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Department of Ecology News Release - Sept. 10, 2003
03-181
YAKIMA - Because elevated levels of arsenic in the Similkameen River in Okanogan County are the legacy of historical mining in the watershed, the river may have to naturally clean itself up over time.
That's according to a long-term cleanup and monitoring plan prepared by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) now available for review.
Environmental data collected from 1995-96 raised concerns about the amount of arsenic found in the Similkameen as it flows into Washington from Canada and into the Okanogan River at Oroville. As a result, more studies were conducted by Ecology and the Colville Confederated Tribes, in cooperation with the British Columbia provincial government.
Arsenic in the lower Similkameen is 10 times higher than what's found naturally in the upper reaches. Because the levels of arsenic are above federal values designed to protect human health, Ecology began to develop the cleanup and monitoring plan.
"After more than 100 years of mining, the arsenic is now a part of the river sediments," said Mark Peterschmidt, a water quality specialist for Ecology. "Practically, we can't remove those sediments. However, we can keep an eye on the river to assure levels are improving."
The plan to monitor the Similkameen River (also known as a total maximum daily load, or TMDL) is available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0310074.html.
Copies of the report are available at the Omak, Okanogan and Oroville public libraries. People may learn more during a meeting scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, in the Oroville City Hall.
Written comments will be accepted through Oct. 10 and may be addressed to either: Mark Peterschmidt, 15 W. Yakima Ave., Suite 200, Yakima, Wash., 98902, or to Lorraine Edmond at U.S. EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Ave, Seattle, Wash., 98010. Comments also may be e-mailed to Mark Peterschmidt at mape461@ecy.wa.gov or Lorraine Edmond at edmond.lorraine@epa.gov.
For more information, call Mark Peterschmidt at 509-454-7843.
A final report will be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ecology is charged with addressing pollution issues in nearly 700 water bodies across the state under the federal Clean Water Act.
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Media contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
