Background Information
In 2020, the Town of Sidney upgraded the Reay Creek Dam to meet current safety and seismic standards, including the construction of a new fish ladder. In conjunction with this work, Transport Canada undertook remediation of Reay Creek Pond, which included the removal of approximately 5,100 cubic meters of sediment from the pond. This sediment was contaminated with heavy metals due to run off from historic airport operations. This work has improved habitat conditions for ḰELSET (Reay Creek), which provides habitat for salmon, cutthroat trout, and other aquatic life and wildlife.
In 2024, Transport Canada released their final Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for Reay Creek, downstream of the dam. The risk to human health, terrestrial ecological health and aquatic organisms from historical contamination associated with industrial activities at the airport was identified as low. Because of these findings, the Town removed contamination warning signs along the creek and further in-stream remediation work can proceed.
Studies & Reports
- Detailed Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment – ḰEL,SET, Downstream of ḰEL,SET (Reay Creek) Pond (2024)
- Confirmation of Remediation – ḰEL,SET (Reay Creek) – Victoria International Airport (2020)
- Reay Creek Fish & Fish Habitat Assessment (2018)
- Data Gap Analysis Reay Creek Pond (2016)
- Investigation of Contamination in Reay Creek Pond Sediments (2015)
- Sampling and Analysis of Reay Creek Pond Sediments (2015)