Volunteers Go All Out on Byrne Ck Bug Count

Wow, thanks to everyone who helped with the bug count on Byrne Creek in southeast Burnaby, BC, today. We went full out (10 volunteers for a total of 35 volunteer hours) and got all nine sites sampled and counted in one day — something that usually takes three days to do!
 
While the totals haven’t been tallied yet, as we surmised, it was pretty slim pickings.
 
Byrne Creek Bug Count
Using a D-net to take a sample. The variety and quantity of aquatic bugs is a good indication of water quality. Unfortunately, Byrne Creek regularly runs poor to marginal, or 1.5 – 2 on a scale of 4, using the methodology in module 4 of The Streamkeepers Handbook.
Byrne Creek pollution
And here’s why we have poor water quality in the creek. As we were taking our last sample today just upstream of Edmonds Skytrain Station, a slug of milky blue stuff came down the creek. We immediately reported it to City of Burnaby Environmental and they sent a tech out to try to find where it was coming from.
Bug count
Years ago we learned how to count in comfort. Here we are in a volunteer’s kitchen with coffee and muffins.
Byrne Creek bug
A Byrne Creek monster!
sample pails
There you go! Nine sites sampled in one day!