EPA 910/9-78-053 United States Region 10
Environmental Protection 1200 Sixth Avenue
Agency Seattle WA 98101
Water January 1979 EPA - 10 - Wa - City & Co Spokane - CSO - 79
<&ERA Environmental Draft
Impact Statement
City of Spokane
Combined Sewer Overflow
Abatement Project
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
City of Spokane
Combined Sewer Overflow
Abatement Project
Prepared by
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 10
Seattle, WA 98101
With Technical Assistance from
Jones & Stokes Associates, Inc.
2321 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
In Association With
Culp, Wesner and Culp
1
Date
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pa^e
Table of Contents i
List of Tables v
List of Figures vii
Executive Summary vin
CHAPTER 1 - REPORT SUMMARY 1
Project Background 1
Project Environmental Goals and Constraints 1
Necessity For and Purpose of the EIS 2
Alternative Solutions 2
Alternative 1 3
Alternative 2 3
Alternative 3 3
Klicker Plan 3
Latenser Plan 4
A Combination Pollution Control and Drainage Concept 4
No-Action 4
County Regionalization 5
Major Environmental Issues 5
Disruptions Caused by Construction Activities 5
Economic and Employment Effects of Construction 8
Influence of Alternatives on Water Quality 9
Ability of Alternatives to Alleviate Public
Health and Aesthetic Problems 10
Long-Term Effect on Beneficial Uses of the
Spokane River 12
Cost Considerations 13
Energy and Resource Consumption 13
Regional Air Quality 17
Effects of Wastewater Impoi tation on the Crab
Creek Drainage 17
Regionalization of Wastewater Treatment 18
Proposed Action 18
Agencies Involved/Public Participation 20
Report Organization 21
CHAPTER 2 - EXISTING AND PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE FACILITIES 23
Existing Sewerage Facilities 23
Overview of Regional Wastewater Systems 23
City of Spokane Wastewater Treatment Plant 24
City of Spokane Sanitary Sewer System 26
Alternative CSO Facilities 29
Introduction 29
City Alternative 1 - Storage Basins 30
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Page
City Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment Plants 36
City Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers 37
Latenser Export Plan 39
A Combination Pollution Control and Drainage
Concept 42
An Alternative for CSO Control Only 42
County Reglonalization Scenarios 45
Other CSO Options 45
No-Action Alternative 46
Summary of Alternative Costs 46
CHAPTER 3 - LAWS, RULES AND POLICIES AFFECTING THE CSO
ABATEMENT PROJECT 49
Introduction 49
Laws, Actions Prompting CSO Abatement Planning 49
Laws and Guidelines that Affect the Scope of CSO
Planning 50
Other Laws, Rules and Policies Influencing CSO
Abatement Planning 52
CHAPTER 4 - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALTERNATIVES 57
Introduction 57
Disruptions Caused by Construction Activities 57
Land Use and Development 57
Noise 76
Public Safety 81
Aesthetics 82
Population Dislocation 86
Circulation Network 87
Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction 90
Employment 90
Business Activity 90
Influence of Alternatives on Spokane River Quality 98
History of Water Quality Management and Planning
on the Spokane River 98
Parameters and Methods of Analysis 99
Effects of Proposed Alternatives on Nutcient
Loading 100
Ability of Alternatives to Alleviate Public Health
and Aesthetic Concerns 107
Surface Water Contamination 107
Aesthetics 113
Groundwater Contamination 114
Sewer System Backups 114
Long-Term Effect of Alternatives on Beneficial Uses
of the Spokane River and Land Adjacent to the River 118
Introduction 118
Water-Contact Recreation 118
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Page
On-Water Recreation 120
Shoreline Activities 121
Economic Uses 122
Industrial and Agricultural Uses 124
Uses Downstream from Long Lake Dam 124
Influence of Alternatives on Spokane River Tributaries 127
Introduction 127
Hangman Creek 127
Little Spokane River 127
Effects of Wastewater Importation on the Crab
Creek Drainage 128
Groundwater Quality Implications of Alternatives 136
Costs of Alternatives and Probable Levels of Federal/
State Grant Funding 138
Construction Costs and Cost Allocations 138
Public Maintenance Costs Associated with
Alternatives 140
Local Government Ability to Finance Alternatives 141
Water and Sewer Service Revenue/Expenditures 146
Impact of Alternatives on Property Values/Taxes 146
Impact of the Alternatives on the Spokane Area
Economy 149
User Charge Increases 149
Energy and Resource Consumption of Alternatives 155
Energy 155
Chemicals 156
Influence of CSO Alternatives on the Spokane Waste-
water Treatment Plant Capacity and Long-Term
Viability 158
Environmental Considerations for Regionalization
of Wastewater Treatment 166
Relationship of Alternatives to Regional Air Quality 171
Long-Term Effects of New Facilities on Adjacent
Land Uses 173
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers 173
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief
Sewers 173
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers 173
Klicker Storage Suboption 175
Latenser Plan 176
Combination Concept 176
Potential Effect Upon Historic and Archeological
Resources 177
Prehistory and Native Peoples 177
Potential for Impacts 177
Listings on the National Register of Historic
Places for Spokane 179
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Pa^e
CHAPTER 5 - PROPOSED ACTION 181
Introduction 181
Alternative 3 Project Phasing 181
Probable Funding Action 183
First Phase Project Impacts 186
Introduction 186
Construction Disruptions 186
Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction 187
Impact on Surface Water Quality 187
Ability to Alleviate Public Health Concerns 187
Construction Costs and Cost Sharing 188
Public Maintenance Costs 189
Impact on Property Values and Taxes 189
Changes in Sewer Use Rates 190
Influence on Spokane Treatment Plant's Ability
to Serve Outlying Areas 190
CHAPTER 6 - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 193
Introduction 193
Location 193
Climate 193
Land Resources 195
Topography 195
Geology, Seismic Features 195
Soils 196
Land Uses 197
Water Resources 199
Spokane River - Water Quality 199
Spokane River - Beneficial Uses 203
Other Surface Waters 204
Groundwater Quality/Quantity, Water Supply 205
Flooding 206
Biological Resources 206
Terrestrial Flora and Fauna 206
Aquatic Flora and Fauna 208
Unique Environmental Features 208
Aesthetics 210
Social Environment 210
Population 210
Regional and Local Economies 212
Crab Creek Area 213
Air Quality 216
BIBLIOGRAPHY 219
INDIVIUDALS AND AGENCIES CONTACTED DURING PREPARATION
OF THE EIS 227
LIST OF PREPARERS 231
APPENDICES 233
IV
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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1-1 Major Areas of Construction Activity Disruption 6
1-2 Economic and Employment Effects of Construction 8
1-3 Frequency of Overflow to Spokane River Allowed by
CSO Abatement Alternatives 11
1-4 Summary Comparison of Alternative Cost 14
1-5 Summary of Construction Cost Allocations 15
1-6 Summary of Estimated Increases in User Charges or
Ad Valorem Taxation Rates to Finance and Operate
the Alternative Projects 16
2-1 Estimated Combined Sewer Overflow Quality 26
2-2 Costs for Latenser Export Plan 41
2-3 Summary Comparison of Alternative Cost 47
3-1 National and State Air Quality Standards 53
4-1 Typical Sound Levels 78
4-2 Construction-Related Aesthetic Impact Summary 84
4-3 Construction Industry Employment - Spokane County 91
4-4 Summary Comparison of Employment and Construction
Sales Impacts 97
4-5 Projected Percent of Present City Waste Load Removed 101
4-6 Potential Percent of Annual Total Nitrogen and
Total Phosphorus Load to Long Lake Removed by
Each Alternative 104
4-7 Estimated Percent of Total Nitrogen and Total
Phosphorus Removed from Long Lake by Each Alterna-
tive during the 1978 Growing Season (May 1 through
September 30) 105
4-8 Crab Creek Water Quality 132
4-9 Summary of Construction Cost Allocations 139
4-10 Financing Powers of Agencies 143
4-11 City of Spokane Limitation of Indebtedness -
December 31, 1977 145
4-12 Summary, Historical Cost of Existing Sewerage
Facilities 147
4-13 Water-Sewer Revenue Bonds Schedule of Requirements
Principal and Interest - December 31, 1977 147
4-14 Sewer Service Charges - Industrial Users 150
4-15 Annual Impact on Sewer User Rates if User Charges
Used to Finance Local Share of Project Costs 151
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Table Page
4-16 Impact on Tax Rates in Residential Areas if Ad
Valorem Tax Used to Finance Local Share of
Project Costs 153
4-17 Impact of Increased Ad Valorem Tax on Commercial
and Industrial Development 154
4-18 Existing Chemical Consumption at the Spokane
STP - February-June 1978 156
4-19 Population and Flow Estimates - Metropolitan
Spokane Wastewater Service Areas 161
4-20 Flows to the Spokane Treatment Plant under Various
Regionalization Schemes 163
5-1 Multi-Purpose and Pollution Control Alternative
Cost Comparison 184
5-2 Cost Credit Calculation for Alternative 3 185
5-3 Summary of Construction Cost Allocations -
Proposed Action 188
5-4 Estimated Increase in User Charges or Ad Valorem
Taxation Required to Finance Phase 1 of Proposed
Action 191k
6-1 1978 Land Use - City of Spokane 198
6-2 Water Use in Study Area 205
6-3 Flood Hazard Areas 206
6-4 Summary of Fish Species Occurrence from Long
Lake to the Idaho Border 209
6-5 Current and Pro3ected Population - City and County
of Spokane 211
6-6 Mean Age of Population 212
6-7 Taxable Retail Sales 1974-1977 214
6-8 Labor Force (Annual Average) Employment and
Unemployment - Spokane County 215
VI
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
2-1 Site Plan of Spokane Wastewater Treatment Plant 25
2-2 Combined Sewer Overflow Points 27
2-3 Storage Basin/Satellite Treatment Plant Sites
for Alternatives L and 2 32
2-4 Klicker Plan Facilities 35
2-5 Storm Sewers Cumulative Percent Overflow
Eliminated vs. Cumulative Percent of Construction
Cost Expended 38
2-6 Latenser Plan Facilities 40
2-7 Combination Concept Drainage Areas and Proposed
CSO Control Method 43
2-8 Combination Pollution Control, Drainage Concept:
Cumulative Percent Overflow Eliminated vs.
Cumulative Percent of Total Annual Cost Expended 44
4-1 Spokane, Washington Census Tracts 59
4-2 Storm Sewer Construction Planned in Spokane CBD
as Part of Alternative 3 67
4-3 Construction Equipment Noise Ranges 77
4-4 Coliform Counts Taken in Spokane River during
Rainstorm of November 17, 1974 110
4-5 Coliform Counts Taken in Spokane Rwer during
Period of Steady Runoff from Snowmelt on
February 13, 1975 111
4-6 Seasonality of Beneficial Uses of the Spokane
River in Relation to Area Precipitation and
Potential CSO Events 126
4-7 Crab Creek Drainage Basin 129
4-8 Metropolitan Spokane Planning Units and Waste-
water Treatment Facilities 162
5-1 Proposed Action - Phase 1 182
6-1 Location of Studv Area 194
6-2 Spokane River Wat't Quality Monitoring Stations 200
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SUMMARY
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT - CITY OF SPOKANE
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW ABATEMENT PROJECT
Environmental Protection Agency
Region X
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101
1. Type of Statement: Draft ( X ) Final ( )
2. Type of Action: Administrative ( X ) Legislative ( )
3. Description of Action:
The objective of this project is to provide a means of
abating the combined sewer overflows (CSO's) in the City of
Spokane. At present, the interceptor system in the city is
unable to transport all of the sewage and stormwaters to the
sewage treatment plant. The system overflows the excess into
the Spokane River at over 30 points in the city.
The issues in this project involve the effects CSO's
have on nutrient loading, bacterial contamination and
aesthetic impairment of the Spokane River. Construction
related impacts are also a concern in this project.
4. Alternatives Considered:
The EIS provides a full environmental analysis of seven
major alternatives or suboptions. A brief description of
each of these alternatives follows. The possibility of
making Spokane's interceptors and treatment plant a regional
facility is also discussed.
Alternative 1
CSO would be controlled by constructing 14 underground
storage basins at key overflow points. Interceptor overflows
would be stored during peak runoff and fed back into the
system after peak flows had subsided. The drainage problem
would be remedied by the construction of 55 miles of relief
sewers throughout the city. The city facilities plan recommended
construction of storage basins large enough to allow only
one overflow to the river in 25 years on the average. This
report also analyzes smaller storage basins that would allow
one overflow per year on the average.
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Alternative 2
Fourteen small underground treatment plants would be
constructed to provide primary treatment and chlorination
to the CSO. They would be located in the same general area
as the storage basins of Alternative 1. The 55 miles of
relief sewers would also be needed to solve local drainage
problems.
Alternative 3
Up to 220 miles of storm sewers would be constructed
to separate sanitary wastewater from storm runoff. This
would eliminate raw wastewater overflows but would continue
storm runoff discharges to the river. Stormwater discharges
are likely to occur on 80 to 110 days of the year, depending
upon the frequency and intensity of local precipitation. The
wastewater-stormwater separation would solve most local
drainage and sewer backup problems.
Klicker Plan
The Klicker Plan is a modification of Alternative 1.
Smaller underground storage basins would be used and surface
lagoons would be added to catch peak flows from the 5-year
frequency storm. A large storage reservoir would be con-
structed south of Bridge Street to replace a site proposed
near Downriver Golf Course in Alternative 1; this reservoir site
might also eventually act as a wastewater treatment facility
once the main Spokane plant reaches its maximum capacity.
Drainage problems would be controlled by installation of
on-site check valves and storage tanks at those locations
now suffering backups. An estimated 700 residences or
businesses would be affected.
IX
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Latenser Plan
This plan is also a modification of the storage concept.
Rather than having numerous storage sites downtown along
the Spokane River, increases in pumping capability and
rerouting of storm flows would allow transport of all CSO
to a large open storage reservoir in Riverside State Park
across from the city treatment plant. Untreated combined
sewage would be held in this reservoir until it could be
trickled back into the plant for treatment. Pumping and
storage facilities would be sized to allow one overflow to
the river per year on the average.
This plan would also change the location of disposal
for all Spokane treatment plant effluent. The plant's
phosphorus removal equipment would be abandoned and secondary
effluent would be exported out of the Spokane River basin
for irrigation reuse in the Crab Creek drainage basin near
Odessa.
A Combination Pollution Control and Drainage Concept
This alternative combines elements of Alternatives 1 and 3.
The cost of storage vs. separate sewering was compared
individually for each of the 15 drainage areas in the city.
The control method with the lowest annual cost was selected
as the most effective solution for each individual basin.
Storage plus relief sewers was selected for 7 of the basins
and separate storm sewers was selected for the other 8
(see Appendix C). Storage basins were sized to allow one
untreated overflow per year on the average. Relief sewers
would be used for correction of drainage problems in those
areas served by storage rather than separate storm sewers.
No-Action
The "do nothing" or "no-action" alternative is analyzed
in the EIS as mandated by the EPA guidelines for preparation
of an EIS. This alternative eliminates construction and would
allow continuation of periodic discharge of untreated combined
sewer overflows to the Spokane River in violation of the
city's NPDES permit.
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County Regionalization
The ability of the Spokane treatment plant to receive
wastewater from outlying county areas was given a very general
fiscal and operational feasibility analysis in this EIS. Tying
in North Spokane and Spokane Valley was considered in relation
to the city system's hydraulic capacity and life expectancy.
The influence of regionalization on allocation of project costs
is also discussed. Spokane County is proposing to conduct a new
regional wastewater facilities planning effort for the entire
metropolitan Spokane area in 1979. This effort will include a
detailed analysis of the feasibility of making the Spokane treat-
ment plant a regional facility. In June 1978, the City and County
of Spokane issued a joint resolution of cooperation in planning
and developing water and sewer service for the metropolitan
Spokane area. This included a statement that the county "can
and will avail itself" of Spokane treatment plant capacity "when
it is proven to be the most reasonable, environmentally and
economically feasible alternate".
5. Summary of Environmental Impacts and Adverse Environmental
Effects
The principal construction impacts are those associated with
laying up to 220 miles of pipes throughout the city and/or impacts
related to construction of storage reservoirs. All of the alter-
natives except the No Action and the Latenser alternatives would
remove about the same amount of waste-related pollutants from the
Spokane River. The No Action alternative would not result in any
changes to the existing conditions. The Latenser alternative, as
an effluent export plan for the city's entire waste stream, would
remove over 90% of the city's current discharges to the river.
Improvement of aesthetic values and beneficial uses would result
from all of the alternatives, except No Action, in varying degrees
The complete sewer separation project would effectively eliminate
raw sewage from the river while those options involving storage
basins would result in occasional combined sewer overflows.
Chapter 1, the report summary, describes the above information
in greater detail.
6. A list of Federal, State and local agencies contacted on this
project can be found on pages 227-230. A list of preparers is
located on page 231. All persons and agencies on these lists
were invited to comment on the Environmental Impact Statement.
Xll
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Chapter 1
REPORT SUMMARY
Project Background
Although the City of Spokane completed an advanced
wastewater treatment plant in 1977, the city still does not
comply with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) waste discharge permit issued by the Washington
Department of Ecology, because untreated sewage enters the
Spokane River with almost every rainstorm or snowmelt. The
new plant, which provides secondary and advanced wastewater
treatment through phosphorus removal, is desigend to serve
the people of Spokane and possibly the surrounding area into
the next century. The problem of untreated sewage flowing
into the river is not associated with the plant, but with
the city collection and conveyance system in that the pipes
are too small to convey all of the combined sewage and
stormwater to the treatment plant. Consequently, to gain
relief for the conveyance system and abate flooding, the
combined sewage and stormwater are discharged to the river -
a problem commonly referred to as CSO, i.e., combined sewer
overflow. CSO can be hazardous to public health, cause
water pollution and nuisances. The city's NPDES permit
specified cleanup of all CSOs by June 30, 1977. The city is
in the process of developing and funding a system to control
CSO and drainage that will comply with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Ecology (DOE)
requirements.
