By OB A
Unfortunately, the oil split into the creek is not from one source. Although most of it is just runoff from the roads, multiple oil spills in the creek have been from oil tanks. Most large oil spills are from oil tanks and they usually (luckily) get reported from a community member to the fire department or similar organization because of “the strong smell of diesel”. Cleaning up the oil spills is very labor intensive and takes a long time to a) find the source, b) stop the flow, c) cover the damage and d) prevent it from happening again.
By OB A
Most of the wildlife formerly found in the Bowker Creek Watershed is no longer present, however the stream still provides habitat for some birds, including eagles, and for river otters and raccoons. Although the otters and raccoons are very rare, they seek out food scraps that have been washed into the water like kitchen scraps or animal food. Unfortunately, many of the aquatic bug species that used to live in bowker creek are no longer present because their pollution tolerance was too low. The water quality conditions also make it hard for many fish species to survive.
By OB A
Webster- Merriam dictionary states: “the action of polluting especially by environmental contamination with man-made waste.”
Pollution can affect the hydrosphere by polluting the water and affecting the marine life and aquatic organisms. Pollution can affect the atmosphere with air pollution from cars, factories airplanes, etc. Pollution can affect the geosphere from burning fossil fuels (offsetting the balance of oil in the ground) or doing other upsetting acts like mining which also offsets the balance in the ground. Pollution can affect the Biosphere because the offset balance in the other spheres affect the lives of the organisms living in that area. This is why pollution is so bad because it's really hard to clean up and dramatically affect the lives of animals and organisms.
By OB A
Many parts of bowker creek flow under the road and this unfortunately means that a lot of drainage from high traffic areas finds its way into the creek. This also means that these parts of the creek are more highly polluted than other areas. The other areas of the creek have a little cleaner water because the contamination has become more diffused and there is multiple small dams in the creek to allow fresher water.
By OB A
The plants affect certain factors of the creek because native plants and healthy vegetation help clean water naturally because they generally have deep root systems that anchor soil and act as filters, collecting dirty runoff from streets and rooftops and separating out pollutants while absorbing water and decreasing flooding. Plants complete the carbon cycle, helping natural substances be recycled and decomposed.
By OB A
The pollution in the creek is different at different times of the year mainly because of weather factors. An example of this is there is the most pollution during rainy months like fall and spring because garbage, oil, etc gets washed from the streets through the drains into the creek.
By OB A
Some of the following things are ways we are polluting our creek;
- The turf
- Sewage output
- Gases from cars go through storm drains into creek.
- Plastic from students littering
- Gas
- Gas output from the school.
By OB E
Bowker Creek is a beautiful creek that is located in Oak Bay. The creek runs through Victoria, Saanich, and Oak Bay and discharges into the ocean in Oak Bay. Bowker Creek has been around for a long time. It is between 1400 and 1500 years of age. The creek is named after John Sylvester Bowker, an American settler who came to Oak Bay in the 1860s.