Alberta Environment, which has dispatched crews to the scene to help make sure the site is properly cleaned, said its greatest concern is the fly ash, which can create sedimentation problems and decrease acidity levels.

The impact that the spill will have on fish in 40 Mile Creek will depend on the amount of ash that was spilled, which has not yet been determined, spokeswoman Katrina Bluetchen said.

“This is still an evolving situation.”

Crews planned to install a temporary dam on the creek to prevent the ash and grains from flowing into the nearby river, said Dave McDonough, of Parks Canada.

Government officials are monitoring water quality downstream of the derailment, including the Bow River, to check for changes in acidity levels, among other indicators. So far, pH levels are normal, McDonough said.

Canadian Pacific said 22 to 27 trains travel through the affected area in a 24 hour period, sometimes carrying petroleum products and other dangerous materials, but that the frequency of these shipments changes over time.

Authorities from several agencies were at the scene to aid in the cleanup and investigation into the cause, which will also uncover the speed at which the train was travelling.

Ahead of these reports, an Alberta conservationist suggested it may be time to insist that train speeds through the national park and other sensitive habitats be “seriously reduced.”

“Perhaps a slower speed would not stop the derailments, but it would certainly change the nature of them,” said Colleen Campbell, of the Bow Valley Naturalists.

“It’s like a slow-speed crash between cars (which) does a lot less damage to vehicles and people compared to a high-speed crash.”

Spilled grain is often a concern in forested areas because it can attract bears to areas that are not safe, but the vast majority of bears are hibernating, which means “it’s not a major concern,” McDonough said.

But Campbell, who was involved in a study on the impact of grain spillage on wildlife, said it can be difficult to remove every seed and crumb.

“It’s OK now; the bears technically should all be asleep … but if it’s not all cleaned up, and it’s almost impossible, then it does ultimately become an attractant,” she said.

There is also a concern that fly ash, when airborne, can be a respiratory irritant. As cleanup at the site continues, officials are working to ensure the material is moist to prevent any hazards to crews and spectators, McDonough said.

“We’re certainly on top of it (the derailment), and we’re actively working with CP and the Town of Banff to mitigate any potential impacts,” he said.

“We will be monitoring it longer term as well. But we don’t anticipate any long-term effects to the environment from there.”