Project Environmental Goals and Constraints
The city's CSO abatement project has three goals: 1) to
eliminate the discharge of untreated wastewater to the Spokane
River, making it more suitable for a variety of uses, 2) to
remedy local drainage problems in the city which frequently
cause basement and street flooding, property damage, cleanup
costs and a public health hazard, and 3) to maintain as a
future option, the ability to use the existing wastewater
treatment plant as a regional facility. The city's plans to
achieve these goals are controlled by state and federal
regulations and grant funding conditions. In order for the
project to receive federal and state grants, EPA and DOE
must ensure that it does not conflict with existing environ-
mental laws and regulations, including the Clean Water Act,
1
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the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the State
Water Quality Standards. Before EPA can participate in the
funding of a project in Spokane, it must be assured that
the selected project complies with the water pollution
abatement mandates of the Clean Water Act. In Spokane's
case this means that CSOs must be reduced to a point that
they no longer interfere with the prescribed beneficial
uses of the Spokane River. The DOE must insure that the
selected project is capable of complying with the city's
NPDES permit, which calls for eventual elimination of all
CSO to the river.
Necessity For and Purpose of the
Environmental Impact Statement
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)
requires all federal agencies which propose actions that
would significantly affect the quality of the human environment
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on these
actions. The EIS is intended to be a "full disclosure" of
impacts which would result from a project or action, and
must follow specific guidelines established by the Council
on Environmental Quality(CEQ). In the selection of a
combined sewer overflow abatement plan, it is the intent of
NEPA that alternatives be evaluated and a plan be selected
on the basis of all environmental considerations, not just
monetary costs.
The Facilities Plan Draft EIS is a required element of
EPA's action on the Spokane CSO abatement project. Under
terms of Section 201 of the Clean Water Act, local facilities
construction projects are eligible to receive up to 75 percent
federal funding for the planning, design and construction
of municipal wastewater treatment systems. The State of
Washington, through the DOE, also makes grants of up to 15
percent available for such projects. The minimum local share
on those features of a project eligible for EPA and DOE funding
is therefore 10 percent. Eligibility is based largely on
EPA regulations and guidance memoranda. Before the grant
funds are made available, EPA and DOE must consider the environ-
mental consequences of the proposed project and its viab]e
alternatives. This EIS has been prepared to identify the
costs and environmental impacts and to encourage public partici-
pation in the planning process through local meetings and
public hearings.
Alternative Solutions
The EIS provides a full environmental analysis of seven
major alternatives or suboptions. A brief description of
2
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each of these alternatives follows. The possibility of
making Spokane's interceptors and treatment plant a regional
facility is also discussed.
Alternative 1
CSO would be controlled by constructing 14 underground
storage basins at key overflow points. Interceptor overflows
would be stored during peak runoff and fed back into the
system after peak flows had subsided. The drainage problem
would be remedied by the construction of 55 miles of relief
sewers throughout the city. The city facilities plan recommended
construction of storage basins large enough to allow only
one overflow to the river in 25 years on the average. This
report also analyzes smaller storage basins that would allow
one overflow per year on the average.
Alternative 2
Fourteen small underground treatment plants would be
constructed to provide primary treatment and chlorination
to the CSO. They would be located in the same general area
as the storage basins of Alternative 1. The 55 miles of
relief sewers would also be needed to solve local drainage
problems.
Alternative 3
Up to 220 miles of storm sewers would be constructed
to separate sanitary wastewater from storm runoff. This
would eliminate raw wastewater overflows but would continue
storm runoff discharges to the river. Stormwater discharges
are likely to occur on 80 to 110 days of the year, depending
upon the frequency and intensity of local precipitation. The
wastewater-stormwater separation would solve most local
drainage and sewer backup problems.
Klicker Plan
The Klicker Plan is a modification of Alternative 1.
Smaller underground storage basins would be used and surface
lagoons would be added to catch peak flows from the 5-year
frequency storm. A large storage reservoir would be con-
structed south of Bridge Street to replace a site proposed
near Downriver Golf Course in Alternative 1; this reservoir site
might also eventually act as a wastewater treatment facility
once the main Spokane plant reaches its maximum capacity.
3
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Drainage problems would be controlled by installation of
on-site check valves and storage tanks at those locations
now suffering backups. An estimated 700 residences or
businesses would be affected.
Latenser Plan
This plan is also a modification of the storage concept.
Rather than having numerous storage sites downtown along
the Spokane River, increases in pumping capability and
rerouting of storm flows would allow transport of all CSO
to a large open storage reservoir in Riverside State Park
across from the city treatment plant. Untreated combined
sewage would be held in this reservoir until it could be
trickled back into the plant for treatment. Pumping and
storage facilities would be sized to allow one overflow to
the river per year on the average.
This plan would also change the location of disposal
for all Spokane treatment plant effluent. The plant's
phosphorus removal equipment would be abandoned and secondary
effluent would be exported out of the Spokane River basin
for irrigation reuse in the Crab Creek drainage basin near
Odessa.
A Combination Pollution Control and Drainage Concept
This alternative combines elements of Alternatives 1 and 3.
The cost of storage vs. separate sewering was compared
individually for each of the 15 drainage areas in the city.
The control method with the lowest annual cost was selected
as the most effective solution for each individual basin.
Storage plus relief sewers was selected for 7 of the basins
and separate storm sewers was selected for the other 8
(see Appendix C). Storage basins were sized to allow one
untreated overflow per year on the average. Relief sewers
would be used for correction of drainage problems in those
areas served by storage rather than separate storm sewers.
No-Action
The "do nothing" or "no-action" alternative is analyzed
in the EIS as mandated by the EPA guidelines for preparation
of an EIS. This alternative eliminates construction and would
allow continuation of periodic discharge of untreated combined
sewer overflows to the Spokane River in violation of the
city's NPDES permit.
4
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County Regionalization
The ability of the Spokane treatment plant to receive
wastewater from outlying county areas was given a very general
fiscal and operational feasibility analysis in this EIS. Tying
in North Spokane and Spokane Valley was considered in
relation to the city system's hydraulic capacity and life
expectancy- The influence of regionalization on allocation
of project costs is also discussed. Spokane County is
proposing to conduct a new regional wastewater facilities
planning effort for the entire metropolitan Spokane area
in 1979. This effort will include a detailed analysis of the
feasibility of making the Spokane treatment plant a regional
facility. In June 1978, the City and County of Spokane issued
a joint resolution of cooperation in planning and developing
water and sewer service for the metropolitan Spokane area.
This included a statement that the county "can and will avail
itself" of Spokane treatment plant capacity "when it is proven
to be the most reasonable, environmentally and economically
feasible alternate".
Major Environmental Issues
The CSO abatement planning process has uncovered a
variety of significant environmental issues related to the
proposed alternatives. Each of the issues is discussed
in-depth in Chapter 4 of this EIS. In response to recently
proposed changes in the format and content of EISs (Federal
Register, Volume 43, No. 112, Friday, June 9, 1978), the
impact analysis has focused on the issues of major consequence.
The following paragraphs summarize the impact analyses and
findings included in Chapter 4.
Disruptions Caused by Construction Activities
Alternative 1. Construction disruptions would occur
at scattered locations throughout Spokane under Alternative
1. Storage basin construction would affect residential areas
in Peaceful Valley and along Northwest Boulevard, Upriver
Drive and Riverton Street. Some houses would probably be
removed in Peaceful Valley. Several recreation areas would
also be affected, including Downriver Golf Course, Riverside
State Park, Riverfront Park, Mission Park, High Bridge Park
and Glover Field. The construction activity would last
up to 1 1/2 years at some sites.
Construction of relief sewers (55 miles) would increase
traffic and access problems, noise and dust in front of
commercial developments on Division Street and at Manito,
Eastown and Shadle shopping centers. Scattered residential
areas and several schools and hospitals would also be
affected, but construction at any one location should not
last more than 1 to 3 weeks. Major areas of construction
disruption are summarized in Table 1-1.
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Table 1-1
MAJOR AREAS OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY DISRUPTION
Alternative
Residential
LAND USE TYPE
Commercial
Indus t r1a1
Parks/Recreation
Public/Semipublic Facilities
Alternatives
1 and 2
Alternative 3
Latenser
Plan
Klicker Plan
Combination
Concept
Nor thwest Blvd.,
Peaceful Valley,
Upnver Drive,
Riverton St.
Most Residential
Areas
NE Spokane,
Peaceful Valley
Northwest Blvd.,
Peaceful Valley,
Upnver Drive,
River ton St.,
Bridge St.
Peaceful Valley,
Northwest Blvd.,
River ton St.,
Residences around
Mission & Chief
Garry Parks
Downriver Golf
Course, N. Division
St., Shadle Center,
Eastown Center,
Manito Center
Downriver Golf
Course, Manito Cen-
ter , Garland St.,
Central Business
Dist., Shadle Center,
Eastown Center
N. Division St.,
Shadle Center,
Eastown Center,
Manito Center,
Agricultural Areas
west of Spokane
Downriver Golf
Course
Downriver Golf
Course, Shadle
Center, Manito
Center, Eastown
Center
Regal & Garland,
Trent & Erie to
Napa & Trent
Most Industrial
Areas
Regal & Garland,
Trent & Erie to
Napa & Trent
Regal & Garland,
Trent & Erie to
Napa & Trent
Downriver Golf Course
& Park, Riverfront
Park, Mission Park,
High Bridge Park,
Liberty Park, Underhill
Park, Manito Park,
Glover Field, Rochester
Heights, Harmon Field
Downriver Golf Course,
Most Parks, including
Riverfront, High
Bridge, Mission,
Franklin, Shadle,
Manito, Playfair Race
Track
Riverside St. Park,
Liberty Park, Under-
hill Park, Manito Park,
Glover Field
Downriver Golf
Course & Park, River-
front Park, Mission
Park, High Bridge Park
Downriver Golf Course
& Park, Chief Garry,
Mission and Riverfront
Parks
Holy Family Hospital, Gar-
land School, Continuation
High School, Spokane Branch
Library, Cedar St. Fire
Station, Rockwood Park
Clinic, Rivercrest Con-
valescent Hospital
Civic Theater, Holy Family
Hospital, Coliseum, Spokane
Branch Library, Federal Bldg.,
Opera House, Convention Cen-
ter, Deaconess Hospital,
Most Schools
Holy Family Hospital, Gar-
land School, Continuation
High School, Spokane Branch
Library, Cedar St. Fire
Station, Rockwood Park
Clinic
Rivercrest Convalescent
Hospital
Garland School, Continuation
High School, Rivercrest Con-
valescent Hospital, Spokane
Branch Library, Fire Station,
Rockwood Park Clinic, Holy
Family Hospital
No Action
None
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Alternative 2. Alternative 2 construction would be
very similar to that of Alternative 1 except that satellite
treatment plant construction would affect a smaller area
than storage basin construction. The construction period
would also be shorter.
Alternative 3. This alternative would create the most
widespread disruption of any of the CSO abatement plans.
Most construction would be confined to roadways, but up
to 220 miles of pipeline would be laid over an 8- to 10-
year period. The length of construction activity at any
given location would be quite short (1 to 3 weeks), but most
residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas
in town would be adversely affected at one time or another.
Traffic disruptions would be significant. The city's central
business district would be seriously impacted as construction
is planned for most of the major streets in the downtown
area""." Kuisance noise and dust, and periodic traffic con-
gestion would probably reduce business activity during the
construction period. Outlying shopping areas (Shadle, Manito,
Eastown, Garland Street) would also be impacted by storm
sewer construction. Most of the city's major parks (including
Riverfront and Manito) and most schools and hospitals would
be adjacent to construction at some time during the life of
the project.
Klicker Plan. Construction disruptions would occur in
most of the same locations as described for Alternative 1
storage basins, but the area affected would probably be
larger due to surface lagoon construction. A major reservoir
would also be placed in an open area south of Bridge Street
just across the river from Peaceful Valley. Housing removal
in Peaceful Valley would probably be more extensive than
required for Alternative 1. Relief sewer construction
would not occur; it would be replaced by construction of
about 700 on-site check valves and storage basins. Only
those residences/businesses receiving on-site systems would
be affected.
Latenser Plan. The Latenser Plan is also a storage
option, but storage basin construction downtown would be
avoided in favor of erecting several large pump stations in
Peaceful Valley and on Trent Street where it crosses the
Spokane River. Some separate storm sewers would be con-
structed on the eastern city fringe and a major pipeline
and storage reservoir would be built in Riverside State Park
south of the river and downstream from Fort Wright Bridge.
Commercial activity and traffic disruptions in the downtown
area would be minimized. A major pipeline and storage area
would also be constructed on farmland west of the city. The
disruptions in this area should be minimal.
7
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Combination Concept. Construction of small storage
basins at sites 5B; 6B, 8B, 10B, 14B and 16B (Figure 2-3),
and construction of storm sewers in drainage areas 1, 2, 3,
4, 7, 9, 11 and 13 (Figure 2-7) would create a combination
of short-term impacts previously described for Alternatives
1 and 3. Storage basin construction at Riverfront Park (6B),
Peaceful Valley (8B), Northwest Boulevard (14B) and Riverton
Drive (3B) would create the greatest adverse impact.
No Action. There would be no construction activity under
a "no-action" plan.
Economic and Employment Effects of Construction
The construction activity required for each alternative
would stimulate local business by employing construction
workers and increasing sales of building materials, equipment,
tools and supplies. The projects with the largest construction
budgets would obviously create the largest stimulus to the
local economy. Employment and building materials sales
estimates are summarized in the following table.
Table 1-2
Alternative 1
Alternative 2
Alternative 3
Klicker
Suboption
Latenser Plan
Combination
Concept
Estimated Length
of Construction
2-3 yrs.
2-3 yrs.
8-10 yrs.
2-3 yrs.
2-3 yrs.
3-5 yrs.
Percent Annual In-
crease in Local Con- Dollars Spent on
struction Employment Building Materials
76-114
72-107
15-19
45-68
79-118
24-40
$33,907,000
31,620,000
21,000,000
18,161,400
34,862,850
17,517,720
During construction of relief sewers (Alternatives 1 and 2
and Latenser Plan) or separate storm sewers (Alternative 3),
the commercial establishments that are adjacent to construction
areas would suffer some financial loss through a reduction
in customers. This loss would be most severe where access
is temporarily blocked or traffic congestion is heavy. The
downtown area would be heavily affected by Alternative 3.
8
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Influence of Alternatives on Water Quality
All of the alternatives except the Latenser Plan, No-
Action and Alternative 3 would remove approximately equal
amounts of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), suspended solids
(SS), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) from the
city's present contribution to the Spokane River. Alter^
natives 1, 2 and the Klicker Plan would remove approximately
12 to 17 percent of the present city annual average BOD5
load to the river, less than 1 percent of the total nitrogen
and phosphorus load to the river, and 16 to 17 percent of
the suspended solids load to the river. The present city
load to the river includes combined sewer overflows, main
treatment plant discharges and stormwater plant discharges.
The Combination Concept would remove slightly larger amounts
of BOD5, TP and TN, but would increase suspended solids
discharges due to increased direct stormwater runoff. The
Latenser Plan would remove 99 plus percent of the city load
of all pollutants by storing CSOs and exporting all city
wastewater to the Crab Creek drainage rather than discharging
to the Spokane River. This relocates waste-related water
quality problems to Crab Creek. Alternative 3 would reduce
the city's contribution of BOD5 by 16 percent, the TN
contribution by 22 percent and the TP contribution by 21
percent. Suspended solids loading would be increased by
over 160 percent due to direct discharge of stormwater runoff
(the SS would be more mineral than organic [waste-related]).
The No-Action option would not change city waste contributions
to the river. (The data used to estimate these removals
were obtained from a variety of sources and were not in all
cases presented in comparable parameters. Adjustments were
made to the data to make them as consistent as possible and
therefore usable in this analysis.)
Only the Latenser Plan would be likely to create
significant improvement in water quality in the Spokane
River and Long Lake. The other alternatives would probably
not remove a sufficient portion of the total pollutant
loading (from all sources) to the river and lake to stimulate
an obvious change in water quality and eutrophic conditions.
This does not include the bacterioloqical aspect of water
quality. The ability of the alternatives to alleviate the
bacteria and viral contamination of the Spokane River is
discussed as a public health matter in the following section
and under Ability of Alternatives to Alleviate Public Health
and Aesthetic Concerns in Chapter 4.
None of the alternatives is expected to have a sig-
nificant direct effect on groundwater quality in the Spokane
area, as there is reportedly little subsurface flow from
the Spokane River to groundwater in the area downstream from
9
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Spokane and no reports of contamination have been received
in the past. However, little groundwater quality monitoring
is conducted along the river below Spokane, and in extreme low
flow situations the river may recharge the groundwater basin
in some locations. Alternative 3 could improve groundwater
quality conditions in the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie
aquifer indirectly by allowing eventual sewering of Spokane
Valley residences to the Spokane treatment plant. This could
eliminate septic tank contamination of this sole-source aquifer.
Ability of Alternatives to Alleviate Public Health and Aesthetic
Problems
Two major public health/aesthetic problems are created
by the existing combined sewer system in Spokane. First,
frequent overflows of combined sewage and stormwater con-
taminate the river. Second, the combined sewer collection
system is too small to carry peak storm runoff in some
areas, resulting in local basement and street flooding from
backed-up sewers.
The Klicker suboption would best remedy the overflow
health hazard by eliminating all overflows. The Alternative
1 option with 25-year storm storage capacity would be nearly
as effective. Alternative 3 would eliminate all sewage
overflows, but stormwater runoff could still carry chemical
contaminants and animal wastes into the river. Alternative 2
would be less effective than any of the above alterantives
because CSO's would continue. The primary treatment and
chlorination would reduce pathogenic organism levels, but
the degree of removal may vary considerably with changes in
volume of overflow. Most chemical contaminants would not
be removed. The Latenser Plan, the Combination Concept,
and the Alternative 1 option with 1-year storm storage
capacity would allow one CSO per year. This is a significant
reduction from present conditions, but would be less effective
than the other alternatives (with the possible exception of
Alternative 2). Table 1-3 summarizes the overflow abatement
characteristics of the alternatives.
Health hazards and aesthetic problems associated with
sewer backups would be most effectively eliminated by new
storm sewers (Alternative 3). Practically all backups would
be removed. Alternatives 1 and 2 and the Latenser Plan would
eliminate most of the problem by constructing 55 miles of
relief sewers. These parallel lines would limit backup
frequency to about one every 25 years. The Klicker Plan
would eliminate backups at those places now experiencing
problems by installing on-site check valves. This could
simply relocate backup problems in some locations, however,
because the sewer trunk system hydraulic overloading is not
relieved.
The No-Action option would perpetuate the above mentioned
public health/aesthetic concerns.
