Dragon Boat West

Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Beach Water Quality
July 17, 2014

False Creek*
West 66 
Central 85 
East 500

* False Creek is not classified as a Primary Contact Recreational Water Body (i.e. it is not a swimming/bathing beach

Warm up ... 60% to the bridge ... no splashing!

Maybe the rain today/tomorrow will flush the toilet.

If the storm sewer pipes are still interconnected with the regular sewer pipes, this is literally true.

 :)

Yeah, my "flush the toilet" comment was a dig at that history in the creek, but I'm pretty sure they completed that separation pre-2010 ....

http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/separating-sewage-from-rainwater.aspx (http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/separating-sewage-from-rainwater.aspx) ("Vancouver's progress" section).

Up to 709 in the east basin now: http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_July_24_2014(1).pdf. (http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_July_24_2014(1).pdf.)  

I'm out for practice tonight, I'll let you know how it tastes!

Just because I wanted to exercise my Google-Fu ....

Vancouver Coastal Health is supposed to put out an advisory out for False Creek (typically East basin) at 1000, which should make it's way to Creekside and out from there.  Source: https://www.theswimguide.org/beach/223 (https://www.theswimguide.org/beach/223)

For those of us around in 2008, we got to a high of 2,900 (http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=a82d460d-ec35-4f95-b49f-6c3c6d3ae968 (http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=a82d460d-ec35-4f95-b49f-6c3c6d3ae968)).  I was there and we just paddled out past Cambie where the water was better (can't remember the counts and data not posted at: http://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/ (http://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/))

Coastal Health Authority - Beach Water Quality - July 30, 2014
False Creek*
West 174
Central 150
East 1240

East basin is 1806 today (http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_July_31_2014.pdf (http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_July_31_2014.pdf)).  

Central and West basin counts creeping up too, not fit for prolonged skin exposure (swimming).

Curious to know if CHA/Creekside issue an advisory, but I'm not on the water until Monday.

False Creek E.coli bacteria per 100 mL of water - August 7, 2014
West 723
Central 495
East 2347

Note:
False Creek is not classified as a Primary Contact Recreational Water Body (i.e. it is not a swimming/bathing beach). Users are advised to wash hands and shower after coming into contact with this water.

https://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/ (https://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/)

... and I haven't seen an advisory from DZ.  The active part of practice last night was in the central basin.  Most teams seem to be doing the same.

I do believe that DZ coaches have been advising their paddlers to wash their hands after paddling per note from Vancouver Coastal Health. For everyone else, is it not the coaches (or teams' captain) responsibility?

I liken this to snowy roads and a car rental place. Car rental place will rent the cars, but the driver is still responsible to drive safely on snowy roads. When the roads are snowed in at the parking lot does the car rental place stop their cars from being rented out.  I suspect Dragon Zone will stop boats from leaving when there is a wind warning or lightning strikes, but leave it to individual teams to gauge the risk (such as fecal contaminated waters or boat traffic).

Indeed, and most seasoned False Creek paddlers (captains, managers, steers, callers, etc.) are aware of the signs that the water has high levels.  The colour is a good indication, and when it starts to get foam/scum/sheen, you know the counts might be high and to check the CHA site (May to September).

The "Do not swim" advisories from CHA for any area are just that.  Users may do with that information as they will.  A team out on Sunday saw some swimmers in the east basin and let them know, but they just kept on swimming!

In regard to weather, as you might have seen, from http://dragonzone.ca/ (http://dragonzone.ca/) ...

"Dragon Zone is closed when there is a small craft warning, if there is any thunder or lightening, if fog limits your ability to see or be seen, when the temperature is 0 degrees celsius or below, or if there is ice or snow on the docks."

Thanks for posting these updates!

August 8, 2014 Beach Water Quality Report from Vancouver Coastal Health Board

False Creek E.coli bacteria per 100 mL of water - August 8, 2014
West 723 
Central 495 
East 2347

Note:
False Creek is not classified as a Primary Contact Recreational Water Body (i.e. it is not a swimming/bathing beach). Users are advised to wash hands and shower after coming into contact with this water.

https://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/ (https://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/)

Well, if you huli an OC1, OC6, Dragonboat, and any other craft in the Eastern part of False Creek, you can always walk to shore on the effluent. Wear Hazmat suits.  :(

Wasn't as bad last night, at least as far as my nose was concerned.  Maybe the supermoon helped.

