Spokane Riverkeeper has been monitoring temperatures in the Spokane River since 2015, and this summer marks some of the highest water temperatures we’ve seen in the last six years. Portions of the river that rely solely on surface water are being transformed by increasingly hot summers and drought conditions for eastern Washington. Although river reaches that have cold groundwater influxes are more resilient, large volumes of superheated surface water can raise their temperatures above state standards. This phenomenon threatens populations of native trout that are already in a precarious position and whose populations are very low.
Check out this fascinating website recently posted by the Gonzaga Environmental Law Clinic. Short videos provide various perspectives that connect the dots and make sense of the long struggle for a clean Spokane River.
Last week, we saw record high temperatures up to 111° Fahrenheit. Increasing stressors, like rising temperatures and droughts associated with climate change, in combination with population growth and land development are all threatening the health of our river. The Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer contains about 10 trillion gallons of water (Spokane County Water Resources, n.d.). One would assume we have an endless water supply, why should we be worried about conservation? Most of our water use occurs in the spring and summer months, when outdoor irrigation is highest. In 2019, outdoor residential water use was 553 gallons per day per household compared to indoor water use of 113 gallons per day (City of Spokane Water Department, 2020). The city reports delivering up to 180 million gallons of water per day (City of Spokane Public Works & Utilities, n.d.). The aquifer and our river are connected. The aquifer actually contributes 59% of the water moving through the river every year (Spokane County Water Resources, 2020). Higher rates of water use lead to lower levels in the aquifer, and less water for our river.
Over 600,000 people depend on the Spokane Valley Rathdrum Prairie aquifer for water. We know that the Spokane River is connected to the aquifer and is the largest source of recharge for our water supply. Our aquifer also contributes water to the river. Being good stewards of the river and all its wildlife means reducing water consumption, especially during the summer months when river flows are lowest. Water from this year’s snowpack was below average and this spring has been unusually dry. Spokane is currently facing moderate to severe drought conditions, and it is only June 10th!
Read our 2021 Spring update
Make no mistake about it, the Spokane Riverkeeper supports Lower Snake River dam removal. We believe it is our last best chance to bring the historic run of salmon back to a river once teeming with them. The plan put forward by Congressman Mike Simpson from rural Idaho, provides energy towards this goal. However, the environmental concessions included in his plan give us deep concerns. We urge our Washington Congressional Leaders to get involved and negotiate a plan that does not comprise our bedrock environmental laws. Please read our letter to Congressman Simpson to understand the breadth of our concerns. (photo from https://simpson.house.gov/salmon/)
We are firm in our opinion that it is time for the Washington Department of Ecology and the EPA to sunset the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force (SRRTTF) and develop a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) based clean up plan.
In 2021 our litter program will continue to evolve and grow to respond to the needs of the River and the community. We will continue to expand our relationship with river users, responding to their reports and working with them to remove the litter they identify. Community involvement drives us, through volunteering, monetary support, and advocacy. The community helps us prioritize the many tasks have on our plate, both litter-related and other.
Volunteer citizen scientists took 316 turbidity samples from the Spokane River and Hangman Creek during the winter and spring of 2020-2021. Results showed that Hangman Creek causes the Spokane River to exceed Washington State Water Quality Standards (WQS) for turbidity 14% of the time. These turbidity results, caused by an estimated 33,000 tons of excess sediment in the Spokane River water over the course of the study, are assumed to negatively affect native redband trout behavior in the Spokane River as well as degrade their habitat. Results should be evaluated by the Washington State Department of Ecology for inclusion on the 303d list of waters impaired for turbidity and sediment pollution.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, our river cleanup program continued to thrive due to innovative partnerships and programs ,and the support of volunteers. This year the Spokane Riverkeeper cleaned up 12,000 pounds of trash in 61 river miles, with 473 volunteers, over 41 cleanup events.
Today we are happy to report substantial progress towards cleaning up the Hangman Creek watershed. Not only are the above actions well underway, in one short year, a number of pollution problems have been fixed, or are underway (see table below).
Our river cleanup program took a short hiatus this spring, but now is going stronger than ever!
Floating the Spokane River is a great way to spend a summer day outdoors. Certainly there are many dangers in floating the river by tube which can be challenging for beginners. This guide points out the safest practices of the most popular tubing route of the Spokane River – Peaceful Valley to TJ Meenach.
Read about what we’ve been up to this winter and spring!
So as we stand on our own to feet, with your support and help, please remember that we are the organization out there on your river. We are not afraid to say what needs to be said to the power brokers and polluters, and we honor the commitment and vision of our partners and friends as they entrust the protection of their river to us and our efforts!
The Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) Aquifer, which spans both Washington and Idaho, is the sole source of water for the majority of Spokane County and Kootenai County. 15 to 100 thousand years ago, the deposits from the glacial floods of Lake Missoula created what we now know as the SVRP Aquifer. Historically, the Coeur d’Alene and Spokane Tribes lived around the SVRP Aquifer. The land and water provided fish, animals, and plants, as well as the river; the river became a central part of their history and culture. Today, the City of Spokane is the largest water purveyor for the SVRP Aquifer.
2019 has been another busy year of protecting your waters from toxic pollution, and 2020 will bring some very important decision points in this struggle. As many of you know, the Washington State water quality standard for toxics has been challenged by industry and their allies. This standard was put in place by the EPA to protect public health from toxins that build up in fish. Now, this public safety protection is in jeopardy of being rolled back. This year, we traveled to Seattle and stood with numerous tribal governments, NGOs and citizens to say do not weaken these protections from toxic pollution. We also published a guest opinion in the Spokesman-Review urging that the current standard stay in place.
Additionally, a new policy called "variances" threatens to give dischargers a "pass to pollute" by weakening the existing toxic pollution limits in our river. A variance would give legal exemptions from meeting the established water quality standards, which limit toxic pollution in your Spokane River. 2020 will see this fight heat up, so stay tuned and rest assured, the Spokane Riverkeeper will be at the forefront of fighting for a clean and healthy river!
As the climate warms, so do our waters. But to what extent and what can we do about it locally? Our work at the Spokane Riverkeeper aims to answer both of those questions. We monitor water temperature in Hangman Creek and the Spokane River. In previous years we have found alarmingly high water temperatures; water that could kill our native redband trout and is above state standards. Our surveys of the Hangman Creek watershed point to clear sources of this thermal pollution.
The State of Washington water laws follow a “first in time, first in right” clause, wherein senior water rights supersede junior rights. This is especially important in times of water shortage, since those with senior standing are guaranteed their water rights before those with junior standing. It is also important to note that no individual or group can own state water; rather, rights to use are granted to specific subjects. The actual water belongs to the public.
