The City of Grande Prairie is responding to a suspected release affecting the Bear River after a visible sheen was reported earlier today.

Transportation staff have installed sorbent boom sets at several locations to help contain and capture the released product, including at Outfall 3 near the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital site, near Rotary Campground, upstream of the reservoir spillway and near the Grande Prairie Museum & Heritage Village.

Transportation and Enforcement Services staff are actively working upstream through the drainage catchment to identify signs of the released product and determine its source.

The source and substance have not yet been confirmed. Residents are asked to avoid the affected areas and give crews space to work safely while the response and investigation continue.

Stormwater flows untreated into local waterways. Residents are reminded to properly dispose of fuels, oils, chemicals and other harmful materials.

See something? Report it.

If you observe a suspected environmental incident, contact AccessGP by calling 311 or 780-538-0300 from outside city limits, or submit a report through the AccessGP Portal.

Environmental emergencies can also be reported to the Government of Alberta’s 24-hour Energy and Environmental Response Line at 1-800-222-6514.

Learn more about drainage and stormwater at cityofgp.com/roads-transportation/drainage.