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In 2004, the Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD) applied for and was awarded a grant to develop the water quality improvement report or total maximum daily load (TMDL) for the Hangman Creek watershed. Since then, the SCCD and Ecology have been working together to study the watershed, work with the local community, and develop the improvement report. This effort addresses high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, high water temperatures, and high turbidity (from sediment clouding the water).
In 2004-2005, SCCD conducted monitoring to fill the data gaps needed to complete the TMDL analysis. The SCCD also formed a watershed advisory group to work on strategies to reduce the amount of pollution reaching the streams. The advisory group consists of people representing many different interests in the watershed, including agriculture, forestry, livestock production, and entities such as Spokane County, the city of Spokane, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. The advisory group met regularly to work on the water quality improvement plan (TMDL).
Ecology published the water quality improvement report for fecal coliform bacteria, high water temperatures, and turbidity in the Spring of 2009. Ecology and the SCCD reviewed all comments, revised the report, and published the final report in June 2009. The Environmental Protection Agency approved the report on September 29, 2009.
Ecology is currently studying the dissolved oxygen and pH impairment in the watershed. These parameters will be addressed in a separate water quality improvement report (TMDL). This TMDL will include targets to help the watershed meet the phosphorus allocation set at the mouth by the draft Spokane River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, currently under development.
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