Spokane River conservation efforts are paying off, the Department of Ecology reports

By Taylar Ansures

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    SPOKANE, Wash. (KXLY) — Conservation efforts along the Spokane River are paying off, the Washington Department of Ecology says in a new study.

In 2010, the Department of Ecology adopted a water cleanup plan for the Spokane River. This plan hoped to reduce excess phosphorus, a nutrient that causes algae blooms in the watershed. Algae blooms in the water make it difficult for fish to breathe and can also harm people or wildlife.

Since the start of that plan, major investments have been made to reduce pollution. So far, the Department of Ecology has awarded $15 million for restoration in the Hangman Creek watershed and more than $85 million to local governments for wastewater and sewer overflow improvements.

The study showed the investments are working. Five wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities have reduced their phosphorus discharge by over 90%. The Department of Ecology says this is due to the facility’s efforts to install new technologies that limit phosphorus discharge into the water.

The Department of Ecology is working now to limit pollution from nonpoint sources. Nonpoint pollution is the kind of pollution that doesn’t come from a single source. Examples of this type of pollution include pesticides, animal waste, reduction of shade along streams, landscape erosion and more.

While nonpoint pollution sources have decreased since 2010, they are still the largest source of phosphorus in the water. The Department of Ecology says that from March to May of 2022, Hangman Creek contributed 74% of the total amount of phosphorus entering the Spokane River.

There are several projects currently working to restore habitats, improve forest practices, stabilize streambanks and connect landowners near Long Lake Dam with resources to help protect water quality.

“We’re seeing the results of decades of investment in wastewater treatment, and that’s something to celebrate. But the river’s recovery also depends on addressing the impacts of nonpoint pollution and Long Lake Dam,” said Katelyn Scott, who serves as water keeper for the nonprofit group Spokane Riverkeeper. “To restore the river and bring back native fish, we have to think bigger and act bolder.”

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