Blueprint for a healthy river

Sierra club lays out plan for cleaning up river dischargers

Spokane River Currents, Issue 4 (February 2006)

Municipalities and industries that discharge into the Spokane River can come into compliance with the federal Clean Water Act if they commit to the right combinations of advanced wastewater treatment, water re-use, and conservation.

That’s the message in a 60-page proposal Sierra Club’s Upper Columbia River Group put before river dischargers, regulators, and other groups involved in the Spokane River TMDL Collaboration. The collaboration was convened in early 2005 by the Washington Department of Ecology and Spokane River dischargers. The primary purpose of the process was to create an implementation plan that enables dischargers to come into compliance with water quality standards.

Toward that end, participants have looked at ways to coordinate efforts needed to reduce discharges of phosphorus and other nutrients. These pollutants cause low dissolved oxygen levels in the river, endangering fish and other aquatic organisms. Phosphorus is also blamed for the recurrence of toxic blue-green algae blooms in Long Lake (Lake Spokane) that endanger people, pets, and other animals.

“The most important thing we’ve learned in the past year is there really are ways to get to the healthy river that the Clean Water Act and Spokane Tribal standards require,” says Rachael Paschal Osborn who directs the Club’s efforts to clean up the river. “We don’t have to compromise water quality standards or wait for treatment technology that hasn’t been invented yet. We can start putting a good plan in place tomorrow.”

The discharger’s coalition offered its own proposal. While less detailed than  Sierra Club’s proposal, there appear to be no major disagreements on approach. Sierra Club representatives are hopeful that an agreement to resolve the legal and regulatory issues can be reached.

After reviewing the two proposals, Department of Ecology officials went to work on drafting an implementation plan. Dave Peeler, who heads Ecology’s water quality program, has indicated that his agency will require commitments to initiate efforts in each key area (treatment technology, water re-use, conservation, and non-point pollution abatement) as part of a comprehensive clean-up plan. 

Sierra Club’s Spokane River Restoration Scenario and other documents can be viewed by clicking here.