See earlier story on this topic as reported by the Capital Press
Kayle Jennings
State Department of Ecology
By The Chronicle, The Chronicle, 6/20/98
Dairies in the upper Chehalis River Basin are ahead of the statewide average for complying with Washington's water-quality laws, but still have a way to go to completely prevent waste from polluting the stream.
That information comes in the wake of inspections conducted by the state Department of Ecology, which found that 17 of 50 dairies upstream from Porter are in compliance with the laws.
This compliance rate of 34 percent far exceeds the statewide dairy-compliance average of 20 percent, according to DOE, which attributed the success to farmer's' fences and management practices.
Only one dairy received a substantial penalty - a $7,000 fine - for poor management practices that resulted in the discharge dairy waste into the Chehalis watershed.
"The goals of attaining clean water and operating a dairy farm not mutually exclusive," DOE's Kahle Jennings said in a news release.
"In fact, many upper Chehalis dairies have demonstrated that these goals are both and desirable," the water quality coordinator continued.
"That's good news for all use the river, especially the fish."
DOE initiated an emphasis on the dairies after water quality studies revealed high sensitivity to pollution in many areas of the upper Chehalis watershed.
The river and its tributaries suffer from low levels of dissolved oxygen, contamination by fecal coliform bacteria, and high water temperatures.
While dairies have long been suspected of contributing to the river's pollution problems, DOE has found they are not the only pollution sources.
Other sources have also been singled out, including industries and wastewater treatment facilities in Chehalis and Centralia.
Other results of DOE's dairy inspections include:
Nine dairies will be given permits that require them to develop and implement long-term farm plans to protect water quality. Local conservation districts will provide free farm-plan assistance.
Sixteen will be issued notices of correction, requiring that steps be taken to stop ineffective waste management practices. Most of these are relatively minor problems that can be corrected within 30 days, according to DOE.
Four will require additional follow-up in order for DOE to make a final decision.
Inspectors did find numerous dairies with over-full or flooding manure lagoons, and with dairy waste that was seeping directly into creeks and waterways.
"Dairies can do their part to protect the Chehalis by putting farm plans in place," Jennings asserted. 'This is the best way to protect water quality and keep manure out of the river."
A new state law requires that all dairy farms in Washington be inspected by October 2000, and every two years thereafter. Previously, dairy farms were inspected primarily in response to citizen complaints.