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The impact of a catastrophic mine tailings impoundment spill into one of North America's largest fjord lakes: Quesnel Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Author(s) -
Petticrew Ellen L.,
Albers Sam J.,
Baldwin Susan A.,
Carmack Eddy C.,
Déry Stephen J.,
Gantner Nikolaus,
Graves Kelly E.,
Laval Bernard,
Morrison John,
Owens Philip N.,
Selbie Daniel T.,
Vagle Svein
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl063345
Subject(s) - hypolimnion , fjord , seiche , thermocline , geology , tailings , oceanography , hydrology (agriculture) , turbidity current , structural basin , turbidity , environmental science , geomorphology , eutrophication , sedimentary depositional environment , chemistry , materials science , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , nutrient , metallurgy
On 4 August 2014, a catastrophic breach of the Mount Polley mine tailings impoundment released ~25 M m 3 of tailings and water and scoured an unknown quantity of overburden into the West Basin of Quesnel Lake. We document Quesnel Lake and Quesnel River observations for 2 months postspill. Breach inflows raised Quesnel Lake by 7.7 cm, equivalent to ~21 M m 3 . The West Basin hypolimnion was modified immediately, exhibiting increased temperature (~5°C to 6–7.5°C), conductivity (110 to 160 μS/cm), and turbidity (<1 to 200–1000 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)). Cooscillating seiches moved West Basin hypolimnetic water both westward and eastward contaminating the Main Basin. Postspill, high‐turbidity water propagated eastward (~1 cm/s), introducing a persistent ~20 m thick layer below the thermocline and an ~30 m thick layer at the bottom. The contaminant introduction, mobilization, and bioaccumulation may pose risks to resident and anadromous fish stocks, which support recreational, commercial, and First Nations fisheries.