Sediment studied as a source of fill
District of Squamish and Squamish Oceanfront Development Mamquam Blind Channel Dredge Characterization Study
LAND USE
To reduce economic and environmental costs, the District of Squamish tested sediment in a nearby ocean channel for use as fill in a major waterfront redevelopment project.
If safe, sediment from the Mamquam Blind Channel would be a convenient source of filling to develop a park in a project by Squamish Oceanfront Development Corp. The project would transform a former 59-acre industrial site into a peninsula of neighbourhoods, parkland and beaches.
The sediment passed the purity tests, avoiding the need for 20,000 truckloads of material to be delivered from a site 15 kilometres away. It provides an environmentally friendly, less costly source of clean fill for the new development.
Results
| Environmental | Economic | Social |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Challenges
- Assuring sediment was free of mercury and hydrocarbon contamination from an old chlor-alkali processing plant.
- Finding staff time for up to 70 hours of work in writing grant applications and reports.
Lessons learned
- Review reports and interview former occupants of test sites to identify areas of potential contamination.
- Where possible, use divers, not barge-based drill rigs, to collect sediment samples. They cost less and are more flexible.
- Costly anti-pollution checks are worth the money; they clear the way for profitable economic redevelopment.
Resources
Partners and Collaborators
- District of Squamish
- Squamish Oceanfront Development Corp.
- Hemmera Envirochem
- FCM's Green Municipal Fund
Project Contact
Heather Dunham
Manager, Squamish Oceanfront Development Corp.
District of Squamish, BC
T. 604-815-5075
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
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