Anglers return to Frenchman’s Bar the day following the report of a sewage spill
The Washington State Department of Ecology’s Spill Responder’s Unit was dispatched to Frenchman’s Bar (near Vancouver Lake) on April 5, 2005 following another report of a raw sewage spill. This scene is a replay from a year ago when fishermen called in the worst sewage spill in memory at Frenchman’s Bar in April 2004, where the spill team found tampons, condoms, syringes, and globules of raw sewage washed ashore along two ½ miles of beach at Riverfront Park. A source was never discovered for the 2004 sewage spill, though a spill responder indicated that wind and weather conditions supported the theory that the spill was caused by a sewer overflow from Portland. However, Oregon’s DEQ was not able to identify a malfunction of Portland sewer treatment facilities. The Health Department closed Frenchman’s Bar under a public health emergency and special equipment was brought in to collect syringes hidden in the beach sand.
Fishermen reported having noticed this year’s spill several weeks before during a heavy rain event, which also supports the theory that such spills are caused by combined sewer overflows from Portland Wastewater treatment facilities. Incidents of heavy rain, more than 100 times each year, cause millions of gallons of raw sewage to be purged into the Willamette and Columbia Rivers from Portland. Such incidents show that pollutants from Portland can (and do) cross the Columbia to Vancouver’s shoreline. Whereas the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers is slightly upstream from Vancouver Lake’s Flushing Channel, it is possible that sewage from Portland can enter into the already troubled Vancouver Lake system through the Flushing Channel. The Flushing Mechanism allows Columbia River water to enter into Vancouver Lake on a daily basis whenever the level of the river is higher than the lake.
Spill responders discovered feminine hygiene products and only a single syringe on April 5, 2005. But since the spill occurred weeks before it was finally reported, evidence of sewage was minimal compared to last year’s spill. Health department officials said they warned people to stay away from the beach for the day, but there were no plans to skim the beach for other debris. Health Officials indicated that bacterial contaminants from raw sewage did not pose a public health threat because it had probably drifted down river.
However, RNA members inspected the area of Frenchman’s Bar on April 6, 2005, and discovered another syringe on the sandy shore of the Flushing Channel. This indicates the possibility that contaminants, such as bacterial sludge from the sewage spill, entered the Flushing Channel and then entered into Vancouver Lake.
Used syringe washed ashore in the Flushing Channel on April 6, 2005, the day following a reported sewage spill at Frenchman’s Bar, adjacent to the Channel. Spill responders found used syringes at both 2004 and 2005 spills at Frenchman’s Bar.
Upright stick (left side of photo) indicates the location of the syringe found inside the Flushing Channel, near the water line on April 6, 2005.
Upright stick (left side of photo) indicates the location of the syringe found inside the Flushing Channel, near the water line on April 6, 2005.
The Natural Resources Defense Council issues yearly national reports of risky beaches. For the past two years, this Council has listed Frenchman’s Bar and Vancouver Lake Parks as “beach bums,” public beaches that are unsafe due to a lack of water quality and beach monitoring, and noted incidents of contamination that foul the beach and pose a health threat. Only 55 “beach bums” were listed on the most recent national list. Clark-Vancouver Parks and Recreation representatives do not encourage swimming at Frenchman’s Bar beach, though there is a swimming facility at Vancouver Lake Park. Toxic algal blooms have caused the closure of Vancouver Lake to human contact for the past two summers. Contaminants from sewage treatment plant overflows and failed septic tanks contribute to the degraded water quality of Vancouver Lake.