Not sure if it was some of the rain we got but the water looked way less brown today and more green, which is normally how it looks.   Quite a bit less froth, floaties, and scum too.

It was pretty good last night! (relatively speaking)

Wow, just wow ....

False Creek*

West
1507

Central
1298

East
4973

Might smell okay, but that is the highest I've ever seen the east basin counts.

http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_August_14_2014.pdf (http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_August_14_2014.pdf)

I just heard DZ is closed until the counts come down.

the DZ site still just has the same warning as it did before. 'paddle at your own risk' essentially. I know somebody had to track down a key for the equipment room on Wednesday, but it didn't seem to be an issue.

If it's closed (which I understand, is really beyond their control), do they offer an option to paddle out of DZ in Steveston?

They sent out the e-mails August 14, 2014 that DZ will be closed due to E.coli count. Re-opening on August 18, 2014. Try e-mailing them about Richmond.

a teammate mentioned after I posted that she had received an email. I didn't, which is odd...I usually do. Thanks :-)

Is it true that dragon boats out of FCRCC Alder Bay are still going out?

Yes. We were out yesterday but didn't go past Cambie Bridge (from FCRCC).

Even if Dragon Zone is open for practice, I wonder if the water is safe for paddling??

Definitely not. It is safe at 200. The Eastern Creek is registered at 4700 plus.

is 4700 the most recent count? I know DZ was hoping it would be down significantly after the weekend (was supposed to rain, but didn't)

Just got an email from Jessie the e-coli count from yesterday was 3779 and improving. 

Wish me luck I'm paddling out of Alder Bay today.  Last week seemed fine.

Last week, the count around Alder Bay (central False Creek) and west False Creek was above 1000, far above the safe swimming level of 200. Vancouver Coastal Health is not looking at the algae, which will always bloom when we have hot, sunny days, but rather the anaerobic E.coli which is a good indicator of other life which may cause illness.

I was surprised that FCRCC did not put up a warning for its members about this matter.

@Backward Rowing, False Creek did put in a warning for their members each week - "False Creek is not classified as a primary contact recreational water body as it is not a swimming/bathing beach. Users are advised to wash hands and shower after coming into contact with water. Please note that Dragon Zone, with a reading of close to 5000, has shut down all their boating activity." 

Does anyone know the cause of the high e coli levels?

If the sewer network was separated (sewage/rain water)  pre2010 then whats the cause? 

I'm not sure why the counts are so high this year.  The sample taking location may have changed, or if not, the flow into that location might have changed.  So many factors could be at play.  However, the east basin in particular has a low tidal flush; the current heat and lack rain are also contributors for sure. 

The North Shore, Sunset, Central and West False creek are unusually high this year too.  I don't think I've seen levels that high, and for such long period of time, in any of those areas before.

Anyone want to endeavour to convert the data from PDF's into a spreadsheet?  That said, I'm sure there is one somewhere within the CHA.

When West Vancouver closed their beaches this year, a local newspaper did an article. Vancouver Coastal Health suspected it was an illegal dump by a cruise ship or broken pipe near Lions Sewage Treatment Plant; however, they found no proof of this. Same article wrote about the boats moored in the east basin of False Creek, and said a similar story. VCH did not say why the E.coli count is so high this year.

someone from DZ expressed to me that part of the issue is the lack of Coast Guard presence moving and monitoring the pleasure boats and their...activities. It's possible that is one of many contributing factors.

Canada Coast Guard (CCG) may have moved their base from Kitsilano, they still patrol the waters of False Creek along with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR), Vancouver Police Department Marine Unit (VPD), RCMP West Coast Marine Service and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS). This is on top of Vancouver Coastal Health and its beach water quality surveys. So there are many eyes on the water.

As for the pleasure boats, it was not that long ago that the City of Vancouver did not control the water way. During this time, there were a lot more live-aboards moored in False Creek that did not have sewage hook-up to Metro Vancouver. The E.coli count was not in the same range as this summer. The problem with the water in those days was arsenic and other heavy metals from the chemical plants and pulp mills that exists along False Creek waterfront.

No one is certain why the False Creek E.coli readings are so high. My guess is careless pet owners who allow their animals to defecate in the watershed of False Creek. A small amount of water will bring this into the storm drain system into False Creek. Added with a lot more life in False Creek with birds, lack of tidal current, the constant sunshine which helps with algae bloom and hot temperatures, we have the creation of a very large toilet bowl. What will help is a few rainy days.

