see related story at Fish Hatchery Concerns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sandy Rudnick, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6239

Aberdeen Fined $10,000 for Discharge from Malinowski Dam

OLYMPIA - The rapid draw-down of the Malinowski Reservoir on April 1 that polluted and wiped out fish habitat in the Wishkah River has resulted in a $10,000 fine against the city of Aberdeen.

The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) levied the penalty after city workers released tons of mud and debris while attempting to repair the dam’s sluice gate. The incident seriously spoiled water quality and fish habitat in the Wishkah River.

The sudden release of silt-filled water from the dam and the cut-off of the river’s flow probably killed large numbers of juvenile coho, chinook and steelhead and destroyed fish eggs, according to Mike Ostwald, habitat biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The department is currently assessing how many small salmon and steelhead were destroyed.

In addition, several miles of the Wishkah River nearly went dry for approximately four hours while repairs were made on the dam, Ostwald said.

The April 1 incident was the second harmful release of sediments from the dam in two years. The first release in the spring of 1997 killed 30,000 wild coho and chinook salmon in Long Live the Kings Mahr Brothers Hatchery.

"Ecology informed the city a year ago that it needed to prevent sediments from discharging into the river from the reservoir," said Keli McKay-Means, a water-quality manager with Ecology. "This draw-down showed poor judgment and caused additional harm to our state’s already dwindling salmon and steelhead resources."

In addition to the $10,000 fine, Ecology issued an administrative order that directs the city to:

 Immediately cease any further discharge of sediments that violate water quality standards from Malinowski Dam into the Wishkah River.

• File a full report within 30 days with steps that have been taken to control the release of sediments from the reservoir, including an evaluation of sediment build-up in the reservoir.
• Acquire all necessary permits and notify Ecology and any affected downstream users at least 48 hours prior to any work to be done in or near the water at the three dams that could cause turbidity or a discharge of sediments into the Wishkah River.
• Update its operations and maintenance manual for the dam to include water-quality protection measures.
• Develop a maintenance plan for Dam 3 that prevents future failure.

 Malinowski Reservoir is the city's chief source of drinking water.