Friday, January 16, 2004
By Andrew Binion, apbinion@hotmail.com , The Chronicle
OLYMPIA A new study released Thursday by the state Department of Ecology on the condition of Washington's waterways, the most comprehensive to date, shows that rivers and creeks in Lewis County and throughout the state are more polluted than previously known.
The department's Water Quality Assessment added lengths of the Chehalis River and other area creeks and rivers to a list of waterways requiring cleanup. It will be used by the department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to target efforts to improve water conditions so they can be used for swimming, fishing, fish habitat and drinking.
"This is just a more thorough look at our state's waters," said Sandy Howard, spokeswoman for the Department of Ecology's southwest regional office. "It's almost like we're looking through the microscope and then clicked it up one more power." Despite the increase in number of identified polluted waters, department officials were quick to note that because more segments of lakes, streams and rivers were tested in the study, the final number of polluted waterways on the list "increased slightly" by 320 parts of rivers, streams and lakes.
The year-and-a-half study does not designate entire lakes, streams or rivers as polluted, but instead identifies segments determined to contain significant levels of pollution by tests run on both water and fish. Although parts of rivers such as the Chehalis were already on department lists as having unacceptable levels of pollutants, the study found new sections that need cleanup efforts.
The pollutant found to be most prevalent in the western parts of the county, especially in the Twin Cities area, is what scientists call fecal coliform, or bacteria originating from the excrement of people and animals. Creeks and rivers in eastern reaches of the county, where the study found much less contamination, were identified as having temperature pollution. This is where the water is warmer than fish can stand.
Along with the Chehalis River, parts of polluted rivers discovered by the new study include the Cowlitz River, the Cispus River, the North Fork of the Cispus River, the South Fork of the Chehalis and the West Fork of the Little Nisqually. Pollutants were also found in 18 Lewis County creeks, including Salzer Creek.
David Roundtry, a water cleanup coordinator for the department who specializes in the Chehalis River basin, said the study is the most extensive ever performed on state water sources. Part of its goal was to not simply classify water bodies as being polluted or clean, Roundtry said, but to began a five-tiered ranking system that reflects where in the process of recovery the particular segment of stream is.
"It's been a long effort," Roundtry said. "Instead of one list for identifying polluted water for cleanup planning … now we can better acknowledge areas where water cleanup planning is already underway and best focus our efforts on the most polluted water." It is difficult to determine where exactly the fecal matter pollution is coming from, Roundtry said, but the likely culprit is malfunctioning septic systems, run-off from livestock operations, pets and wild animals. Industry has been blamed in the past for polluting local waterways. Roundtry said businesses have largely ended such practices, "But there are still some isolated problems." Once the weather warms up it may be tempting to take a dip in the Chehalis or another creek fed swimming hole, but Roundtry said the risk to human health posed by the contamination is significant.
"I think everybody has their own personal tolerance for it," Roundtry said. "But the standard is based on human health protection. If the listing shows pollution in the water it could be a risk." Margaret Rader, chair of the Chehalis River Council's Board of Trustees, said simply keeping animals away from the banks of rivers and creeks can go a long way to protecting the water from pollution. One way to protect creeks against high temperatures is to restore plant life and trees on the banks. Septic tanks, on the other hand, is a different issue.
"Politically it's hard," Rader said. "People don't want their septic systems inspected or have some kind of tax." All new septic systems should be fine, she said; it's the old ones near water sources that can be trouble.
"You can tell when a septic tank has failed because the drain field gets soggy and horrible," Rader said. "It's pretty obvious."
On the Web: www.ecy.wa.gov
Andrew Binion covers state government for The Chronicle. He may be reached at 956-0543, or by e-mail at apbinion@hotmail.com.
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