What I don't understand is why the West Vancouver beaches are closed as the tides and current do help clean out the waters there. Perhaps they too have many careless pet owners?

Let's not forget about Main Street construction of the re-alignment of the storm drain system which may include disconnecting sewage lines that were connected to the storm drains when the city was much younger and less stringent on those rules.

5319

https://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_August_21_2014.pdf (https://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_August_21_2014.pdf)

Only some of the sewer pipes are separated - it will take many years to do them all.  Under high flow (say a large rain event), they will combine and flow into the Creek.  That said, we haven't had any big rainfall events (even last week's rain wasn't all that large) in the last several weeks.

The monitoring locations do change but they're in the same general vicinity which is near the Northeast False Creek area where all the Geese hang out.  I'm sure the goose poop doesn't help but it's probably more than that.  Things like lack of tidal flushing, the shallower depth, and hence the increased water temperature are factors. 

But in 13 years of paddling, this is the highest I've seen , even higher than a few years ago when there was a sewer break that leaked into the Creek - there's got to be another contributing factor this year but it's difficult to say what it is.

Still pretty disgusting right now...

Sunset 951

False Creek
West 1512
Central 2073
East 5404

That's 5404 little doggies in 100 mL of "water" east of the Cambie Street bridge.  Note that 100 mL is less than half a cup of liquid.

It's nicer towards Jericho, but we still have to get the boats past Burrard to get beyond Sunset Beach.  Blecch!

Let's hope the cooler temperatures and a little precipitation helps.

Dogs poop in water? Really? Don't think so.

Ann Phelps from Dragon Zone speaking to CBC.
"She blames boaters anchoring in False Creek, which she suspects are dumping their sewage in the water."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/false-creek-e-coli-contamination-threatens-dragon-boaters-1.2749563 (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/false-creek-e-coli-contamination-threatens-dragon-boaters-1.2749563)

Down to 5158.

http://www.vch.ca/media/VCH-beach-report-sept-4-2014.pdf (http://www.vch.ca/media/VCH-beach-report-sept-4-2014.pdf)

Only roughly 5000 to go.

September 11, 2014 Vancouver Coastal Health - Beach Water Quality Report (per 100 mL sample)
False Creek
West 291
Central 1047
East 2052

That's a big drop!  Below 2008 levels now.  I was paddling last night and was wondering where things were at.

http://www.vch.ca/media/VCH-beach-water-quality-Sept-11-2014 (http://www.vch.ca/media/VCH-beach-water-quality-Sept-11-2014)

It's interesting - such a big drop but the boats are still there, as are the geese, and it hasn't rained that much in the last week.  The water is probably getting cooler at night but temperatures in the day are still very warm. 

Keep in mind that the posted reading is a 30 day geometric mean (like an average). So the actual level today may be much lower, and it will take a month of low readings to pull the average down.

Sept. 18th readings for False Creek:

West 167
Central 420
East 2069

West and Central are down a lot from the previous week but the count actually went up slightly in the east.

1950 east basin (30 day geometric mean).

http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_September_25_2014.pdf (http://www.vch.ca/media/Beach_Water_Quality_Report_September_25_2014.pdf)

Last report of the season!

Let me get on my soapbox. 

For Vancouver residents, the civic elections is coming up.  When it comes to voting and to budgeting, please make you voice herd that you want funds to go into the sewer department. 

Untreated sewage still is coming into False Creek. Continuing to  upgrade the sewer system to a twin system, over the old combined system is important. That twin system has a storm sewer for rain water, and a sanitary sewer pipe for the sewage.  The storm pipes go to the water, and the sanitary pipes go to the treatment plant.    Also maintaining the sewer system is important to minimize sewage outfall into False creek.  For example, if the sanitary sewer pipe under Chinatown section of Columbia street backs up from grease, it relieves itself untreated in the North East corner of False Creek.     

I'm pretty sure the sewage overflow is now separated from the stormwater system in that area of the city, and I think it was done pre 2010.  In any case the entire Vancouver system is supposed to be separated by 2020, well ahead of the province's 2050 goal.

According to http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/separating-sewage-from-rainwater.aspx (http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/separating-sewage-from-rainwater.aspx) ("Vancouver's progress" section), downtown and Mt. Pleasant have been completed.