10
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Table 1-3
FREQUENCY OF OVERFLOW TO SPOKANE RIVER ALLOWED
BY CSO ABATEMENT ALTERNATIVES
Overflows
Combined Sewer
Alternative 1
Alternative 2
Alternative 3
Klicker Plan
Latenser Plan
Combination Concept
No-Action
1/year or 1/25 years
80-110/year (treated*3)
0
0
1/year
1/year
80-110/year
Stormwater Only
0
0
80-110/year
0
80-110/year (NE Spokane0)
80-110/year
0
aNumber of overflows depends on size of storage basin con-
structed; each overflow event would theoretically involve
discharges from each of the 14 storage basins of Alternative 1.
^Alternative 2 would provide primary treatment and chlorination
to all overflows prior to discharge to the river.
Q
Latenser proposes new separate storm sewers in a small
portion of northeast Spokane.
One CSO per year from those drainage areas served by
storage basins and 80-110 stormwater overflows from those
drainage areas served by storm sewers.
11
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Long-Term Effect on Beneficial Uses of the Spokane River
The beneficial uses of the Spokane River include a
variety of water contact and noncontact activities. The
water contact activities (swimming, water skiing, scuba
diving, canoeing, kayaking, rafting) would most obviously
benefit from a reduction in the overflow-related health
hazard. The ability of the alternatives to solve this
problem was mentioned above. The Klicker Plan and Alternative 1
(with 25-year storage) are the best at limiting overflows.
The noncontact river uses (boating, hunting, fishing, camping,
picnicking, hiking, scenic driving, etc.), may be hindered
by: waste-related debris on the shoreline, reduced water
clarity, algal blooms and proliferation of other aquatic
vegetation, and the knowledge that the water is periodically
contaminated by CSOs. Currently there is an average of
80 to 110 CSO events each year. This varies from year to
year as does the volume of overflow that occurs during a
given event. Waste-related debris along the river's shore-
line would be eliminated under the Klicker Plan and would be
significantly reduced by Alternatives 1 and 2, and the
Latenser Plan. The storm overflows allowed to occur under
Alternative 3 could perpetuate a debris problem unless
additional street cleaning and storm drain cleanup efforts
are included as part of the plan. General water clarity
would be most improved by adopting the Latenser Plan because
nearly all waste-related suspended solids would be removed
from the river. It is not known, however, whether waste-
related suspended material is a major or minor contributor
to the river's total suspended load. There may be no visible
improvement with waste removal. The other alternatives
are considerably less effective in suspended solids removal.
It is unlikely that growth of aquatic vegetation would be
significantly altered in the faster flowing reaches of the
river. All of the alternatives, with the exception of the
Latenser Plan, would remove only a minor portion of the
annual nutrient loading to the lower Spokane River. Finally,
each of the alternatives should have a very positive influence
on the psychological detractions that CSO probably creates
for users of the river. At the worst, only one to two
overflows of untreated wastewater should occur each year.
The Klicker Plan and Alternative 3 would eliminate all
sanitary sewage overflows. The other alternatives would
be only slightly less effective.
In summary, Alternative 1 (25 year storage), Alternative
3 and the Klicker Plan would probably encourage the greatest
water contact use of the river. The Latenser Plan would best
reduce nutrient loading to the river and Long Lake. Aesthetics
(i.e., turbidity, waste-related debris) would be significantly
improved by each of the alternatives.
12
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Cost Considerations
The following tables summarize all cost estimates
prepared for the project alternatives. Table 1-4 compares
construction, OWand average annual costs. The average
annual cost includes construction cost, engineering and
inspection costs and interest during construction, and
represents the average annual cost which would be required
to construct and operate the project over a period of
20 years. The average annual cost is the value which is
used to determine, from a monetary standpoint, the cost-
effective alternative. Table 1-5 lists sharing of
construction costs by the various government entities.
Table 1-6 summarizes estimated user cost increases on either
a user charge or ad valorem tax basis.
Energy and Resource Consumption
Energy consumed in wastewater collection, treatment
and disposal would be significantly altered by each of the
proposed alternatives. Alternative 1 and the Klicker Plan
would increase flows through the treatment plant by about
547 million gallons annually. At a consumption rate of
1,562 Kwh of electricity per million gallons treated, energy
consumption would jump 854,000 Kwh per year ($8,967 annual
power cost increase). Alternative 2 would increase consumption
by providing primary treatment to CSOs at the overflow points.
No estimate of Kwh required has been made. Alternative 3
would reduce energy consumption by over 6,270,000 Kwh annually
due to the elimination of storm flows from the collection
and treatment systems (a $65,835 annual cost savings at
current electricity rates). The Latenser Plan would increase
flows through the plant at nearly the same level as Alter-
native 1 and the Klicker Plan (854,000 Kwh power increase),
and in addition would require a tremendous amount of electricity
to pump all of Spokane's wastewater out of the basin to
Crab Creek. No estimate of this increase has been prepared,
as specific facilities locations have not been determined
for the Latenser Plan.
Chemical consumption would also change with each of the
alternatives. The increase in flows through the treatment
plant resulting from Alternative 1 and the Klicker Plan
would increase chemical use proportionately. Approximately
$25,800 worth of chemicals would be needed annually for the
additional treatment (64,800 lb. ferric chloride, 217,C00
lb. quicklime, 305,000 lb. alum and 8,600 lb. chlorine).
Alternative 2 would require similar increases, but the
polymer and chlorine consumption would occur during primary
treatment of overflows at satellite plants rather than from
phosphorus removal at the main treatment plant. Alternative 3
would create a large savings in chemicals. Stormwater
separation would cut flows to the plant by about 11 million
gallons per day on the average or roughly 4,015 million gallons
per year. This would result in a savings of over $132,600
13
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Table 1-4
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVE COST
Construction Cost
5
O&M COSt
$/yr.
Average Annual
Cost - $/yr.*
1.
City Alternative #l-Storage Basins
25/yr * Frequency Storm**
1/yr * Frequency storm**
$101,720,000
53,979,000
$771,560
771,560
$10,371,660/yr
5,878,770
2.
City Alternative #2-Satellite Treatment Plants**
95,819,000
474,700
11,401,280
3.
City Alternative #3-Storm Sewers
64,050,000
152,930
6,806,510
4 .
Latenser Export Plan**
105,645,400
587,900
11,085,750
5 .
Klicker Plan***
60,538,200
837,150
6,568,190
6 .
Combination Pollution Control and
Drainage Concept**
53,084,000
758,450
6,090,940
'Storage basins sized for 25-year-frequency storm is large enough to hold overflows from the heaviest
precipitation likely to occur in any 25-year period; 1-year-storm storage capable of holding only the
overflows from the heaviest precipitation expected to occur once a year on the average.
**Includes relief sewers to eliminate basement flooding.
***Incluaes on-site storage tank and check valve at connections which are susceptible to basement flooding.
****Average annual cost comparison was developed following methods used in the city facilities plan (Spokane
City Department of Public Works, 1977 Exhibits).
-------
Table 1-5
SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION COST SHARING
Total Construction State of City of
Alternative Cost EPA Washington Spokane
1. City Alternative #l-Storage Basins
1 overflow/25 year* 101,720,000 54,600,000 10,920,000 36,200,000
1 overflow/year* 53,979,000 18,704,250 3,758,850 31,425,900
2. City Alternative #2-Satellite Plants* 95,819,000 50,174,250 10,034,850 35,609,900
3. City Alternative #3-Storm Sewers*** 64,050,000 42,170,000 8,430,000 13,450,000
4. Latenser Export Plan* 105,645,400 30,864,300 6,172,860 68,608,240
5. Klicker Plan** 60,538,200 44,653,650 8,930,730 6,953,820
6. Combination Pollution Control and
Drainage* 53,084,000 20,373,000 4,074,600 28,636,400
*Includes cost of relief sewers.
**Includes cost of check valves and on-site storage for backup control instead of relief sewers.
***See Proposed Action section of SUMMARY for explanation of Alternative 3 funding allocation.
-------
Table 1-6
SUMMARY OF ESTIMATED
AD VALOREM
FINANCE AND OPERA1
1. City Alternative #l-Storage
2 5/yr. Frequency Storm
1/yr. Frequency Storm
^ 2. City Alternative #2-Satellite Treatment
3. City Alternative #3-Storm Sewers
4. Latenser Export Plan
5. Klicker Plan
6. Combination Pollution Control and
Drainage Concept
INCREASES IN USER CHARGES OR
TAXATION RATES TO
THE ALTERNATIVE PROJECTS
User Ad Valorem
Charge Taxation Rates
$/yr/Connection $/ly000 Assessed Valuation
94.10
2.87
83.51
2.54
87.49
2.66
32.59
0. 99
162.73
4.96
30 . 38
0.93
77 . 09
2.35
-------
in chemical costs. Finally, the Latenser Plan would increase
flows through the plant by about 547 million gallons per
year but would allow for abandonment of the phosphorus
removal process. Alum and ferric chloride use would be
eliminated. The net savings in chemical costs would be about
$452,700 annually.
Regional Air Quality
None of the CSO facilities plan alternatives would
greatly influence air quality in the Spokane area. Some
local increases in suspended particulates could be expected
in the vicinity of construction areas (especially storage
basin sites), but the duration of the increase would be
relatively short and could be controlled by proper dust
suppression practices. Odor problems could develop around
overflow storage basins or satellite treatment plant sites
(Alternatives 1 and 2, Klicker Plan, Latenser Plan, Combination
Concept), but effects would be localized and relatively
infrequent in most cases. The Spokane area is currently
classified as an air quality nonattainment area for suspended
particulates and carbon monoxide. This indicates federal
standards for these pollutants are being exceeded. Local
efforts to attain federal air quality standards should not
be hindered by any of the proposed alternatives
Effects of Wastewater Importation on the Crab Creek Drainage
The Latenser Plan for CSO control also includes a
change in the mode of disposal for Spokane wastewater. The
proposed transport of secondary treated wastewater down Crab
Creek for irrigation reuse in the Odessa area would have
both benefits and detriments. On the benefit side, this
plan would provide up to 45,350 acre-feet of water per year
to a water-short agricultural area. This could reduce
overdrafting of the local groundwater supply and increase
the local farmers' crop options. The wastewater would also
include an increment of nitrogen and phosphorus with
fertilizer value.
On the negative side, the wastewater discharge into
Crab Creek could violate Class B stream water quality
standards established by the Washington DOE. Aesthetic and
toxic and deleterious materials standards are the greatest
concern. The state's advanced waste treatment policy which
requires 20 to 1 instream dilution of all new surface water
discharges cou]d also be violated in the dry season. In
addition, the high ratio of effluent to natural stream flows
would raise public health concerns for water contact recreationists
17
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in low flow periods. Dissolved oxygen sags might also be
stimulated during low stream flows; this would be deleterious
to the stream's fish population. The wastewater would be
chlorinated, but local public health officials have voiced
reservations about using Crab Creek for wastewater transport.
Finally, increased irrigation on the Odessa area's rolling,
silt loam soils could increase soil erosion substantially
without proper management practices.
Regionalization of Wastewater Treatment
In order to supply wastewater service to outlying county
areas, the City of Spokane must reduce stormwater flows in
its overloaded interceptor system and treatment plant. This
removal is best accomplished by Alternative 3, which separates
stormwater from the sanitary wastewater interceptor system.
The storage alternatives (Alternative 1, Klicker Plan,
Latenser Plan) can reduce stormwater peak flows, but they
cannot readily supply sufficient storage to allow eventual
conversion of the plant's stormwater clarifiers to secondary
clarifiers, a change that must occur to increase the plant's
secondary treatment capacity sufficiently to accommodate
flows from large county annexation.
Once all stormwater separation is completed under
Alternative 3 (estimated at 8 to 10 years) there would be
approximately 11 million gallons per day (mgd) of additional
capacity available in the Spokane treatment plant. By 1990,
the treatment plant would be able to accommodate the anticipated
flows from the City of Spokane (32.39 mgd average dry weather
flows [ADWF]) and North Spokane (3.91 mgd ADWF) with little
or no treatment plant modification. With conversion of the
plant's stormwater clarifiers, and other minor plant modi-
fications, the two areas could be served beyond the projects'
20-year planning period. If Spokane Valley were to tie into
the city system after sewer separation, the stormwater clarifier
conversion would be necessary prior to 1990, but the expanded
plant capacity would still serve both areas beyond the 20-year
planning period. Other combinations of regionalization are
analyzed in Chapter 4 of this report.
Proposed Action
As a result of this report's economic and environmental
analyses, EPA has selected an apparent best project alternative
for consideration by the City of Spokane, concerned govern-
ment agencies and the public in general. This proposed
action is a phased implementation of Alternative 3. The
first phase project is the basis for EPA's anticipated
funding participation and includes construction of separate
18
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storm sewers in the drainage areas contributing to the
Meenach and Hollywood overflow points (Figure 5-1). Separation
of stormwater in these two drainage areas would remove approxi-
mately 84 percent of the CSO that now flows into the Spokane
River each year. This can be accomplished for approximately
39 percent of the total construction cost of Alternative 3.
The second phase of the proposed action would provide separate
storm sewers for the remainder of the City of Spokane.
A high level of federal and state funding for Phase 1
was estimated assuming Phase 2 would eventually be completed.
Phase 2 would reduce stormwater flows to the Spokane plant
sufficiently to allow it to function as a regional wastewater
facility. Phase 1 was given a sizable cost credit on the
basis that it would be a first step in efforts to make the
Spokane plant a regional treatment plant, a regionalization
which would produce a substantial cost savings for wastewater
treatment for the Spokane Valley as well as providing additional
protection for the sole-source aquifer. A necessary second
step, however, would be the construction of the Phase 2 facilities.
Construction cost sharing for the proposed action is summarized below.
*Allocation assumes a level of EPA and state participation which has not been
officially established to date (see Chapter 5).
The impacts of the proposed action would be essentially
the same as those described for Alternative 3; the only
difference would be that the second part of the sewer
separation would probably occur at a later date than antici-
pated for Alternative 3. Development of Phase 2 implementation
timetables, construction priorities and sources of funding
would occur sometime during or after Phase 1 implementation.
The Phase 1 project would eliminate 84 percent of Spokane's
CSO, but would probably not result in a discernible change
in Spokane River water quality. Approximately 3 percent of
the city's total nitrogen input and 5 percent of its total
phosphorus input to the river would be removed. Public
health hazards downstream from the City of Spokane would be
significantly reduced even though periodic CSOs from approxi-
mately 25 discharge points would continue. The two largest
sources of untreated wastewater would be eliminated. The
sewer backup problem would be solved for most of the northern
1/3 of the city, but the areas with apparently the most
severe problems (the north central and southern regions)
Total Construction
Cost
Cost Sharing
State of City of
Washington Spokane
Phase 1
Phase 2*
$24,980,000
$39,070,000
$18,740,000 $3,750,000 $2,490,000
$23,430,000 $4,680,000 $10,960,000
19
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would not be relieved. On an annual basis, the Phase 1
separation should reduce flows into the treatment plant by
about 595 million gallons. While this would relieve some
of the current load on the plant, it would not be sufficient
to allow annexation of flows from a sizeable outlying area
such as North Spokane or Spokane Valley. The inability of
Phase 1 to meet the project's water quality, sewer backup
and regionalization objectives emphasizes the importance of
continuing with Phase 2.
The proposed action provides the city with the second
least costly CSO control option (assuming federal and state
funding of Phase 2 as indicated in Chapter 5). The city's
increment of Phase 1 construction cost would be $2,490,000.
The annual operation and maintenance cost of the new facilities
would be $67,620 and the average annual total cost to the
city would be about $377,000. If the local share was financed
through user cost increases, the annual user cost to a resi-
dential unit would increase by about $6.23 (18 percent increase).
If paid for by ad valorem tax increases, the current property
tax rate of 18.961 would increase by about .21 percent (1 percent
increase). The incremental increase with Phase 2 is discussed
in Chapter 5.
Agencies Involved/Public Participation
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared
this EIS to satisfy the mandates of NEPA and involve the
Spokane area public in the facilities planning process. The
study has been closely coordinated with the Spokane City
Utilities Department and Department of Public Works, as well
as the Washington Department of Ecology. Numerous other
federal, state, regional and local agencies have been
consulted in the process so that all significant environmental
issues could be identified. Public participation has also
been strongly encouraged. Two invited workshops were held
in Spokane (July 25 and October 25, 1978) to discuss the
progress of the EIS and solicit the suggestions and concerns
of agencies and individuals that have shown a continuing
interest in the CSO abatement project. This Draft EIS is
receiving wide public distribution to receive public comment.
Approximately 30 days after its release, a public hearing
will be held to receive oral and written comments. Comments
can also be mailed to the Environmental Review Branch, Mail
Stop 443, Environmental Protection Agency, Region X, Seattle,
Washington. Following the hearing and the 45-day public
comment period, a Final EIS will be prepared, addressing all
pertinent questions raised.
20
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Report Organization
The remainder of the EIS is divided into five major
parts. The description of existing and proposed wastewater
facilities follows in the next chapter. A listing of legal
and regulatory influences on the proposed project is included
in Chapter 3 and the impact discussions are included in
Chapter 4. Chapter 5 describes the proposed CSO abatement
action detail and discusses its impacts. Chapter 6 presents
a brief description of existing environmental conditions in
and around the Spokane area. Finally, supporting material
including bibliography, appendices, and lists of individuals
and agencies contacted in preparation of the report are
attached at the back. Tables and figures referred to in the
text but included in the appendices are given the appendix
letter designation followed by a number (i.e., Table A-l,
is the first table in Appendix A).
21
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Chapter 2
EXISTING AND PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE FACILITIES
Existing Sewerage Facilities
Overview of Regional Wastewater Systems
When the City of Spokane's wastewater treatment plant
was designed and constructed, the long-term planning was for
the plant to ultimately become a regional plant to serve not
only the City of Spokane, but also North Spokane and much of
the Spokane Valley. Although the plant was not constructed
large enough during the most recent construction to serve
the contiguous county areas, the site layout has been planned
for ultimate expansion to serve these areas.
The principal advantage of a regional plant is the economy
of scale which characteristically results from the construction
and operation of one large plant rather than several smaller
plants. In many situations, however, the need for long
interceptors to the regional plant can eliminate the saving
which results from construction and operation of a large
regional facility. An additional advantage of regionalization
at the existing plant is the ability to discharge to the
Spokane River and avoid a discharge to the sole-source aquifer.
