Big Creek
Ontario, Canada
Water drainage from nearby wetland into creek. Water milky in appearance (milkiness varies with intensity of leak from well due to fluctuating pressure below ground and release of Hydrogen Sulphide) - becomes less milky with dilution by creek water flow. Samples taken at outlet - where slow moving wetland discharge enters creek.
Site of leaking gas well has monitor which is supposed to alarm if dangerous levels exist.
- Group: Water Rangers and Freshwater Alliance : Lake Erie Guardians
- Site ID: H2S
- Lat: 42.7696517
- Lng: -80.4975557
- Waterbody Type: Creek
- Timezone: America/Toronto
Latest photos
No photos uploaded.
I did not test at this location here today as I do not have my kayak in the water yet.
Unable to safely conduct testing as creek level increase > 3 ft past several days, turbulent flow, and large number of floating woody debris, branches and tree trunks.
Had tornado-like conditions Sept. 12 with numerous trees up-rooted or broken.
Slight to nil cloudiness in water
DFO treated Big Creek with lampricide over the past two weeks.
Taken from kayak
Slight 'milkiness' to water
Not odiferous at present (H2S)
Water slightly milky. Bottom visible at site today but murky. Milkiness dissipates as diluted with passing flow of creek water. Only faint Hydrogen Sulphide odour (rotten eggs) today.
Saw a fish (about 6" trout?) slightly downstream from discharge plume.
Saw pair of Mallard ducks on creek slightly upstream from H2S plume.
This site is of concern due to a polluting outflow from a nearby abandoned leaking gas well approx. 150- 200 metres from this sampling site. The adjacent wetland has dead or dying vegetation. The rotten egg odour varies with subterranean pressures and the concomitant eruption of Hydrogen Sulphide and Methane. There is a monitor at the well site that is supposed to alarm if levels increase and become dangerous to human health. The monitor was not alarming today. I will include pictures of this site as soon as I am able.