Interior during World War II. Geohazards Because the island is composed partly of glacial silt brought down by the Fraser River, there is a fear of liquefaction of its sands if a tremor with sufficient intensity were to shake it. In such an eventuality, it is anticipated that localized areas, specifically in the vicinity of the present-day mouth of the Fraser River, could experience seismic liquefaction failure and collapse westward into the Strait of Georgia, potentially impacting the adjacent river entrainment works and possibly some navigational aids. Additionally, statically-triggered liquefaction failures have been documented in this area, highlighting the extremely loose localized soil conditions, as well as the high potential for associated slope instability and mass wasting. The island is also fully diked to protect it from potential flooding during the annual spring freshet on the Fraser. Some of the island is below sea level, and river level, and there is an extensive drainage and pumping system to prevent flooding during heavy rain. References Islands of the Fraser River New Westminster Richmond, British Columbia