A discharge to the aquifer would require a higher level of
treatment than required for a river discharge at a resultant
higher cost. At the present time, several engineering studies
are underway to determine whether it would be cost-effective for
the adjacent county areas to discharge their wastewater into the
City of Spokane's system. Kennedy Engineers, Inc. (1978a)
are considering use of the Spokane plant for treatment of
wastewater from the north Spokane area. URS Company (1978)
is revising data presented in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
(1976) Metropolitan Spokane Report that deal with treating
Spokane Valley wastewater at the Spokane plant. Recently the
Spokane County engineers submitted a plan of study to DOE
that would take a further look at regionalization possibilities
for all county urban areas adjacent to the City of Spokane.
This would in effect be a regional 201 facilities plan.
Interestingly, the decision on the use of storage basins
vs. storm sewers will have a strong influence upon whether
it is cost-effective for outlying areas to convey wastewater
to the city's plant. If storm sewers are constructed
a substantial amount of wastewater interceptor capacity
would be made available, thus reducing the cost of conveying
23
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wastewater from outlying areas to the city's plant. If
storage basins are constructed, both treatment and inter-
ceptor capacity will be limited, and costs for outlying
county areas may be higher than if storm sewers were
constructed.
City of Spokane Wastewater Treatment Plant
The city's existing advanced wastewater treatment plant
is located on the north bank of the Spokane River, just below
the Downriver Municipal Golf Course. Practically speaking,
there are two plants at the site, one an advanced wastewater
treatment plant and the second, a stormwater treatment plant,
which provides primary treatment and disinfection for peak wet
weather flows exceeding the capacity of the advanced treatment
plant. The average daily flow capacity of the advanced plant
is 4 0 mgd, although during peak stormwater conditions, 77 mgd
can be passed through the secondary plant. The present
average daily flow through the advanced plant is about 39 mgd,
although it is estimated that only about 28 mgd is due to domestic
wastewater, and the remainder is stormwater. The capacity of
the stormwater plant is 69 mgd, but the stormwater plant is
normally only utilized when 77 mgd of peak flow is being
passed through the advanced plant.
A plot plan for the treatment complex is shown in
Figure 2-1. The plant has been laid out on the site to
allow for future expansion from 4 0 to 60 mgd. The timing for
any expansion is highly dependent upon whether outlying
areas join with the city. If no outlying areas chose to
participate with the city, the plant capacity would be adequate
beyond the project 20-year planning period (1980-2000); assuming
stormwater separation; for further capacity discussion see
Influence of CSO Alternatives on the Spokane Wastewater Treatment:
Plant Capacity and Long-Term Viability m Chapter 4).
Flow passing through the advanced treatment plant receives
screening and grit removal, primary treatment, activiated
sludge secondary treatment, phosphorus removal and disinfection.
Phosphorus removal is achieved by the addition of alum (or
ferric chloride) in conjunction with polymer, prior to secondary
clarification. The phosphorus removal then occurs by pre-
cipitation within the secondary clarifier. Phosphorus
removal by this method is substantially less expensive than
use of a separate treatment process after secondary treatment.
Flow which is passed through the stormwater plant receives
screening and grit removal, primary sedimentation, and dis-
infection. Discharge from both plants is directly to the
river at the plant site.
24
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AERATION
3A S I N S
w
FIGURE 2-i
SITE PLAN OF SPOKANE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
-------
Sludge generated by the advanced plant and the stormwater
plant are treated conjunctively. Treatment consists of
thickening, anaerobic digestion, and vacuum filtration. The
dewatered sludge is then hauled by truck to a sanitary land-
fill.
City of Spokane Sanitary Sewer System
The majority of the city's sewer system is a combined
sewer system, which means that the sewers carry both waste-
water and stormwater runoff. During rainstorms, the capacity
of the downstream interceptors becomes limiting, and it is
necessary to overflow a combination of stormwater and raw
wastewater into the river. If these overflows were not
allowed to occur, basement and street flooding would be
increased throughout the city.
The combination of raw sewage and stormwater which dis-
charges into the river is called Combined Sewer Overflow, or
CSO. At the present time, there are 28 locations where CSO
occurs as shown on Figure 2-2.
The quality of the CSO is strongly influenced by the
length of time between storms, the length of time that
rainfall occurs and the methods used to keep streets clean.
City street cleaning is primarily a sweeping and flushing
operation at present, with busier streets cleaned about
once a week and most residential streets cleaned every
6 weeks. Two large vacuum-type cleaning units are used in
some areas, but most debris is swept or flushed into street
drain systems under current practices. Table 2-1 presents
an estimate of CSO characteristics.
Table 2-1
ESTIMATED COMBINED SEWEP
Parameter
Total suspended solids
BOD
Total nitrogen
Total phosphorus
Fecal coliform
organisms
OVERFLOW QUALITY*
Concentration
20-210 mg/1
76-220 mg/1
4.3-16.6 mg/1
.95-1.9 mg/1
100,000-2,400,000 MPN/
100 ml
*BOD, suspended solids and total phosphorus from
Spokane City Department of Public Works, 1977,
text; total nitrogen from U. S. EPA, 1977a;
fecal coliform organisms from various sources.
See Table B-10 for quality comparisons of CSO,
stormwater runoff, AWT plant effluent and
stormwatei plant effluent.
26
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FIGURE 2-2
COMBINED SEWER
OVERFLOW POINTS
-LEGEND-
CITY LIMITS
OVERFLOW POINTS
( IDENTIFIED ON THE
FOLLOWING PAGE)
14 th j
MILES
SOURCE^ MODIFIED FROM SPOKANE CITY DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, EXHIBITS
27
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(Legend for Figure 2-2)
Overflow Point Numbers and Names
2
Hartley Street
3
Hollywood
6
Garland Avenue
7
Columbia Circle
10
Meenach Drive
12
Nora & Pettet
14
Sherwood & Summit
15
Ohio Avenue
16
High Bridge Park
17
West Grove Syphon
19
Seventh Avenue
20
South Manito
22B
Elm Street
23
Cedar & Ide
24 & 25
Cedar & Riverside & Cedar & Main
26
Lincoln & Trent
27
Monroe Street
30
Washington Street
31
Astor & Desmet
33
Erie Street
34
Front Avenue
36
Desmet Avenue
37
Sharp Avenue
38
Magnolia Street
39
Altamont Street
40
Regal Street
41
Rebecca Street
42
Surro Drive
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It should be emphasized that sample values may be
significantly higher than shown in Table 2-1 if a rainfall
has not occurred for a significant length of time or the
rainfall has just begun and runoff is just beginning to
occur. The estimated annual CSO flow to the Spokane River
through the overflow points is 547,100,000 gallons.
The principal concern relating to CSO is its impact on
beneficial uses of the Spokane River. The constituents in
the CSO which are of particular importance are pathogenic
organisms and solid materials of sewage origin. Also of con-
cern are nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus, which
contribute to downstream algal growth.
Alternative CSO Facilities
Introduction
The principal objectives of this project are: (1) to
protect the downstream beneficial uses of the river by
removing CSO; (2) to eliminate basement flooding due to sewer
backups and to eliminate other drainage problems which occur
when the sewers flow full during storms; and (3) to maintain
as a future option the ability to use the existing waste-
water treatment plant as a regional facility. The three
basic CSO control measures which are considered in this EIS
are:
a) Storage of potential overflow, with subsequent
treatment
b) Satellite treatment of overflow
c) Storm sewers to separate domestic wastewater
from stormwater
Storage is accomplished using either underground or
open basins. Overflow from the storage basin can still
occur, however, with the amount of overflow depending on the
size of the storage basin. When the storm has passed and the
flow in the interceptors to the treatment plant begins to
decrease, the stored wastewater/stormwater is allowed to
gradually flow back into the interceptor for subsequent
treatment and discharge. Therefore, all water which is
retained in the basin will receive the same treatment as
sewage. This could be primary or secondary treatment,
depending upon the flow rate into the plant at the time the
stored water is fed back into the main interceptor. The
major design decisions required for storage basins are
whether the basins should be open or covered, how many
storage basins should there be, and for what frequency of
storm should the basins be designed.
29
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Satellite treatment plants are small plants located
at the point of overflow which treat CSO before it is
discharged to the river. The treatment provided removes
floating and screenable material, plus much of the suspended
solids and BOD. Disinfection is also provided for the
destruction of coliform organisms. The satellite treatment
plants are principally below ground, although some structural
concrete would be several feet out of the ground. The plants
would not be housed although there will be a small operations
building required at each site.
Storm sewers allow storm runoff to be conveyed separately
from sanitary wastewater. When the stormwater is removed
from the existing combined sewers, sufficient capacity is
available to carry wastewater even during storms. CSO is
thereby eliminated, and the only discharge to the river is
the discharge from the storm sewers. This option also
remedies existing sewer backup and flooding problems.
Basement flooding occurs during storms when combined
sewers become full, and a combination of storm water and
sanitary wastewater from the sewer back up into the basements
of homes located at lower elevations. Storm sewers eliminate
this problem because they remove the storm flow from the
existing combined sewers. Conversely, the storage basins
and satellite treatment do not eliminate basement flooding
unless relief sewers or individual on-site control structures
are constructed. Relief sewers would be constructed parallel
to the existing combined sewers to provide additional flow
capacity. Frequent interconnections would be used between the
new relief sewers and the existing combined sewers. Generally,
relief sewers are needed only in areas where the combined
sewers have inadequate capacity for the combined stormwater
and wastewater. In the Facilities Plan (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, 1977), the relief sewers were sized to handle
a 25-year frequency storm. The construction cost of relief
sewers is estimated to be $28,920,000 with an annual O&M cost
of $38,500. The cost of relief sewers must be added to the
cost of any storage or satellite treatment concept, if basement
flooding and other drainage problems are to be eliminated.
City Alternative 1 - Storage Basins
Storage Plans A, B, and C. The storage basin option
uses covered underground concrete basins to store the CSO
flow which would otherwise overflow to the Spokane River during
the peak runoff period. Then, when the storm water runoff
decreases, the stored wastewater and runoff would gradually
be added back into the interceptor sewers and conveyed to
iO
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the treatment plant for treatment and discharge. This store
and trickle procedure does not eliminate the use of the
stormwater primary clarifiers and does not guarantee that
all stored overflows will eventually receive full advanced
treatment. During extended rainy periods, some of the stored
water may actually be fed through the stormwater primary
treatment system.
In the City of Spokane's Facilities Planning Report for
Sewer Overflow Abatement, (Spokane CityDepartment of Public
Works, 1977), three different storage concepts were presented
and referred to as Plans A, B, and C. The difference between
these plans is in the number of storage basins which could
be utilized. Plan A uses 24 basins, Plan B uses 15 basins,
and Plan C uses 10 separate storage basins. A cost and
environmental analysis was conducted to determine which plan
was the least costly concept, and Plan B was determined to
be the best.
Following completion of the Facilities Plan, it became
apparent that the locations of 2 of the 15 proposed storage
basins (referred to elsewhere as the Meenach and Hollywood
basins) were not feasible sites. The city conducted a
detailed analysis of this problem, concluding that these
two basins should be consolidated at a new location, which
would be adjacent to the Rivercrest Convalescent Center.
Thus, all storage and satellite treatment alternatives in
this EIS are assumed to have only 14 locations and not 15
as originally described in the Facilities Plan (see Figure 2-3).
After the number of storage basins was selected, it was
necessary to determine their size, which is a function of
the frequency of the design storm which the storage basins
can accommodate. For example, a 25-year frequency storm
means that a storm of that magnitude would statistically
occur only once every 25 years; therefore, a storage basin
sized for the 25 year storm means that an overflow event
could occur only when the design storm occurs or is exceeded.
Thus, the probability of an overflow occurring in any given
year is one in 25, or 4 percent. The amount of runoff which
is produced by a storm is a function not only of the frequency
of the storm, but also of many other factors. However, the
greater the design frequency of the storm, the larger would
be the size of storage basins.
Storm frequencies of 5, 10, 25 and 50 years were studied
in determining storage basin sizes. This is equivalent to
saying that storage basins were sized for one overflow event
every 5 years, every 10 years and so on. After weighing all
31
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Fl GURE 2-3
CITY LIMITS
STORAGE BASIN/
SATELLITE TREATMENT
PLANTS
BASINS RECENTLY
DROPPED FROM
CONSIDERATION
(SITE ACREAGES
LISTED ON FOLLOWING
PAGE)
L in col n
Francis
Francis
Rowan
Rowan
Queen
We II ei I ey
Gar land
I Bridgeport
Euclid
Buckeye
SPOKANE'
M i 55 i o n
• ha rp
Boone
Broodwoy
Trent
Fr»ewqy
25th
29 th
37th
T hu riton
STORAGE BASIN/SATELLITE TREATMENT PLANT
SITES FOR ALTERNATIVES 1&2
SOURCE- MODI FIED FROM SPOKANE CITY DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, EXHIBITS
32
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Size of Proposed Storage Basins/Satellite Plants*
(in acres)
Site No.
IB
2B
3B
4B
5B
6B
7B
8B
9B
10B
11B
12B***
13B
14B
15B***
16B
Storage Basin**
.10
.15
.25
.20
5.60
2.50
.41
5. 50
.82
.61
.25
10. 50
.20
1.00
1.90
12.40
Satellite Plant**
.06
.09
.15
.14
1.55
.35
.23
2.30
.23
.25
.20
2. 60
.14
. 38
.60
3.20
* Source: Gellner, pers. comm.
**25-year storm design basis.
*** Recently eliminated from consideration; replaced by 16B.
-------
factors, the city selected the 25-year frequency for the
design storm, because they felt it offered the best balance
between project cost and protection of the environment. The
estimated construction cost for the storage basins sized for
a 25-year-frequency storm is $72,800,000 with an annual
operation and maintenance cost of $733,110. Addition of relief
sewer costs to the storage basin costs results in a construction
cost of $101,720,000 and an annual operation and maintenance
cost of $771,560.
After review of the city's Facilities Plan by the EPA,
the EPA requested that additional analyses be conducted to
determine whether the 25-year storm was the most reasonable
to use for the design of storage basins. The results of
the city's reevaluation were that storage basins should be
sized to allow one overflow per year. This decision was
based on a comparison of monetary costs of alternative capacities
with basin effectiveness in terms of CSO volumes controlled
and expected number of overflows per year. The estimated
construction cost for storage basins sized for one overflow
event per year is $25,059,000, with an annual maintenance
cost of $733,110. Addition of relief sewer costs increases
the construction cost to $53,979,000 and the annual operation
and maintenance cost to $771,560.
Klicker Storage Suboption. This plan was developed by
a private citizen, Mr. Jake Klicker. The plan is essentially
one of storage, with gradual feedback to interceptors when
the stormwater flow subsides. Although similar to the
storage concept in the Facilities Plan, the Klicker Plan
differs because it uses a combination of covered underground
and open surface storage basins. The open lagoon would be
located adjacent to the underground basins, and CSO would
flow into the open, earthen-constructed storage basins when
the underground basins are full. The total storage volume
provided would be sufficient to eliminate all overflow to
the river. The basic features of the Klicker Plan are:
1. At each of the 14 storage locations in the Facilities
Plan (Plan B), a covered underground storage basin
would be constructed. The storage basins would be
sized to allow one overflow event every 5 years.
When the overflow occurs, it would be into the open
storage lagoons located adjacent to the underground
basins, rather than jnto the river.
2. In addition to the 14 storage basins, a large basin/
lagoon would be located on the north bank of the
Spokane River, generally between Bridge Street and
Maple Street (Figure 2-4). This Bridge Street
reservoir essentially replaces the basin the city
had designed to service the Meenach overflow
(Basin 12B m Figure 2-3). It would be used to
34
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FIGURE 2-4
KLICKER PLAN FACILITIES
SOURCE- MODIFIED FROM SPOKANE CITY DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, EXHIBITS
35
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store flow from a major interceptor which runs
from east to west in Jackson and Cleveland Avenues.
The Bridge Street reservoir would have a covered
underground storage capacity of 45,240,000 gallons
and an open lagoon capacity of 43,720,000 gallons.
It would be filled by gravity from a new pipeline
running south in Cedar Street and also by a force
main which begins at Meenach Drive and Grace Avenue
and follows Pettit Drive and Chestnut Street. After
a storm the Bridge Street reservoir would feed
stored water back into an interceptor which runs
beneath the proposed Bridge Street reservoir site.
At some future time when land area at the present
treatment plant site is exceeded, the Bridge
Street site could possibly be used as a site for
a second treatment plant. This is roughly expected
to occur in 50 years and therefore no cost has been
included for any future treatment facilities at
Bridge Street.
3. Basement flooding problems would be eliminated for
an estimated 7 00 homes by adding check valves
between the home and the sewer in the street, and
small home storage units would be used to store
wastewater which accumulates when the check valves
are closed. These would only be used during storm
conditions.
An analysis was made of the engineering feasibility of
this proposal and the cost estimate presented by Mr. Klicker.
Costs were adjusted accordingly to account for any missing
components. The most significant component v/hich is questionable
about the Klicker Plan is the reliability of the check valve
and storage basin concept. The city believes that the use of
check valves and home storage units is not an adequate,
long-term solution to basement flooding and drainage problems.
This is a question which cannot be resolved at the present
time, and the costs which were developed for Mr. Klicker's
plan include the use of check valves and on-site storage,
rather than relief sewers, as in the other plans which
use storage. The estimated construction cost of the Klicker
Plan is $60,538,200 and the estimated annual operation and
maintenance cost is $837,150.
City Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment Plants
The concept of satellite treatment plants is to treat
CSO at the overflow points and then discharge it to the river.
Screenings, floatable materia] and sludge removed by these
36
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satellite plants would be discharged back into the inter-
ceptor and carried to the treatment plant for disposal.
As in the storage basin concept, Plans A, B, and C were
developed, which are equivalent to 24, 15 and 10 locations
for treatment, respectively. The Facilities Plan determined
Plan B to be the best plan, with the satellite treatment
plants sized to handle the 25-year-frequency storm. Similarly,
to the storage basin concept being revised from 15 to 14
locations, only 14 satellite plants would be utilized, with
locations as shown in Figure 2-3.
The estimated construction cost would be $95,819,000
with an annual operation and maintenance cost of $474,700
per year.
City Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers
At the present time most of the city has combined storm
sewers and drainage in these areas is handled by the existing
combined sewer system. There are only 57 miles of separate
storm sewers. The project proposed by Alternative 3 is the
construction of 220 miles of separate storm sewers. The
new storm sewers would be designed for a 5-year-frequency
storm, which is the same design criteria as the existing
storm sewers. The storm sewers would discharge directly
into the Spokane River.
