Satellite images of tailings ponds

In the spirit of information wanting to be free, and with a credit to Global Forest Watch Canada, below are the satellite images of toxic tailings "ponds" (lakes, really) from the tar sands we first published in our report about talings ponds leakage - in short, all of the ponds leak massive amounts of toxic materials into the groundwater every day. The series shows the growth of the earthen structures (no liners) from 1974 through to the present, including the last one showing the future - the ponds now approved to happen.

The latest on this issue is that both the Alberta and federal governments continue to deny that the toxic leakage reaches surface waters, despite documented cases of it doing so (Suncor's infamous tar island dyke, and Syncrude's Beaver Creek incident), plus industry acknowledgement in their environmental assessment filings that it will take place. Furthermore, neither level of government can show that the 'deep' leakage into the groundwater won't get into surface waters over time, and some of the dangerous substances like napthenic acids break down only over many decades.

The federal government, however, says it is investigating the matter, but so far there has been no enforcement of the Fisheries Act. Stay tuned.

Matt Price
Policy Director
Environmental Defence


Talings ponds have been coloured yellow

1974




1992




2002




2008




Future - Approved Ponds