SQUAMISH/CKNW(AM980) - Almost a year after a CN train derailment spilled 40-thousand tonnes of caustic soda into the Cheakamus River near Squamish, several restoration projects are in the works to bring the waterway back to its natural state before the August 5th disaster.

Squamish Nation Chief Gibby Jacob says concerns remain about protecting steelhead salmon stocks, "What they were talking about was natural regeneration and from our perspective, you know, by not taking what remained of the latecoming steelhead and capturing and holding them until they spawned and were released again, that was a big problem for us."

But CN's Jim Feeny says the company has promised to spend a decade ensuring the half million fish killed by the spill will be re-stocked, "Essentially, a number of programs underway that are all developed in conjunction with persons and organizations that have interests along the river, looking at the population of the various fish species in various ways and working on different programs to enhance it going ahead."

The Cheakamus River recently topped the Outdoor Recreation Council's annual list of most endangered rivers in BC.

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