It is estimated that separate storm sewers would be con-
structed over an 8- to 10-year period, to lessen the impacts on
vehicular traffic within the city. The priority schedule for
implementation would be determined, on a subdrainage basin basis,
according to the annual volume of overflow eliminated per
dollar expended. The probable priority ranking for implementation
is shown in Appendix C and a plot is shown in Figure 2-5 of
the cumulative percent of overflow eliminated vs. the cumulative
percent of total construction cost. As shown, the initial
construction corrects a substantial amount of overflow for
a relatively small percentage of the total cost. For example,
84 percent of the overflow could be eliminated by expending
only 39 percent of the total correction cost. Therefore,
even though the total project would take 10 years to construct,
substantial benefits would occur in the early years for a
relatively small percentage of total construction cost.
The total estimated construction cost for storm sewers
would be $64,050,000 with an annual operating cost of $152,930
per year.
37
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FIGURE 2-5
STORM SEWERS
CUMULATIVE % OVERFLOW* ELI MI N ATED
VS
CUMULATIVE % OF CONSTRUCTION COST EXPENDED
100 -
o
Ul
UJ
5
o
_i
li-
ce
UJ
>
o
ll.
o
UJ
>
f-
<
_l
O
2
3
o
80-
60-
40-
20-
CUMULATIVE °/o OF TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST
% OVERFLOW CONSIDERED ON A VOLUME BASIS
38
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Best Management Practices (BMP) to improve the quality
of urban stormwater runoff should be an integral part of
this alternative. It is possible for BMPs to be required
m the NPDES permit. Many BMP techniques are available,
including street sweeping, parking restrictions during periods
when street sweeping will take place, elimination of or periodic
cleaning of catch basins, public cooperation to help eliminate
street litter, and improved erosion control in construction
areas. No particular BMP techniques have been specifically
identified at this time as a part of the storm sewer
alternative.
Latenser Export Plan
This plan was developed by a private citizen, the late
Mr. James Latenser. It (Latenser Plan) should be thought of
in two parts, one to reduce the frequency of overflows, and
the second to export all effluent from the treatment plant
out of the Spokane River basin and into the Crab Creek
drainage basin. The eventual use of the effluent would be
for agricultural irrigation in the Odessa area. Although
this plan was never completely described as an integrated,
feasible project, every attempt has been made in this EIS
to develop the concepts presented by the late Mr. Latenser
into a complete project (Figure 2-6).
Reduction in the frequency of overflow would be accomplished
by a variety of techniques. Storm sewers would be utilized
for two existing overflow areas in the upriver part of the
city. Two overflow points further downstream on the north
side of the river, would be eliminated by constructing a new
interceptor beneath the river to an existing major interceptor
on the south side of the river. A major pumping facility
would be constructed at Trent Street and the river. The
purpose of this pumping station would be to pump flow from
the overloaded interceptor on the south side of the river to
an underloaded major trunk sewer that runs east to west in
Jackson and Cleveland Avenues. The pumping station would
have a size which would allow for an overflow event every 2
to 3 years. At Clarke Street on the south bank of the
river, a 2-million-gallon reservoir would be built to
eliminate surge flows to the Clarke Street pumping station,
which pumps flow from the south bank of the river to the
north bank. The new reservoir would prevent overflows from
occurring more than once every 4 years.
39
-------
-------
The above facilities were intended to prevent or lessen
overflows at points upstream of the major overflow_point at
Meenach Drive". To eliminate this overflow, a 110-inch pipe-
line would be constructed across Fort Wright Bridge, and
then flow by gravity through Riverside State Park to a 50-
million-gallon open reservoir located somewhat downstream
of the treatment plant (Figure 2-6). This open reservoir would
be about 350 feet long, 1,000 feet wide, and 20 feet deep (8
acres in area), and would store untreated wastewater/stormwater
until the storm has passed and treatment capacity is available.
The reservoir would allow an overflow event every 1 to 2 years.
A 72-inch pipeline would be used to gradually convey flow from
the open reservoir, across a bridge to the treatment plant.
The exportation portion of this alternative begins at
the treatment plant, where disinfected secondary effluent
would be pumped 3 miles to a 1 billion-gallon storage reservoir
located near Lyons. This reservoir would provide 30 days
of storage, and allow gradual discharge of the disinfected
secondary effluent to Crab Creek through an 18-mile pipeline.
The disinfected secondary effluent would flow down Crab Creek
to the Odessa area. A reservoir with a detention time of
60 days would be required at this location to regulate
distribution to irrigated lands. The plan was never developed
to a level which defined the exact location of the reservoirs
which could be located either instream or at a location
adjacent to Crab Creek. From the reservoir, the effluent
would be conveyed to an irrigation distribution system
serving over 10,000 acres of agricultural land.
The estimated costs for the Latenser Export Plan,
divided into overflow prevention and exportation components,
are given in Table 2-2.
Table 2-2
COSTS FOR LATENSER EXPORT PLAN
Construction Operation and
Cost-$ Maintenance Cost-$/yr
Overflow Prevention
(and relief sewers)
70,072,400
297,900
Export for Irrigation 35,573,000
290,000
Totals
105,645,400
587,900
41
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A Combination Pollution Control and Drainage Concept
As supplemental information to the city Facilities Plan,
the EPA requested information on the cost of storage basin
plans which would allow overflow events more frequently than
once every 25 years. The data were used to construct a
curve which showed that the cost-effective storage basin
solution, from a monetary standpoint only, would allow one
overflow event per year.
Based on one overflow event per year a combination
pollution control and drainage concept was developed using
the 15 overflow groupings contained in the city's Plan B
(as modified) for storage basins. The objective was to determine
for each overflow grouping whether the annual cost for
storage basins sized for one overflow per year, plus
the annual cost of relief sewers, was less than the annual
cost of separate storm sewers. The analysis determined
that storage basins plus relief sewers are more cost-effective
for 7 of the 15 overflow groupings, and that storm sewers
are more cost-effective for the remaining 8 overflow groupings
(see Figure 2-7).
The order in which these projects would be implemented
would be determined as was previously described for storm
sewers. Using the annual cost per unit volume of overflow
eliminated, those projects with the lowest cost/volume of
overflow eliminated would be constructed first. A plot was
made of the cumulative percent of volume removed vs. the
cumulative percent of total annual cost, and the plot is
shown in Figure 2-8. Lines have been drawn to show the point
when the first two overflow groupings are corrected, a
project which would correct 85.9 percent of the overflow
for only 41.9 percent of the total annual cost. The priority
ranking for the projects, as well as whether the projects
would be storm sewers or storage basins plus relief sewers,
is shown in Appendix C.
The estimated construction cost, using the most cost-
effective technique for each overflow grouping, is $53,084,000
and the estimated operation and maintenance costs are $758,450
per year.
An Alternative for CSO Control Only
An alternative consisting only of storage basins could be
implemented to solve the CSO problem. The storage basins
would be identical to those described in Alternative 1.
The basic problems with this concept are that it only accom-
plishes one of the three project objectives, the protection
42
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FIGURE 2-7
COMBINATION CONCEPT DRAINAGE AREAS
& PROPOSED CSO CONTROL METHODS
STORAGE BASINS e
RELIEF SEWERS
SEPARATE STORM
SEWERS
Rowan.
Br i dgapor t
Boon.
Thurston X/
SOURCE- MODIFIED FROM SPOKANE CITY DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, EXHIBITS
4.3
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FIGURE 2-8
COMBINATION POLLUTION CONTROL DRAINAGE CONCEPT:
CUMULATIVE % OVERFLOW* ELIMINATED
VS
CUMULATIVE % OF TOTAL ANNUAL COST EXPENDED
100 -
a
UJ
~—
<
z
o
_l
li-
ce
UJ
>
o
ii_
o
UJ
>
(-
<
_l
z>
5
O
a
CUMULATIVE % OF TOTAL ANNUAL COST EXPENDED
44
* OVERFLOW CONSIDERED ON A VOLUME BASIS
-------
of downstream water quality. The other two objectives,
solution of drainage and basement flooding problems, and the
ability to utilize the existing treatment facility as a
regional facility, are not achieved by this alternative. On
this basis, the concept was dismissed from further consideration.
County Regionalization Scenarios
Considerable planning has been conducted in the past
relating to the City of Spokane's treatment plant becoming
a regional plant which would also serve the unincorporated
areas in North Spokane and the Spokane Valley. When the
City of Spokane's plant was in the planning stage, the site
layout was arranged to accommodate flow from these areas.
Overall, the plant site has sufficient land area for 60 mgd
of average daily flow, assuming no additional treatment processes
are required in the future.
The anticipated year 2000 average dry weather flow for
the City of Spokane is 34.25 mgd, for the North Spokane area
5.8 mgd, and for the Spokane Valley 16.15 mgd, for a
total of 56.2 mgd. This flow could only be suitably treated,
however, if storm sewers are constructed, thereby creating
capacity in the interceptors and treatment plant. (It would
also be necessary to sewer all of the residences in the county
areas.) Thus, there is a net benefit, or credit, which could
be assigned to storm sewer construction because it would
allow regionalization. This credit has an estimated equivalent
annual cost of $3.03 million per year, as shown in Table 5-2.
The credit calculation used a planning period of 1985-2005 rather
than 1980 to 2000 because it is estimated that sewer separation
would not make capacity in the city system available until
1985 at the earliest. A planning analysis for regionalization
using city interceptor and treatment capacity is presently
being done by the county. Some of the draft data from that
analysis are used in the regionalization sections of Chapter 4.
Other CSO Options
The only other concepts which are in common usage for
CSO control besides those already described, are the use of
in-system computerized routing and screening of the overflow.
In-system routing can be utilized where there are large
sewers available with many inter-connections. The concept
works by using the large volume of the sewers to store flow,
and then to release it gradually to treatment after the
storm flow has subsided.
Screening is very commonly used at overflow points to
remove both floatable material and suspended solids. Although
it is quite successful in this regard, screening would not
solve problems related to the overflow of fecal coliform
organisms or dissolved pollutants.
45
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No-Action Alternative
The EPA regulations for the preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) require that a "No-Action" alternative
also be evaluated and compared with the other alternatives
being considered. The no-action alternative for the City
of Spokane would entail the continuation of the existing
CSO situation which was described earlier. Contamination
of the Spokane River with floatable material, fecal coliform
organisms, suspended solids, organic matter and phosphorus
would continue. Changes would probably not be made to
relieve existing drainage and basement flooding problems,
and these problems would continue and gradually worsen as
the city grows and more areas are paved, thus increasing
runoff.
Summary of Alternative Costs
Table 2-3 summarizes the costs of the alternatives which
have been discussed in this chapter. A point to note is
that the Klicker suboption to Alternative 1 does not include
relief sewers to alleviate basement flooding, but instead
uses check valves and on-site storage for 700 connections,
a concept which is considerably less expensive than relief
sewers. The concept of check valves and on-site storage
basins does not have the endorsement of the City of Spokane,
and therefore should be considered as an unresolved issue.
Also, documentation is not available to determine whether
check valves would be required for only 700 homes over the
20-year planning period.
'15
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Table 2-3
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVE COST
Construction Cost
$
O&M Cost
$/Yr.
Average Annual
Cost - $/Yr.***
City Alternative #l-Storage Basin
a. Storage Plans A, B, and C
25/yr frequency storm*
1/yr frequency storm*
b. Klicker Suboption**
City Alternative #2-Satellite Treatment Plants*
City Alternative #3-Storm Sewers
Latenser Export Plan*
Combination Pollution Control and Drainage
Concept*
$101,720,000
53,979,000
60,538,200
95,819,000
64,050,000
105,645,400
53,084,000
$771,560
771,560
837,150
474,700
152.930
587,900
758,450
$10,371,660
5,878,770
6,568,190
11,401,280
6,806,510
11,085,750
6,090,940
* Includes relief sewers to eliminate basement flooding.
** Includes an on-site storage tank and check valves at connections which are susceptible to basement
flooding.
*** The average annual cost comparison was developed following methods used in the city facilities plan
(Spokane City Department of Public Works, 1977 Exhibits).
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Chapter 3
LAWS, RULES AND POLICIES AFFECTING
THE CSO ABATEMENT PROJECT
Introduction
The following pages briefly describe those federal,
state and local laws, regulations and policies that have
prompted and are guiding Spokane's plans to correct its
combined sewer overflows (CSO) to the Spokane River.
The discussion has been subdivided into three general
categories: the first lists those laws and regulations that
have prompted Spokane to action on CSO; the second describes
the planning and funding guidelines that are affecting
identification of the best CSO project; and the third
summarizes other laws and regulations that could affect
actual construction and operation of any of the proposed
CSO abatement alternatives.
Laws, Actions Prompting CSO Abatement Planning
Under Section 303 of the Clean Water Act (formerly
the FWPCA but renamed the Clean Water Act in 1977 by
PL 95-217), the states are required to prepare and enforce
minimum water quality standards for the nation. These water
quality standards are subject to EPA review and approval.
Sections 401 and 402 of the 1972 amendments (PL 92-500)
established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES), which requires a permit for any discharge of
pollutants to navigable waters. In order to comply with the
act's timetable, all wastewater treatment plants discharging
to navigable waters were to meet the federal secondary
treatment effluent requirements by July 1, 1977 (listed in
Federal Register, Volume 40, No. 159, August 15, 1975;
subsequent legislation has allowed EPA to extend this
compliance date to July 1, 1983 on a case-by-case basis).
By July 1, 1983 all municipal treatment facilities must have
instituted "Best Practicable Waste Treatment Technology".
The ultimate goal of the act is to reach a condition of no
discharge of pollutants to the nation's waterways by
July 1, 1985. Section 502(6) of the act defines pollutant
as any "dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue,
sewage, garbage, sewage sludge . . . and industrial, municipal
and agricultural waste discharged into water." In this
definition, complete elimination of wastewater discharge is
not implied; only elimination of discharge of pollutants
contained in treated wastewater.
49
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In order to meet these federal mandates, the City of
Spokane planned, designed and constructed a secondary waste-
water treatment facility with phosphorus removal, which was
completed in 1977. This facility is capable of adequately
treating all of Spokane's dry weather flows, but only a portion
of the combined storm and sanitary wet weather flows. The
NPDES permit (WA-002447-3) issued by the State Department of
Ecology to regulate this improved discharge required that steps
be taken to eliminate dry weather and high water overflows
from specific storm outfalls in the city and that a facilities
plan for correction of all combined sewer overflows be prepared.
Subsequent Department of Ecology directives (Order Docket
Nos. 77-335 and 77-833) have established a time frame for
these city actions. The city eliminated the dry weather over-
flows in early 1978.
»
The current time frame calls for a start of construction
to remedy the two largest overflows (Meenach and Hollywood)
by January 1979, with completion in 4 years. One of the major
overflow prohibitions in the NPDES permit states "the discharge
emanating from any combined sewer overflow or sewage bypass
structure(s) must not violate the applicable Water Quality
Standards (WAC 173-201) after June 30, 1977". The present
combined sewer overflows violate these state standards in
terms of fecal coliform levels, turbidity, deleterious and
toxic materials, and impairment of aesthetic values for
Class A streams. The water quality standards have therefore
provided one of the main catalysts for CSO abatement planning.
A complete listing of Class A stream water quality standards
can be found in Washington State Water Quality Standards
(Washington State Department of Ecology"^ 1977) .
In response to these directives, the city prepared a
tacilities plan for sewer overflow abatement in 1977. This
plan studies several alternative solutions to CSO, including
storage, satellite treatment and separate storm sewers. This
EIS has been prepared to analyze the CSO abatement facilities
plan.
Laws and Guidelines that Affect
the Scope of CSO Planning
There are two major pieces of federal legislation and
several federal funding guidelines that are presently directing
the scope of the Spokane CSO facilities planning process.
Under Section 201 of the Clean Water Act, EPA can administer
grant funds for facilities planning effort. The EPA's
regulations of 40 CFR, Part 35, implement this authority. The
Spokane CSO Abatement Facilities Plan and this EIS are part
of the 201 planning process. In order to receive federal
funding for design and construction of facilities, the
50
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planning process and the eventual project must comply with
EPA guidelines and regulations developed under Section 201
of the act. The planning process must also comply with the
EPA's regulations dealing with environmental impact state-
ments (40 CFR, Part 6). Spokane has therefore investigated
a variety of approaches to CSO control as required in 201
planning guidelines in hope of receiving 75 percent federal
funding for their project. The State of Washington can also
provide 15 percent funding of projects that meet their
requirements.
In order to establish a uniform means of assessing CSO
projects and to fairly distribute the federal funds that
are available for wastewater facilities, EPA has prepared two
program management memoranda. The first memorandum, PRM
7 5-34 (also referred to as PG-61), establishes planning
requirements and project approval criteria for CSO projects.
The planning requirements include consideration of alternative
control techniques, development of costs for the most feasible
CSO control measures, analysis of the impacts on beneficial
uses for various levels of CSO control and consideration
of the costs and benefits of adding tertiary treatment to
dry weather flows. Project approval criteria stipulate that
the selected alternative must be necessary to protect a
beneficial use even after industrial and other point source
pollution is controlled. It is also essential that funding
to provide secondary treatment of dry weather flows has
been assured, that the proposed CSO control technique is
the most cost-effective means of protecting the beneficial
use, and that marginal costs are not substantial compared to
marginal benefits. PRM 75-34 also requires that costs be
allocated to the various purposes of a project when it serves
more than just a means of pollution control. It is important
to note that the pollution control benefits of an action may
in some cases be of a regional rather than a single project
nature. PRM 77-4 deals with allocation of costs for CSO
projects that are considered to be multi-purpose (e.g., they
provide for more than just water pollution control). This
policy basically states that construction grant funding will
be available only to that level allocated for the pollution
control purpose. In no case will the federal funding exceed
the cost of the least cost single-purpose pollution control
alternative. These program management memoranda are also
discussed in the Environmental Consequences chapter of this
report. Both memoranda have been used in developing and
analyzing the Spokane CSO control alternatives in this EIS.
51
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Because the Spokane CSO facilities planning effort is
receiving federal funding administered by EPA, EPA is
required to comply with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) and to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) if the project is found to have significant environmental
impacts. This legal requirement has also had a major effect
on the scope of the facilities planning effort. Several
alternative projects are being considered in the EIS that
were not developed by the city in its facilities plan. This
responds to NEPA's requirement to consider all feasible
alternatives. The EIS process also encourages more public
participation in planning wastewater facilities. Several
public workshops and meetings have been held in Spokane
during preparation of this EIS. Through the EIS process,
EPA must also ensure that other federal environmental laws
and regulations are heeded. This includes the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act, the Anadromous Fish Conservation
Act, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the
Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Federal Clean
Air Act, the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and others.
