Kettle and Stony Point has a naturally-occurring phenomenon on golf course

July 16, 2015

The calm after the geysers subside and the picture of the churning pond at Indian Hills GC June 17-15. (inset Photo and Video Courtesy of Jamie Reitknecht Via Youtube)

By Greg Plain

KETTLE AND STONY POINT FIRST NATION – Since June 17, there has been a naturally-occurring phenomenon at the Indian Hills Golf Course owned and operated by the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

From the exciting and almost unbelievable YouTube video put up by someone at the Golf Course it shows the geyser like gas that is happening below the water at the golf course. There has been over 280,000 views of the geyser video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdYum6v48S8).

The Municipality of Lambton Shores declared a localized emergency for the Indian Hills Golf Course and surrounding subdivision due to the extraordinary event. This event has been found to be naturally occurring gas being released from the ground.

In the initial stages of the investigation Union Gas was called to see about the possibility that it was a local gas line but Union Gas responded to the request and quickly determined that there were no pipelines in the area, so the leak must be coming from somewhere else.

As of June 30, there have been several technical meetings with Municipal Emergency Control Group and Technical experts brought in by the Nation to assess the risk of the situation and have assessed that the emergency declaration can be cancelled.

The Naturally occurring event and gases have substantially decreased and has since plateaued but continues to bubble. The situation is being managed in a localized area of the Golf course. Will Air and water quality monitoring continues along with the subsurface investigation in the immediate area, there is no longer any indication of immediate risk to the Community.

The Indian Hills Golf Course will continue to be closed to the public until this event and assessment by the geologists are complete and the Nation can assess the risk to any person accessing the business. During this time the Groundskeepers continue to cut all grounds with exception to the immediate area of the disruption.

A spokesperson for Union Gas that was interviewed recently, said she was only aware of one other naturally occurring natural gas leak in Ontario over the last 15 years.

Band manager Lorraine George said, “The golf course has experienced more than a loss of business, besides the initial eruption there are these mini eruptions, some substantial, most the size of a gopher holes, that dot across several greens on the course.”

Chief Thomas Bressette said “This naturally occurring gas leak came out of nowhere, until we get the geological data back from the experts we will continue to keep the course closed; the public safety is of the utmost importance to the people playing the course and for Band members that work and play in the immediate area.”

From the video of weeks back to the picture of today the volatility and bubbles have subsided but the course will remain closed until assessments are complete.

With the geological assessment to be completed the Kettle and stony Point Nation are not sure when the Golf Course will reopen as the assessment must be completed and some assurances that the public will be safe in the area, before the Band Membership and regular public will be allowed in the affected area. Another consideration is since the volatility of the initial gas escaping can this event happen again and, how does the Nation cap or alleviate the risk for a reoccurrence

to today there has been a naturally occurring Phenomenon occurring at the Indian Hills Golf Course owned and operated by the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

There have been several technical meetings with Municipal Emergency Control Group and technical experts brought in by the Nation to assess the risk of the situation and have assessed that the emergency declaration can be cancelled.

The naturally-occurring event and gases have substantially decreased and has since plateaued but continues to bubble. The situation is being managed in a localized area of the golf course. Will air and water quality monitoring continues along with the subsurface investigation in the immediate area, there is no longer any indication of immediate risk to the community.

The Indian Hills Golf Course will continue to be closed to the public until this event and assessment by the geologists are complete and the Nation can assess the risk to any person accessing the business. During this time the groundskeepers continue to cut all grounds with exception to the immediate area of the disruption.

A spokesperson for Union Gas that was interviewed recently, said she was only aware of one other naturally occurring natural gas leak in Ontario over the last 15 years.

Lorraine George said “The golf course has experienced more than a loss of business, besides the initial eruption there are these mini eruptions, some substantial, most the size of a gopher holes, that dot across several greens on the course.”

Chief Thomas Bressette said “This naturally-occurring gas leak came out of nowhere, until we get the geological data back from the experts we will continue to keep the course closed. Public safety is of the utmost importance to the people playing the course and for Band members that work and play in the immediate area.”

From the video of weeks back to the picture of today the volatility and bubbles have subsided but the course will remain closed until assessments are complete.

With the geological assessment to be completed, Kettle and stony Point Nation administration are not sure when the golf course will reopen. The assessment must be completed before the anyone will be allowed in the affected area. Another consideration is since the volatility of the initial gas escaping can this event happen again and, how does the Nation cap or alleviate the risk for a re-occurrence.