 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
Last houseboat stuck in Baker Creek City working to find a contractor to fix broken pontoons; DFO says potential risk of arsenic contamination when boat is moved
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Friday, August 9, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Arsenic levels in the sediment of Baker Creek's stream bed could complicate removing a house boat grounded near shore.
The final houseboat in Baker Creek is embedded in the bottom of the creek bed because of broken floats making it impossible for the owner to move it. The city is working to find a contractor to help relocated the structure. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo |
The houseboat is the last of four which were pinned with removal notices after it was determined they were parked on Commissioner's land which is leased by the city.
Bruce Hanna, senior habitat biologist for Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), said at this time the houseboat is not causing an environmental concern.
"The physical footprint is the thing that might cause the problems after the boat is moved," he said.
Hanna said DFO needs to be consulted before the houseboat is removed from the creek because of the possibility of a sediment shift during the removal process.
"The one concern would be stirring up the stream bed," he said. "We'd like some sort of sediment control in place just to isolate the area."
Part of the reason it would be important to isolate the area around the houseboat is the amount of arsenic in the sediment at the bottom of the creek, said Hanna. According to the executive summary of the Giant Mine Remediation Plan, Baker Creek has areas of significant contamination in the sediment.
The city is attempting to source a contractor to help remove the houseboat and fix the broken floats, according to Jeff Humble, director of lands and planning for the city.
Humble said the city is working with the houseboat owner to find the best solution in getting the structure from the creek. The owner of the houseboat, Dana Ross, said she and the city were working together but otherwise declined to comment.
Humble said in order for the floats to be repaired, the houseboat will have to be removed from the water.
In regards to who will foot the bill for the contractor to remove the houseboat, Humble said discussions would have to happen with Ross when a contractor is found.
"I cannot say at this point whether the city would contribute costs, however, as you can see, we are already committing resources to getting this resolved by working to source a contractor," stated Humble via e-mail on Tuesday.
| 