Several of these laws are mentioned in more detail below.
Other Laws, Rules and Policies Influencing CSO
Abatement Planning
As mentioned above, EPA must ensure that all federal
environmental legislation is adhered to when supplying federal
funds for local water pollution control facilities. In
administering the Federal Clean Air Act, EPA has established
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS; see Table 3-1).
These standards are designed to protect human health from the
effects of chronic air pollution. Any project that creates
local air pollution conditions in excess of NAAQS or which
conflicts with the strategy presented in an approved State
Implementation Plan may have federal funding withheld under
Section 316 of the Clean Air Act. The Washington Department
of Ecology has also established air quality standards for the
state (Table 3-1). Because the state and federal standards
for suspended particulates and carbon monoxide are periodically
violated in the Spokane area, the Department of Ecology and
the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA)
initiated a nonattainment planning program in 197 6. The
Spokane CSO abatement planning effort must consider its
influence on this local air quality maintenance planning.
This EIS discusses the influence of the proposed alternatives
on local air quality and mentions the planning efforts being
made to remedy existing air quality problems in the Spokane
area.
52
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Table 3-1
NATIONAL AND STATE AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
POLLUTANT .ItASLMTinT CLASS! 1" 1 CAT ION
IIAT10HAL MDirtlT AIR QUALITY STA'IIAnnS
Pni.lAPT STV.DARUS SCC0 Hk\ftV STANDARDS 1
{v9/fll ) *(PP'O *•(rtn/r»' ) • • • ( no/m )•(pp|n)««(mq/n J• •
DCPARlfiC'lT OF CC0L0'.* A'lMtNT All OMUTr RCf.UlATIOSS
All),QUALITY STAWSD AIR DUALITY 0BjrC71V£
' (1.15/" )*Cpr»^)*-('^/niJ)***(ug/iiiJ)*(pP--n)**(r>g/m3)• • •
Suspended
particulate*
Annual gcOi ctrlc r.ean
lailnun 24-hour avcraje (l//r)
Annual rvdian
75
?G0
-
-
CO
ISO
.
.
60
1 50
: 1
30
•
.
Sulfjr or 1Jet
r-eas jred at
SO,
\unual arttlr^tlc nean
Uiirufi 24-hour average (1 lyr)
3-tour average (i/yr)
la«mum 1-hcur concentration
¦•j* 1i um l-hour average (?/7dayt)
laor.uro $-(«1nute average
U0
365
0.0}
0.14
1300
0 50
(CI
ZoU
1048
65S
0 02
0.10
0.40
0 2S
786
0.3
•
Carbon monoxide
(CO)
Ian !jn> Q-hour average (1/yr)
"jaiiuu 1-hour average (I/yr)
.lauryn 24-hour average
m
9
IS
10
<0
•
9
IS
O O I
•
9
3S
10
40
6
S
•
Pi otochciiilca 1
o«1cjhu
Uiirufi 1-hour average (1/yr)
(1000-1600 PST)
160
0 08
-
ISO
o.on
-
160
0 00
-
-
-
•
Hydrocarbons
(Levi "ethane)
Nitrogen
dio*iJe C'Oj)
iaxiuun 3-hour average (l/yr)
(0600-0900 PST)
160
0 24
•
160
0 24
-
160
0 24
•
-
•
-
Annual arlihir«ticmean
100
0 OS
•
100
0 OS
100
o.os
•
-
-
•
•nicrograni per cubic TOter Not* &epart
U9 ppa
| H6 mg/» )
Q 6 pp*
(1200 ug/w5)
1 6 pp»
(3.C03 *g/»3)
1-Howr Avg.
° l r .
1 (7W ^9/«r,»
2^-Hour Avg.
SOURCE: Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority, pers. comm.
53
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The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 required
EPA to set standards for drinking water quality and to establish
guidelines for state regulation and enforcement of these
standards. It also gave EPA the responsibility of protecting
underground sources of drinking water. National interim
primary drinking water regulations were released by EPA in
1975 (Federal Register, Vol. 40, No. 248 - Wednesday, December 24,
1975). They became enforceable in June of 1977. Any option
of land disposal or surface storage of wastewater must
be analyzed by EPA for its effects on local drinking water
supplies. In addition, this EIS is considering the option
of making the Spokane treatment plant a regional facility,
providing wastewater treatment to surrounding county areas
that now utilize septic tanks. This could indirectly affect
local water supplies in that septic tanks are suspected of
contaminating the Spokane Valley aquifer, which is the sole
source of domestic water supply for most of Spokane County.
Any plans to implement a scheme of wastewater reclamation
and irrigation reuse as proposed in the Latenser alternative
would be guided in part by the DOE proposed guidelines for
land disposal of treated domestic sewage effluent (Washington
State Department of Ecology, 197 6). These guidelines establish
minimum treatment levels and coliform bacteria standards for
various types of reuse. For irrigation of fodder, fiber and
seed crops, primary treatment and disinfection to a maximum
geometric mean of 230 total coliforms per 100 milliliters
is required. Wastewater used to irrigate dairy cattle pasture
must receive at least secondary treatment and disinfection
must reduce total coliform bacteria to no more than 23 organisms
per 100 milliliters.
The DOE advanced waste treatment policy would also
influence the Latenser irrigation reuse scheme. One of the
policy stipulations is that any new wastewater discharge to
a stream (i.e., Crab Creek) must receive at least 20:1 dilution
by the stream's average daily minimum flow. This policy could
severely restrict the volume of wastewater discharged to Crab
Creek during the creek's low flow periods.
Streamside construction along either the Spokane River
or Hangman Creek must be conducted with careful consideration
of Spokane's shoreline master program (Spokane City Plan
Commission, 1976). This planning document has established
a long-range development program and supporting objectives
and policies that affect any activity along the city's
waterways. A series of subarea design plans specify desired
land uses and activities on properties adjacent to the
river and mapped plan elements identify recreation, economic
development, public access, circulation, conservation, and
historical and cultural features that are part of the plans.
54
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Construction of storm sewers, storage basins or satellite
treatment facilities in the shoreline planning area must be
conducted so as not to conflict with the plan's objectives
and policies.
Construction activities associated with CSO abatement
will be guided by a variety of state and local permit require-
ments and regulations. The State Department of Game must
issue a hydraulic project permit prior to any work that might
influence flows in the Spokane River or other area waterways.
Export of Spokane wastewater (Latenser Plan) or construction
within or across a stream channel would require such a permit.
Construction activity is not currently subject to state noise
control regulations unless it is located in a residential
area between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., but a state construction
noise ordinance is currently being developed (Saunders,
pers. comm.). This project may or may not be influenced by
this ordinance. Numerous local regulations will influence
the methods and timing of construction within the Spokane area.
Construction contractor's practices are regulated in large
part by the "Standard Specifications for Municipal Public
Works Construction, Washington State Chapter, American Public
Works Association, 1967". The City of Spokane also has a
"Special Supplementals to Standard Specifications", which
guides such activities as traffic control, easement maintenance,
utilities relocations and trenching (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, n.d.).
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Chapter 4
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALTERNATIVES
Introduction
This chapter of the report discusses the major environ-
mental issues associated with the City of Spokane's proposed
CSO abatement plans. The issues have been identified through
the process of planning CSO abatement alternatives and
discussions with local, state and federal agencies and numerous
Spokane area citizens. Each subsection deals with an individual
issue; the issue is identified, pertinent background data are
identified or cited, the relationship of each CSO option to
the issue is discussed and mitigation measures are suggested
where significant adverse environmental impacts have been
identified.
Disruptions Caused by Construction Activities
Extensive street construction in an urban environment
can create a wide range of significant though short-term
nuisances and disruptions. The following discussion of
construction-related impacts is therefore broken down into
several subtopics, including land use and development, noise,
aesthetics, public safety, traffic disruptions and population
dislocations. The impacts of each CSO abatement alternative
are discussed under each of these subheadinqs. The size and
location of facilities for the three city alternatives was
assumed to be as described in the CSO Abatement Facilities
Plan unless otherwise indicated (Spokane City Department of
Public Works, 1977). If facilities are eventually sized to
smaller capacities, the construction impacts described
herein would be reduced accordingly.
Land Use and Development
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers. This
alternative would require approximately 60 acres of public
and private land for basin construction and buffer zones,
and would require relief sewer construction in 55 miles of
city streets (Gellner, pers. comm.). This acreage figure
assumes all storage basins would be designed to hold the
25-year-frequency storm; if a 1-year storm capacity was
used for sizing, less than 20 acres of land would be needed.
In most cases, land would be restored to its previous use
upon completion of construction. However, disturbance of
land uses during construction would be significant at several
57
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of the larger storage basins, due to the extent of area disturbed
(see Figure 2-3) and the 12-18 months required for construction
(also see Long-Term Effects of New Facilities on Adjacent
Land Use). In order to assess the short-term impacts on
adjacent land use, each of the city's census tracts were
separately analyzed and then aggregated to form the northwest,
northeast, southwest and southeast quarters of the city.
Figure 4-1 shows census tracts within the city to assist in
interpretation of Tables A-l through A-10. The following
describes anticipated impacts by geographical division.
Residential - City of Spokane. Impacts of relief sewer
construction would be similar to those described later for
Alternative 3, but would affect a smaller area. With the
general exception of the central portions of the city, residential
development would be affected to about the same extent in all
four sections of the city. In one area of the central city
permanent relocation or demolition of homes may be required
to accomplish storage basin construction. When storage
basin construction is required in close proximity to
residential development, major problems could be expected
in terms of street obstructions, dust, noise, loss of aesthetics,
and public safety hazards. See Table A-l for a summary of
residential impacts by census tract.
Residential - Northwest Spokane. Relief sewer construction
would primarily impact single-family residential development.
The northwest corner would be most heavily impacted by sewer
construction. Storage basin 14B would be located adjacent
to residential development on Northwest Boulevard (see Figure 2-3).
As construction of 14B would occur within the Northwest
Boulevard right-of-way significant adverse impacts could be
expected on the adjacent high quality residential area located
on Northwest Boulevard.
Storage basin 13B would require construction adjacent
to the attractive residential area bordering Downriver
Golf Course with resulting significant adverse impacts.
Storage basin 11B would have a minor impact on several older
homes to the southeast of the site.
Residential - Northeast Spokane. Relief sewer construction
would occur along the entire length of four major north-south
residential streets with resulting disruptive impacts. Storage
basin 2B would be constructed in the Upriver Drive right-of-way
and would adversely impact the adjacent single-family development.
Storage basin 4B is sited some distance from residential
development and would have a minor impact.
Residential - Southwest Spokane. Relief sewer construction
would occur in both single-family and multi-family residential
areas. The most serious impacts, however, are anticipated
from construction of storage basin 8B in the Peaceful Valley
residential area, under the Maple Street Bridge. Peaceful
Valley is the oldest residential area in the city and contains
a number of old homes in varying states of disrepair. Although,
58
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FIGURE 4-1
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
CENSUS TRACTS
105
-LEGEND-
42 1970 CENSUS TRACT
1970 CITY LIMITS
1970 CENSUS TRACT
BOUNDARY
136
L._.i
\o
j
\ 43 >
o
er
\ a
44 »
47
——i *
1 **
1 °
»-
a
^ 44 TH
¦> 1
i
135
j 134
\.T"
I 34
59
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the precise location of the storage basin has not yet been
determined, the 5.5-acre basin would appear to require removal
of some of the homes, and would adversely impact remaining
residential units during construction.
Residential - Southeast Spokane. In comparison to other
areas of the city, relief sewer construction would generally
have a lesser impact due to the lower density of development
where construction is planned. Storage basin 3B would be
constructed in the Riverton Street right-of-way. A number
of apartment houses are directly adjacent to the construction
site, and significant adverse impacts would occur during
construction.
Commercial - City of Spokane. The primary impacts on
commercial uses would result from relief sewer construction
adjacent to commercial zones, and would be the same types of
impacts described under Alternative 3. Overall, commercial
impacts would be significantly less than those for Alternative
3, due to the lack of construction in the downtown core area.
The only commercial activity significantly affected by
storage basin construction would be the concession operation
at the Downriver Golf Course. See Table A-2 for" a summary
of commercial impacts by census tract, and the section on
Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction.
Commercial - Northwest Spokane. Significant adverse
impacts can be expected due to construction of relief
sewers along a major section of strip commercial on Division
Street. Relief sewer construction would also obstruct the
main entrance to Shadle Center due to construction on Wellesley.
Relief sewer construction would affect a portion of the
Garland strip commercial area. Construction of storage
basin 13B could severely impact the commercial use at the
Downriver Golf Course. The 8,700-square-foot basin would
temporarily demolish the main parking lot for the clubhouse,
restaurant and pro shop, would cut off the main access, and
would discourage use of the course.
Commercial - Northeast Spokane. The only major impacts
would occur due to construction on Division Street as discussed
previously.
Commercial - Southwest Spokane. Commercial use would
be primarily impacted in the service commercial area south
of the freeway. Storage basin 8B may require demolition
of an older warehouse.
60
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Commercial - Southeast Spokane. The major impacts would
result from relief sewer construction adjacent to the Eastown
Shopping Center, Manito Center and service commercial area
east of downtown. Construction would obstruct the Sprague
and Myrtle entrances and affect the Havana access to Eastown
and the Grand Boulevard access to Manito Center. Impacts on
the eastern commercial area would generally be moderate.
Storage basin IB would involve construction adjacent to a
linen supply distributor which may involve some traffic
obstructions and inconveniences for that firm.
Industrial - City of Spokane. Industrial impacts would
be limited chiefly to the eastern industrial area. Relief
sewer construction would cause some traffic obstructions
in industrial areas, but overall would not significantly
impact industrial uses. Storage basin construction would have
no significant impacts on industrial land use. See Table A-3
for a summary of industrial impacts by census tract.
Industrial - Northwest Spokane. There should be no
impacts in this area.
Industrial - Northeast Spokane. Relief sewer construction
would obstruct traffic on the major arterial serving a light
industrial zone on Regal and Garland.
Industrial - Southwest Spokane. There should be no
impacts in this area.
Industrial - Southeast Spokane. Construction of relief
sewers would occur in major streets providing access to several
heavy and light industrial areas extending from Trent to
Riverside between Erie and Napa Streets.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - City of Spokane. According
to the 1977 annual report, city-operated parks had an estimated
attendance of 1,646,987 persons in 1977 (Spokane City Parks
Board, 1977). The peak outdoor recreation season is from
June to Labor Day, with the peak use periods for most neighbor-
hood and community parks occurring on weekdays and evenings
in those parks where organized evening programs are offered
(Fearn, pers. comm.).
Relief sewer construction would affect street access and
recreation use at a number of parks in the city, but impacts
would not be as widespread or as potentially adverse as those
described for Alternative 3 (discussed in a following section).
Storage basin construction would occur in several major parks
adversely affecting use in and adjacent to the work area.
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Noise, dust and potential safety hazards of heavy equipment
in proximity to recreation facilities and activity areas
would constitute the major adverse impacts on recreation
use. See Table A-4 for summary of impacts by census tract.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Northwest Spokane. Relief
sewer construction would have a minor impact on park use and
facilities. Storage basin construction would adversely
affect use at Downriver Golf Course as previously described.
Storage basin 6, which has two potential locations according
to the city's facilities plan (see Figure 2-3), would require
construction in the north shore of Riverfront Park (2.5 surface
acres). Option 1 would occupy a portion of the parking area
for the park and could temporarily eliminate the footpath
connecting this segment of the park to the section on the other
side of Washington Street Bridge. Construction may also
adversely affect use in the south shore section opposite the
site, which includes an open air pavilion, picnic facilities
and viewing area. Site option 2 would have a greater adverse
impact. Construction would occupy a partially landscaped,
vacant area planned eventually by park officials as a paved
parking area, and a portion of the footpath bordering the
river. Construction may temporarily eliminate the footpath
and may adversely affect use and enjoyment of the nature
center under construction just west of the site. Newly
developed storage site 16B would be constructed near the
river's edge in Downriver Park, temporarily disrupting use
of a natural open area with excellent open space and scenic
value.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Northeast Spokane. Relief
sewer construction would obstruct access and affect park
use at several neighborhood parks. Construction of storage
basin 4B would occur in the main parking lot of Mission Park,
adjacent to the tennis courts and picnicking area and near
the swimming pool. Use of the closest courts and picnic area
can he expected to decline significantly during construction
due to noise, dust and other nuisance factors.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Southwest Spokane. Relief
sewer construction would have a major impact on Manito Park
due to the extensive access of perimeter areas affected.
Storage basin 10B would occupy an undeveloped portion of
High Bridge Park, significantly reducing use in the affected
area. Storage basin 8B would be near Glover Field, potentially
reducing use of that facility during construction.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Southeast Spokane. Relief
sewer construction would obstruct access and significantly
affect use at Liberty and Underhill Parks. Storage basin
construction would have no impact on park lands or facilities.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - City of Spokane. The
largest category of facilities to be impacted by construction
are the public and private schools located throughout the
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city. Combined enrollment for all schools within the city in
1977-78 averaged 30,322 (Spokane School District Number 81,
1977a). Schools hold regular sessions from September through
May. Shadle Park High School conducts full summer school sessions.
Many of the elementary schools conduct outdoor summer recreation
programs. Regular school hours are as follows:
Elementary
Morning Kindergarten 9:00 - 11:30
Afternoon Kindergarten 12:30 - 3:00
Grades 1-6 9:00 - 3:00
Junior High (Grades 7-9) 8:45 - 3:15
Senior High (Grades 10-12) 7:50 - 2:30
Although some schools within the district have shown
enrollment increases, overall enrollment in the city has
decreased from 1969 to present, and most schools are currently
under capacity enrollment (Spokane School District Number 81,
1977).
