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Department of Ecology News Release - Aug. 30, 2000
00-168
OLYMPIA – This month, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) begins cleaning up lakes and rivers in eight additional areas of the state.
After reviewing comments from about 30 people, Ecology plans to focus its efforts on determining what the pollution problem is, where it is coming from, and how to most effectively prevent, reduce or stop the contamination in the following water bodies.
|
Primary Location |
Water Body |
Pollution Problems |
|
Clallam Co. |
Dungeness R./Bay Expansion |
Fecal coliform bacteria |
|
Grant Co. |
Moses Lake, Rocky Ford Cr., Upper Crab Cr. |
Phosphorus |
|
Okanogan Co. |
Okanogan R. |
PCB (toxic chemicals) and DDT (insecticide) |
|
Okanogan Co. |
Similkameen R. |
Arsenic |
|
Pierce Co. |
South Prairie Cr. |
Fecal coliform bacteria, temperature |
|
Pierce Co. |
Meeker Ditch and Clark's Cr. |
Fecal coliform bacteria, pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature |
|
Skagit Co. |
Carpenter Cr., Fisher Cr., Fisher Slough, Skagit Basin |
Fecal coliform bacteria and temperature |
|
Yakima Co. |
Granger Drain |
Fecal coliform bacteria |
"In most of these waterways, pollution is coming from a variety of sources that are not easily identifiable, including various industries or municipal treatment plants," said Megan White, manager for Ecology's water-quality program. "We'll need a great deal of involvement from citizens to locate the sources and get the pollution stopped."
Ecology selected the proposed water bodies based on the severity of the pollution, the potential for harm to human and aquatic health, and the barrier it poses for swimming, boating, fish habitat and other uses. The federal Clean Water Act requires states to develop water cleanup plans (also called "total maximum daily loads") for polluted waters.
The plans determine the amount of pollution a water body can receive and still remain healthy. The plans identify sources of pollutants and how much those sources must be reduced to make the water healthy. They are developed with extensive public review, and include strategies or methods for making the water cleaner. Currently, Ecology is working on approximately 90 water cleanup plans for 32 major water bodies.
To get informed and involved, people should contact Ron McBride at Dept. of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504-7600, or at rmcb461@ecy.wa.gov, or at (360) 407-6469.
CONTACT: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6157; pager, (360) 534-8590Dept. of Ecology Web site – http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/watershed/index.html (link updated April 9, 2001)
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
