mobile so if you're boat doesn't move or you're a lazy mariner, then the the land based pump outs are useless.

[green650]

We have some "homeless" living in derelict sailboats in Bellingham bay too. They look like they haven't been "sailable" in decades. Pretty sure they don't pump out.

[Four_Pyrates]

You can bet that the boats aren't the major culprit. Most likely, not even the minor culprit. The bureaucrats, home owners, and fish kissers who make these claims want one thing. They want you GONE. We see that nonsense in my area too. It is always a run off from somewhere or a town failure to control the fluid flow through their systems. Boaters? NO EFFIN' Way.

[Nikko]

"Norton Rider" post=807068 wrote:
My recollection is that the park areas adjacent to False Creek get a lot of large birds like ducks and geese. I presume that the runnof from these areas ends up in False Creek. This may contribute to the issue.

~~35 Billion litres of primary treated sewage being discharged under the Lions Gate bridge on a daily basis "might" have something to do with it as well.. Just sayin'...