BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit’s Highway Creek Acid Rock Drainage Treatment System (Prix de réalisation environnementale de l’ATC: Finalistes 2026)

The Highway Creek Acid Rock Drainage Treatment project shows environmental stewardship innovation by addressing long-standing problems resulting from the construction of Highway 97C. In the late 1980s, acid-generating rock was unknowingly used as fill for the highway, causing long-term acid drainage that harmed Highway Creek and threatened the Pennask Lake watershed, a vital source for trout breeding. In 2017, the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit began implementing a two-phase solution by capping the highway and lowering groundwater levels to reduce acid production. They built a modular passive water treatment system with neutralization chambers, biochemical reactors, polishing cells, and limestone beds, along with an engineered wetland for additional water filtration. Designed for this remote, power-limited site, the system operates with minimal maintenance and remote telemetry monitoring. The project restored aquatic conditions in Highway Creek; fish have returned after years of absence, and full regulatory compliance has been met since 2025. With low operating costs, strong First Nations partnerships, and an approach that can be replicated elsewhere, the project sets a new standard for environmental remediation of transportation infrastructure.

Présentateur: Mark Traverso, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Transit