Relief sewer construction would occur in streets adjacent
to a number of schools and several major hospitals. Impacts
would be similar to those described for Alternative 3, but
with significantly fewer facilities affected. Storage basin
construction would have no impact on public or semipublic
facilities other than those previously described at Downriver
Golf Course. See Table A-5 for a summary of impacts by
census tract.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - Northwest Spokane. The
main student and bus loading entrances to several schools
would be impacted by relief sewer construction. Storage
basin construction would adversely impact Downriver Golf
Course facilities as previously discussed. Storage basin 16B
construction would disrupt both access and normal use of
Rivercrest Convalescent Hospital which is located just
across Downriver Drive from Downriver Golf Course.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - Northeast Spokane. Relief
sewer construction would occur in streets adjacent to several
schools, a branch library, and Holy Family Hospital, the
major medical facility in northeast Spokane. As construction
would generally affect only portions of the perimeter areas
and would not affect major access streets, impacts would be
moderate.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - Southwest Spokane. Relief
sewer construction would affect the street access to a major
downtown fire station and the main access and perimeter of
the Rockwood Park Clinic. Other facilities would only be
moderately impacted.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment Facilities and Relief
Sewers^ Treatment facilities and relief sewers would be
constructed in the same locations as those proposed for the
storage basin and relief sewers (Alternative 1). The only
significant difference would be the reduced land area
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required for satellite treatment facilities. This alter-
native would require an estimated 9.03 acres for construction
of the treatment facilities, with an additional 9 acres
required for buffer zones (Gellner, pers. comm.). Length of
the construction period at any site would vary, but would
average about 6 months (Spokane City Department of Public
Works, pers. comm.).
Impacts on adjacent land use would be similar to those
described for Alternative 1, but would be of less magnitude.
Impacts of relief sewer construction would be identical to
those of Alternative 1. As the impact summary for this alter-
native is essentially the same as for Alternative 1, refer
to Tables A-l through A-5 for impacts by land use category
and census tract. The following describes only those impacts
which would significantly differ with this alternative from
those described for Alternative 1.
Residential - City of Spokane. Due to the reduced land
requirements adjacent to residential areas, impacts of
treatment facility construction would be correspondingly
less. The 2.3 acres required for construction of treatment
facility 8B in Peaceful Valley may require removal of some
houses, but not to the extent of Alternative 1.
Commercial - City of Spokane. Impacts would be about
the same as described for Alternative 1.
Industrial - City of Spokane. Impacts would be the
same as those described for Alternative 1.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - City of Spokane. Treatment
facilities would require disturbance of significantly less
acreage in Riverfront Park, resulting in only moderately
adverse impacts on park facilities. Land required at
Mission Park and High Bridge Park would also be less, but
overall impacts would be generally the same as with
Alternative 1.
Public/Semipublio Facilities - City of Spokane. Impacts
would be the same as those described for Alternative 1.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. With the exception
of undeveloped portions and newer residential areas where
separate sewers have been installed most of the city would
be affected in varying degrees during the construction phase.
Construction would occur in 220 miles of city streets. Three
factors would minimize potential long-term construction impacts:
1) the brief nature of construction in any one location;
2) most construction would take place in existing street
rights of way; and 3) land affected would be restored to its
prior use and appearance upon completion of pipeline construction.
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Residential - City of Spokane. Construction would occur
on streets adjacent to residential areas throughout much of
the city. The primary impacts would be blocked access to
homes, traffic obstructions, dust, noise, temporary loss of
aesthetics and potential public safety hazards. Construction
would involve from one to two blocks of street at any given
time for a 1- to 3-week period, and would result in total
closure of the streets to through traffic while pipeline
placement is underway. There may be some temporary interruption
of utility service to homes, generally not to exceed 2 hours
(Gellner, pers. comm.). No demolition or relocation of homes
would be required to accomplish separate storm sewer con-
struction. See Table A-6 for a summary of residential
impacts by census tract.
Residential - Northwest Spokane. Residential areas in
much of the northwest portion would be significantly impacted
during construction. Most affected would be single-family
residential areas, which are the dominant land use in the
northwest sector. Multiple-family development, primarily in
the west-central portion, would also be significantly impacted.
According to a number of indicators, including general condition
of structures and average selling price, single-family homes
impacted in the northwest quarter would be average or above
average for the city. Lower priced and poorer quality housing
which would be impacted is primarily located in the older, central
city.
Residential - Northeastern Spokane. Construction would
take place in most residential areas, with the exception of
the easternmost segments. Single-family development would
be most significantly impacted. Multiple-family development
would be significantly impacted in the area roughly between
the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks and the river. In
comparison to other areas in the city, the residential dev-
elopment affected is below average in terms of structural
condition and selling price.
Residential - Southwest Spokane. Both single-family
and multiple-family development would be significantly
impacted in southwest Spokane, primarily south of the
freeway. Residential areas potentially impacted are generally
average and above average in terms of condition and market
value.
Residential - Southeast Spokane. Construction impacts
would range from significant to moderate in the majority of
residential areas. Single-family development would be
impacted primarily adjacent to the river and south of Second
and east of Grand. Multiple-family development would be
most significantly impacted adjacent to the river and between
Sprague and Second. Potentially impacted areas vary widely
in terms of market value and condition. The area roughly
from Mission to 14th Street is generally below average in
terms of condition and market value. The more southerly
sections range from average and above to the highest range as
judged by condition and price.
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Commercial - City of Spokane. Construction will occur
on streets adjacent to extensive areas of the city's
commercial development, adversely impacting some areas
(see Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction).
Wholesale establishments would be affected to a lesser degree.
See Table A-7 for a summary of commercial impacts by census
tract.
Commercial - Northwest Spokane. Construction would
impact a number of business areas. In the northern portion
the most significant impacts are anticipated at the
community shopping center at Shadle Park, the strip commercial
area on Garland Street, and at the concessions operated at
the Downriver Golf Course. Construction would occur along
the length of Wellesley Street, which is the main access to
Shadle Center, and a small portion of Alberta, which provides
north-south access to the center.
The Garland strip commercial segment would experience
construction impacts along its entire length. All major
access streets to Downriver Golf Course will be affected by
construction, as will the clubhouse and pro shop. Construction
will occur next to a number of neighborhood businesses, with
the more significant impacts along Ash Street.
The commercial area potentially impacted in the central
portion of Spokane is a combination of business services,
wholesaling and warehouses, light industry, and long-term
parking. Most of the establishments are housed in older
buildings, and there has been considerable demolition in
recent years as older and empty structures have been cleared
for surface parking or other uses.
Commercial - Northeast Spokane. Neither of the two
major commercial areas located along Division and Market
Streets would be significantly affected by construction.
Several small neighborhood commercial areas would be moderately
impacted by construction. Overall, impacts on commercial uses
in northeast Spokane would be minimal.
Commercial - Southwest Spokane. The most significant
impacts would occur in the southwest sector due to the
extensive construction planned in the central business
district and the adjoining wholesale and commercial areas.
Figure 4-2 shows construction proposed in the downtown area.
Construction activities would be most disruptive in the core
area which extends between Washington Street, the Burlington
Northern Railroad, Monroe Street, and Spokane Falls Boulevard.
All east-west thoroughfares would undergo separate storm
sewer construction as would the major access on Monroe Street.
The system of overhead skywalks would somewhat relieve the
disruptive effects of construction on pedestrian traffic.
However, construction would occur adjacent to several of
the major downtown parking facilities, compounding traffic
congestion problems. rr
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Construction would also occur on several major arterials
in the commercial area south of the freeway and north of
Interstate 90. This area includes large lot retailing,
wholesaling, and warehousing, which are vehicle-oriented
rather than pedestrian-oriented. Development is less intense
than in the core area and impacts would not be as severe.
Significant impacts may occur in the High Bridge commercial
area due to construction on the major arterial access.
Commercial - Southeast Spokane. A number of service
commercial areas as well as community and local business
centers would be affected by construction in adjacent
streets. Impacts would be primarily on wholesale, warehousing,
and distribution outlets to the east of the central city.
Significantly impacted areas include the Eastown Shopping
Center at Havana and Sprague, Manito Center, several retail
centers on 1st, a number of local and community business
zones south and southeast of the freeway, and several
neighborhood and community business centers in the lower
half of southeast Spokane. Pipeline construction would
occur on the main and side street access to Manito Center
on 2 9th and Grand. Construction would impact the main
access on Sprague and also Myrtle and Pacific Streets bordering
the center.
Industrial - City of Spokane. In general, impacts on
industrial uses would not be as great as those for other
land uses. Impacts would be confined primarily to the east
and northeast sections of the city where light and heavy
industrial uses are concentrated. The major impacts would
be blocked access to some industrial areas, and traffic
obstructions resulting in delays and inconveniences in the
movement of goods and supplies.
Industrial - Northwest Spokane. A relatively small amount
of light industry and manufacturing would be impacted by
construction in the northwest. This would occur largely in
the commercial area north of the Spokane River and core area
and in Ash-Maple industrial area adjacent to the Union Pacific
Railroad tracks.
Industrial - Northeast Spokane. Although a substantial
portion of the industrial land is located in this sector of
the city, overall impacts on industrial use are not expected
to be significant. The majority of those areas where con-
struction would occur are light industrial zones which
include warehousing, distribution centers and light manu-
facturing. The large industrial complex in the Hillyard
area would not be impacted by construction. Impact areas
include the industrial zones below Gonzaga University and
along the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks from approximately
Mayfair to Market Street. Construction would involve several
key access streets into the industrial areas. In most
cases alternate access would be available.
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Industrial - Southwest Spokane. Only isolated industrial
uses in the downtown area would be affected by construction.
Areas affected would experience minor to moderate impacts.
Industrial - Southeast Spokane. The most extensive
impacts on industrial uses would occur in the southeast
sector due to construction planned throughout much of the
industrial zone extending from Division to the city limits.
It is anticipated that a major impact area would be the light
industrial zone east of Division. Construction would occur
in major arterials serving the warehouse and distribution
sectors. Traffic obstructions could also be expected along
Trent, which is a major arterial serving the entire eastern
industrial area. Construction would occur adjacent to the
6-acre Hanson Industrial Park on Trent, which is planned
for offices and warehouses and the Trumark Industrial Park,
on Havana and Sprague, which is planned for light manufacturing.
Table A-8 summarizes industrial impacts of Alternative 3.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - City of Spokane. Construction
would occur in city streets bordering many of the city's most
intensively used parks, as well as next to many popular
neighborhood parks. Many of the parks have little or no
screening to buffer them from adjacent streets. The severity
of construction impacts would depend on a number of factors
including the extent to which major access streets and parking
are obstructed, the type and degree of existing recreation
use, and the timing of construction activities.
During construction, noise, dust and potential hazards
posed by heavy equipment in close proximity to children's
play areas, may significantly reduce park use. Adverse
impacts will be compounded should construction occur during
the peak summer period. According to the City Parks
Recreation Director, impacts would not be as substantial in
the large parks where recreation use is more dispersed and
facilities are a greater distance from city streets. The
Director also anticipates lesser impacts in the community
parks, which emphasize organized team sports due to the over-
riding importance of game schedules, etc. (Fearn, pers. comm.).
Table A-9 summarizes park impacts by census tract and the
following describes impacts in the four sections of the city.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Northwest Spokane.
Construction will take place on major access streets and the
perimeters of Franklin Park, Shadle Park, Clark Playground,
A. M. Cannon and Riverfront Parks. In many cases access to
parking lots would be obstructed. Activities such as
picnicking, tennis and utilization of playground facilities
could be expected to decline during the construction phase.
Both pedestrian and vehicular traffic to the northshore
of Riverfront Park would be temporarily obstructed during
construction. On-street parking and several parking lots
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in the vicinity of the park may also be temporarily closed
off during construction, exacerbating the existing shortage
of parking during peak use periods. Use in the park may also
be reduced due to noise and dust factors previously mentioned
(see Parks - Southwest Spokane for additional discussion).
The other major impact area will be Downriver Golf Course.
All major access streets to the course would have pipeline
construction. Construction would also temporarily block
access to the clubhouse and parking lot. The golf course
manager indicated a potentially significant impact if
access to the clubhouse and parking is blocked during the
peak summer season (Korff, pers. comm.).
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Northeast Spokane. With
the exception of the large Esmerelda Golf Course and Minnehaha
Park, all park areas in northeastern Spokane would be affected
in varying degrees by pipeline construction. Most parks
would have at least one main access road where no construction
is planned, therefore, reducing potential construction impacts.
However, general recreation use can be expected to decline
during construction. The most significant impacts are
expected at Mission Park. Construction would occur around
much of the park perimeter, including the main access on
heavily travelled Mission Street. The increased traffic
congestion due to equipment working in the area, and
proximity of swimming, tennis and picnic facilities to
construction areas, may substantially reduce use at the site.
Parks/Recreation Facilities - Southwest Spokane. Con-
struction would impact several of the largest parks and
recreation areas in the city. Construction would occur on
major access roads into Riverfront, High Bridge, Cannon Hill,
Comstock, and Manito Parks. Construction would also occur
around all or portions of the park perimeters. The most
significant impacts are expected to result from construction
along the length of Spokane Falls Boulevard bordering Riverfront
Park and construction on Riverside and Monroe leading to and from
the park. Access to on- and off-street parking would be reduced.
The grassy areas bordering Spokane Falls Boulevard are extensively
used for picnicking and open air entertainment. Such uses would
decrease substantially with the noise, dust, etc., caused
by pipeline construction. Construction may also decrease
use at the carousel and opera house, primarily due to reduced
availability of nearby parking. Current attendance on
weekdays during the summer season is 5,000 to 6,000, which
often swells to 25,000 daily on the weekends (Fearn, pers. comm.).
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Parks/Recreation Facilities - Southeast Spokane. Due
to construction on major access roads and perimeter streets,
significant impacts may be expected at Chief Garry Park,
Underhill Park, Lincoln Heights Park, and Hamblen Park. At
all four locations construction would take place adjacent
to developed facilities, potentially decreasing use due to
such nuisance factors as noise and dust and possible
safety hazards.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - City of Spokane. Of the
alternatives considered, separate storm sewers construction
would have the most significant impacts on public facilities.
Thirty of the 48 schools within the city limits would
experience varying degrees of construction-related impacts.
Should construction take place while schools are in
session, a major short-term impact would be construction
activities occurring in close proximity to school facilities
and playgrounds. Adverse impacts would include noise, dust,
distraction, and associated nuisance problems for school
personnel and students. Operation of construction equipment
could also pose potential safety problems, particularly for
the younger students. Construction at some of the more
significantly impacted schools would also temporarily impede
bus and private auto transport of students.
As the majority of construction workers are expected
to be from the local area, no significant increase in student
enrollment would occur due to families of the workers moving
into the area.
Construction would also occur adjacent to a number of
major hospitals. Primary impacts would include construction
on main access streets and streets used as emergency and
ambulance entrances, and increased noise. Impacts on other
public and semipublic buildings would be primarily short-term
obstructions to traffic flow to and from buildings and reduction
of nearby parking spaces.
Table A-10 is a summary of impacts on public/semipublic
facilities by census tract, and the following describes
impacts in the four sections of the city.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - Northwest Spokane. Con-
struction would occur on the main access and student loading
zones of a number of the public schools, requiring rerouting
of bus and automobile traffic to the schools. Construction
would occur adjacent to the main entrance to the Shriners
Hospital for Crippled Children, causing both noise and
traffic problems. A number of public buildings in the central
area would be affected. The most significantly impacted would
be the Coliseum and Civic Theater due to construction planned
on Howard Street, which is the major entry to these facilities.
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Public/Semipublic Facilities - Northeast Spokane. The
majority of public and private educational facilities in
northeast Spokane would be impacted to some degree by
construction. Student loading zones and main school access
may be obstructed at several of the schools. Construction
would be required on the main access and emergency and ambulance
entrance to Holy Family Hospital.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - Southwest Spokane.
Construction would occur next to a number of public and
semipublic buildings in the core area. This would include
the institutional and semipublic buildings on Riverside
west of Monroe, City Hall, and the cultural and entertainment
facilities on Spokane Falls Boulevard in Riverfront Park.
As there is currently heavy traffic to and from these
facilities and limited parking, traffic obstructions and
decreased on-street parking would have a significant impact,
particularly for recreation and cultural facilities.
Access to and from the Burlington Northern Station may
be obstructed due to construction on Sprague. Hospitals and
related facilities in the medical center to the south of the
downtown area would also be affected by construction.
Construction would be required on the streets providing
admitting and emergency entrance to Deaconess Hospital and
the main entrance to Rockwood Park Clinic. Construction
would also occur adjacent to Sacred Heart and St. Lukes
Hospitals. In varying degrees, all of these hospitals
would be adversely impacted by the resulting noise, traffic
problems, and obstruction of parking areas.
Public/Semipublic Facilities - Southeast Spokane. Con-
struction would occur on the main access streets and student
loading zones of several schools. The only other major facility
affected would be the Playfair Race Track due to construction
on Regal and Sprague.
Klicker Storage Suboption. The Klicker storage option
would require construction activity quite similar to that
described for Alternative 1 with a few notable exceptions.
Instead of constructing 14 large underground storage facilities
with 25-year storm capacity, Klicker's Plan calls for smaller
5-year storm capacity underground storage basins and adjacent
surface lagoons capable of handling all expected overflows
beyond the 5-year storm. The land area required for this
dual basin concept would be larger than that needed for the
city's storage plan. Klicker's Plan also calls for a large
reservoir south of Bridge Street roughly between Cannon and
Lindeke. This facility would drastically reduce the size of
the underground facility planned by the city near Rivercrest
Convalescent Hospital (basin 16B).
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The expanded size of the Klicker storage facilities
would mean that construction activity would displace and
disrupt more existing land uses than described for Alter-
native 1. This would be especially significant in the more
confined, urbanized storage basin sites (13B, 8B, 7B, 6B, 5B,
and 4B). The large Bridge Street reservoir would not displace
any significant existing land use, but would preclude the
future residential use proposed in the city's Shoreline
Master Plan.
The Klicker Plan does not include construction of relief
sewers. Instead, check valves and small storage basins would
be built on each piece of property with sewer backup problems.
The exact number of properties affected is not known, but
construction would probably be confined to off-street locations
adjacent to the affected dwellings. Mr. Klicker estimated
7 00 structures would be involved. This on-site construction
would be of short duration and probably would not disrupt
access or traffic, but noise, dust and general nuisance
conditions would be significant for those residences involved.
Latenser Plan. The Latenser Plan is a modification of
Alternative 1 and therefore would produce some of the same
construction impacts. Relief sewer construction would be
just as described for Alternative 1. Storage basins IB
through 8B and 16B would all be eliminated in favor of
various combinations of separate sewer construction and
pumping to underutilized interceptors. New pump stations
would be needed at Erie Street and Clarke Street. In addition,
a 110-inch pipeline would be constructed across Fort Wright
Bridge and through Riverside State Park to a 50-million-gallon
storage reservoir across the river from the treatment plant.
