Spokane River Water Quality Improvement Projects > Spokane River PCB Water Quality Improvement Project
 

Spokane River Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
Water Quality Improvement Project (also known as TMDL)

The Spokane River flows from its source at Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to the city of Spokane, Washington.  It then flows northwesterly through Lake Spokane and the Spokane Tribe of Indian’s reservation to its confluence with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake impoundment of the Columbia River. The river drains an area of about 6,640 square miles in two states. Approximately 2,295 square miles are within Washington with the remainder of the watershed in Idaho.

The Spokane River contains elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in surface water, sediments, fish tissue, and in effluents being discharged to the river. The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) first documented PCB contamination in fish tissue two decades ago, and numerous investigations by Ecology and others have been conducted to evaluate the extent of the contamination.

 Most of the Spokane River fish analyzed for PCBs fail to meet state surface water quality standards that were established to protect beneficial uses of surface waters, such as fish consumption. Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requires Washington to periodically prepare a list of all surface waters in the state for which beneficial uses are impaired by pollutants.

Waters placed on the 303(d) list require the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), a key tool in the work to clean up polluted waters.

The Problem
Why PCBs are a concern in the Spokane River.

The Solution
How a total maximum daily load (TMDL) study will help with the PCB issue.

The Status
What is being done to reduce PCB levels in the Spokane River.

Technical Information
Tools being used in the TMDL process.

Upcoming Events
none at this time

Related Links
Information related to the Spokane River PCB cleanup project.