The land use disruptions associated with construction
of the city's storage basins would be precluded, but in its
place pipeline construction would create a significant short-
term visual disturbance through Riverside State Parks open
space. It might also require removal of trees and shoreline
vegetation from Fort Wright Bridge to the proposed storage
site (see Figure 2-6). The storage basin itself would be
constructed in an open, relatively undisturbed setting planned
for continued park use. The site is highly visible from
Government Way on the south side of the river and the
residential area above the treatment plant on the north side
of the river.
Specific locations have not been identified for the
wastewater export facilities required for the Latenser Plan.
They would include 1) a 3-mile pipeline across open space
and agricultural land from the 50 million-gallon storage site
to the Lyons area, 2) a 1 billion-gallon storage reservoir in
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open space/agricultural land near Lyons, 3) an 18-mile pipe-
line through agricultural land from Lyons to the headwaters
of Crab Creek, and 4) a storage facility in agricultural land
near Odessa. Construction of these facilities would disrupt
or displace agricultural operations. Dry-farming of wheat
is the predominant agricultural use in the areas involved.
The Combination Concept. The combination alternative
would require storage basin and relief sewer construction in
some parts of the city and separate sewer construction in
the others. The impacts of project construction would therefore
be a combination of the impacts described earlier for
Alternatives 1 and 3. Figure 2-7 indicates which basins
would receive separate sewers and which would receive storage
basins. A brief summary of the more significant of these
impacts is presented below.
Sewer separation would occur in basin drainage areas 1,
2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 13. These are the smaller drainage areas
bordering the river both east and west of the main downtown
commercial area. Therefore, commercial disruptions would
not be major, but some of the city's older residential
neighborhoods and most of the heavy industrial areas would
be affected by street construction. Downriver, Chief Garry
and Mission Parks would also be impacted by the separate
sewer construction. None of the city's major shopping centers
would be affected.
Drainage areas 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15 would be served
by underground storage facilities and relief sewers. The
storage basins at Riverfront Park (6B) , Peaceful Valley (8B) ,
Northwest Boulevard (14B) and Riverton Drive (3B) have the
most significant short-term construction impacts associated
with them. Recreational disruptions would occur at the golf
course and Riverfront Park, while residential impacts are
the most significant in Peaceful Valley and on Northwest
Boulevard and Riverton Drive. More specific descriptions
of the impacts of these storage and pipeline facilities can
be found in the sections dealing with Alternative 1 and
Alternative 3 construction.
No-Action. As this alternative would require no con-
struction"] there would be no impacts on land use. For
long-term impacts of this alternative see Long-Term Effect of
New Facilities on Adjacent Land Uses•
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Mitigation Measures for Construction Impacts on Land
Use and Development.
Residential Impacts. As residential streets would be
closed to all through traffic while under construction,
alternate access must be maintained for residents of
affected areas. Construction should be limited to a maximum
of two contiguous blocks at one time, with completion required
before work commences on the next section of street. Residents
of areas where work is planned would be given ample notice
prior to the start of construction (Gellner, pers. comm.).
The contractor should be required to designate a project
coordinator to handle special problems in residential areas
such as utility disruptions, noise and dust!. Repair of
damage to surface improvements on private property, such as
fences, walks, trees, shrubs, and flowers would be the
responsibility of the contractor (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, n.d.). Construction should be limited to
daylight hours of normal working days. (Also see discussion
of mitigation for impacts on noise, dust, public safety,
aesthetic, and population dislocation).
Commercial Impacts. Mitigation measures are discussed
under Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction.
Parks and Recreation Facilities Impacts To the extent
feasible, construction should be planned in the off-season
from September through March when recreation use would be
lowest. Where construction would occur adjacent to intensively
used facilities, temporary barriers should be constructed.
Construction should be programmed to avoid work at parks
during periods when major public events are planned. Alternate
access to major parks should be provided at all times. Due
to potential impacts on Riverfront Park and Downriver Golf
Course, coordination should be maintained with city park
personnel to determine methods of reducing adverse impacts.
Consideration should be given to providing substitute parking
areas during construction for these two facilities. Should
the satellite treatment plan be selected, an alternative
location to the Riverfront Park site should be investigated
due to the potential impacts previously discussed. (Also
see discussion of mitigation for noise, dust, public safety
and aesthetic impacts).
Public/Semipublic Facilities Impacts. To the extent
possible, construction adjacent to school facilities should
be carried out during the summer months. In those streets
providing emergency and ambulance entrances to hospitals,
at least one lane should remain open at all times, and
construction should be limited to daylight hours. Alternate
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access to major public facilities should be provided at all
times. Consideration should also be given to providing
temporary replacement parking areas for public facilities in
the downtown area. (Also, see discussion of mitigation
for impacts on noise and dust.)
Noise
According to an environmental analysis by the city,
transportation systems (both vehicular and rail) are the
dominant noise producers in the city. Chief problem areas
include 1) northwest Spokane where noise, particularly
along major arterials, often interferes with normal residential
areas, 2) the Felts Field area, 3) areas along major railroad
lines, 4) arterials in the east central area, and 5) some
portions of the southwest (Spokane City Plan Commission, 1976a).
Noise levels of above 67 dBA represent the beginning of
residential conflicts, with serious problems at 72 dBA.
Interference with normal activities in school classrooms are
also noted when levels reach 72 dBA. Commercial and office
environments are generally compatible with levels up to
77-79 dBA. Noise in excess of this is acceptable only in
industrial environments where hearing protection can be
provided and in open space areas where human existence is
only sporadic and temporary (Spokane City Plan Commission,
197 6a). The city currently has no noise ordinance but is
in the process of drafting regulations. The State of
Washington Environmental Noise Control Ordinance restricts
all noise sources in residential areas between 10:00 p.m.
and 7:00 a.m. Most heavy construction noise would be unacceptable
during these hours. Construction will typically extend from
7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the weekdays, with no work
generally occurring on weekends (Gellner, pers. comm.). Noise
due to separate storm sewer construction (Alternative 3) would
affect a larger area of the city, but would be of a shorter
duration at any one location compared to the other two city
alternatives (Alternatives 1 and 2). Figure 4-3 gives con-
struction equipment noise ranges and Table 4-1 gives
sound levels of noise sources most people have been exposed
to at one time or another.
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers.
Equipment required for storage basin construction would
include heavy earth-moving equipment and materials handling
equipment such as concrete mixers and cranes. Heavy trucks
would move equipment in and out of the site. Equipment
for relief sewer construction would be the same as that des-
cribed in Alternative 3. See Figure 4-3 for
typical noise levels generated. Noise levels would be
higher and more prolonged at basin construction sites
than would occur with any segment of separate storm sewer
construction.
76
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Figure 4-3
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT NOISE LEVELS
NOISE LtVLL UiUA) AT 00 l*T
fO 70 no 90 100 I'O
to
u
o
7
L_»
V
o
_D
ft)
o
o
-J
<
a
L.'
»-
- r
*.
>
&
a
LJ
£
o
a.
\-
L* 1
1 ^
Q.
")
O
u
o
>
o
s
y
»—
m
<
u
cof/PACTrns (rc llpsi
FRONT I.OADCPG
*
BACK norf.
TR AC rOrJb
SCRAPEPS, grader:-
pavct s
T'UJC"^.
H
1
1
1
—1
h-
1
—1
H
1
—1
j
-j"
COi-'CXTL I/IXCHS
CONCRETE PUMPS
1
1
H
2 i
< CRANES (MOV." ULI.)
UJ !
<\ CRANES (DlPHICK)
1
1
1
H
rr
c
7
O
'
-------
Table 4-1
TYPICAL SOUND LEVELS
O)
3 O)
53 c
2 c
S- w
H fl)
Uj £
tn
t:
a ~
co -S
co
O O
a>
o
c
Q)
Q) ^
c
140— THRESHOLD OF PAIN
—12 Gauge Shotgun (3 feet)
130—
120—Jet Takeoff (200 feet)
—Auto Horn (3 feet)
110—Cliainsaws, noisy Snowmobiles
(50 feet)
100 Lawn Mower, Power Tools, (3 feet)
—Noisy motorcycle (50 feet)
90—Heavy Truck (50 feet)
—80—
—Quiet Snowmobile (50 feet)
—Busy Urban Street
—Quiet motorcycle (50 feet)
70—Normal Automobile
60—Conversation (3 feet)
50—Quiet Residential Area
—Library
40—Quiet Home
30—Soft Whisper
20—
—Broadcasting Studio
10—
0—THRESHOLD OF HEARING
NOTE.
Decibels are logarithmic—i.e , a sound of
50 decibels is 10 times more intense than a
sound of 40 decibels
A sound of 60 decibels is 100 limes more
intense than a sound of 40 decibels.
A sound of 70 decibels is 1000 times more
intense than a sound of 40 decibels, etc
An increase of 3 decibels represents a dou-
bling ot the intensity of the sound
SOURCE: Washington Department of Ecology, n.d.
78
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In areas where storage basins are planned in undeveloped
park areas, vacant and sparsely developed residential areas,
and industrial areas, noise impacts would be greatly reduced.
The most significant impacts would occur where storage basins
are planned in street rights-of-way adjacent to residential
areas and within developed recreation areas. Construction
of storage basin 16B would have a significant short-term
noise impact on the Rivercrest Convalescent Hospital.
Noise impacts due to relief sewer construction would be
similar to Alternative 3, but would affect a lesser area.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment Facilities, Con-
st rueHon-equTpininF~wourd^i~TIinTaFTo—thiF~requTred for
Alternatives 1 and 3. As the areas to be excavated would
be smaller, less heavy earth-moving equipment would be required
and construction would occur over a shorter period. Noise
impacts would, therefore, be less overall than with either
Alternatives 1 or 3. See Tables A-l through A-5 for a
listing of developments impacted.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. Construction
would involve use of jackhammers and in some locations rock
drills, backhoes, compactors, graders and pavers, heavy
trucks to deliver construction materials, and pickups (see
Figure 4-3 for noise generated). Blasting would occur in
some areas where solid rock excavation is required. This
would occur primarily in the southeast portion, the northern
portion of the downtown area and a portion of the southwest.
Noise problems would be most severe for hospitals and schools
located adjacent to construction zones. High noise levels
would also cause nuisance problems in residential areas.
Increased noise can be expected to discourage daytime recreation
use at a number of the city's more significantly impacted
recreation and entertainment centers. Noise may also inter-
fere with normal business activity in the commercial and
office zones where construction would be extensive. See
Tables A-6 through A-10, for a listing of developments
impacted.
Klicker Suboption. Construction noise under this option
would be essentially the same as described for Alternative 1.
Construction at storage site 16B would be greatly reduced.
This would be replaced by construction of a large surface
reservoir below Bridge Street. Construction noise in this
area would affect the residential area to the north.
79
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Latenser Plan. This plan would eliminate most downtown
storage basin construction in favor of more pipeline and
pump station construction. Associated noise would therefore
be reduced. In outlying areas, however, the construction-
related noise would be much greater. Pipeline and storage
basin construction in Riverside State Park south of the river
would be disruptive to the present open space-iecreational
uses of the land. Construction of the remaining export
facilities would occur in sparsely populated areas, thereby
having a minimal effect.
Combination Concept. The major construction noise
impacts created by the combination alternative would occur
at storage basin sites in Riverfront Park and in residential
areas on Northwest Boulevard, in Peaceful Valley and adjacent
to Downriver Golf Course. Separate sewer and relief sewer
construction would cause a combination of short-term noise
impacts described for Alternatives 1 and 3.
No-Action. As no construction would be required,
existing noise conditions would remain unchanged.
Mitigation Measures. The greatest potential for noise
abatement for all equipment powered by internal combustion
engines lies in use of better exhaust mufflers, intake
silencers, and engine enclosures. Reductions of 5 to 10 dBA
are common (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1971).
Abatement of noise associated with impact tools such as
jackhammers and pavement breakers is difficult to achieve.
Abatement could best be accomplished by substituting use
of a sonic (vibratory) pile driver for an impact machine
wherever possible. A slight decrease may be achieved by
use of acoustical barriers enclosing the work area. Other
potential noise abatement measures would include scheduling
of equipment operations to have noisiest operations coincide
with times of highest ambient levels and restricting con-
struction activities to daylight hours in residential areas.
Keeping noisy equipment as far as possible from site boundaries,
and providing enclosures for stationary items of equipment
can also be effective in reducing noise levels. Barriers
would be most feasible surrounding storage basin work zones
in developed areas. Due to the brief nature of street con-
struction in any one location, barriers would not generally
be warranted except in extreme cases such as areas adjacent to
hospitals and schools.
80
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Public Safety
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers. Public
safety hazards would be greatest where construction is planned
in streets adjacent to residential areas, and within the Peaceful
Valley residential development. Hazards would be primarily
due to operation of large construction equipment and the deep
excavated area which would be temporarily left open. Due to
the intensive use at Riverfront Park, excavation of the large
storage basin planned within the park would constitute a
potentially serious public safety hazard. Construction of a
storage basin at Mission Park could also pose significant
problems due to the movement of equipment in and out of the
site onto congested Mission Boulevard and the proximity of
the construction site to recreation facilities. Impacts of
relief sewer construction would be similar to those described
for Alternative 3, but would be less severe due to the more
limited areas involved.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment Plants and Relief
Sewer?! Public safety impacts would be similar to those described
for Alternatives 1 and 3 but would be of less magnitude due
to the smaller construction areas involved and the shorter
construction period required for completion of each unit.
The completed facilities would pose a greater long-term
public safety risk due to the required chlorination facilities.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. Public safety
would be most affected by the storm sewer alternative due
to the extent of populated areas and traffic corridors impacted.
Operation of construction equipment adjacent to residential
areas and parks and schools could pose a public safety
hazard. During the excavation phase, open trenches could be
dangerous if adequate barriers and warning signs are not
provided. Blocking off of streets and rerouting of traffic
may confuse motorists and compound congestion, increasing
the incidence of traffic accidents. Traffic delays could
increase response time of emergency equipment such as fire
trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles. Emergency and
ambulance entrances to several major hopsitals would be
partially closed during construction. Blasting in populated
areas could pose a significant safety problem if adequate
precautions were not taken.
Klicker Suboption. Public safety hazards created by
the Klicker storage plan would be essentially the same as
those for the city's Alternative 1. Construction of the
Bridge Street reservoir would reduce construction at basin
16B. This should make no major difference in public safety
hazard. The open surface lagoons of the Klicker Plan would
require fencing to eliminate a long-term hazard to anyone
entering the premises.
81
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Latenser Plan. The Latenser Plan would include con-
struction of relief sewers as described for Alternative 1.
Most of the storage basin construction required in the
city's storage alternative would be eliminated. This would
reduce downtown public safety problems significantly.
The downtown construction would be replaced by less hazardous
activity south of the river in Riverside State Park, and in
open areas from Spokane to the headwaters of Crab Creek.
No-Action. As no construction is involved in no-action,
public safety conditions would remain the same as present
conditions.
Mitigation Measures. Temporary barriers should be required
around all storage basin and satellite treatment excavation areas.
Barriers or covers should be required for the open trenches
that would exist temporarily with separate storm sewer or
relief sewer construction. Daily backfilling of excavated
trenches could keep the need for barriers and covers to a
minimum and is undoubtedly the most effective means of reducing
safety hazards during the pipe-laying process. Barriers should
also be considered between work zones and adjacent elementary
schools (if in session) and park facilities. Construction
zones should be clearly marked by warning signs and other
cautionary devices^ Traffic problems could be substantially
reduced by programming of work to avoid rush hour traffic on
major arterials, clear and adequate advance notice of detours,
nighttime construction on the most heavily travelled thoroughfares,
and advance notice in the media of location and timing of
work planned on major streets. In high risk areas such as
school zones, playgrounds and parks, and areas where blasting
is planned, the contractor should be required to provide
additional personnel to monitor construction activities
and implement public safety procedures. Chlorine storage
facilities for satellite treatment plants should be completely
secured by adequate fencing and any other measures required
to restrict unauthorized access. The use of hypochlorite
for disinfection rather than chlorine gas could eliminate
this public safety hazard.
Aesthetics
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewer.
Impacts of relief sewer construction would be similar to
Alternative 3, but would have a significant impact only on
a portion of scenic drives on Northwest Boulevard, 21st
Avenue and Rockwood Boulevard, and the residential and park
areas impacted. Construction of a number of the storage
82
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basins would cause a more serious short-term decline of
aesthetics due to the large-scale excavation required in
parks and scenic areas and the high visibility of construction
work from several major view areas. To the extent possible,
work areas would be restored to their prior state, but
some long-term adverse impacts are unavoidable. Table 4-2
summarizes existing aesthetic conditions and anticipated
impacts at the storage basin sites.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief Sewers.
Impacts would be the same type as those described for Alter-
natives 1 and 3, but would be of less magnitude due to the
smaller land areas disturbed.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. Construction
would result in a temporary loss of aesthetics due to street
work, presence of construction equipment, possible dis-
turbance or removal of some landscaping bordering streets,
and creation of dust, and noise. The most adverse short-
term effects would occur at Riverfront Park on scenic drives
and arterial parkways including Manito Boulevard, Rockwood
Boulevard, 21st Avenue, High Drive Parkway, Summit Boulevard,
and Riverview Drive adjoining the Downriver Golf Course and on
Riverside in the unique architectural section west of Monroe.
A reduction in visual quality would also occur in residential
areas and adjacent to the many parks where construction is
planned. Upon completion of construction, work areas would
be restored to their original condition, minimizing long-term
aesthetic losses.
Klicker Suboption. Construction-related aesthetic
impacts of the Klicker Plan would be similar to those of
Alternative 1. The size of the area affected by storaqe
basin construction would be slightly larger for the Klicker
Plan. Added detractions would be especially noticeable
in Riverfront Park (basin 6B), at Downriver Golf Course
(13B), in Peaceful Valley (8B), along Hangman Creek
at High Drive Park (9B), and on Northwest Boulevard (14B),
near the treatment plant site. The aesthetic problems
associated with surface storage construction would be long-
term at all storage basin locations unless considerable site
landscaping and/or screening was made part of the project.
The proposed open basins would not be aesthetically compatible
in residential or recreational settings, especially when they
were filled with untreated CSO. It is expected that the open
basins would be used once every 5 years on the average.
83
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Table 4-2
CONSTRUCTION-RELAXED
AESTHETIC IMPACT SUMMARY
(Alternative 1)
Aesthetic
Quality
Duration
of
Basin
Use
Adjacent Use
of Site
Anticipated Impacts
Impact
IB
Vacant
Industrial
Low
None
-
2B
Vacant
Residential/
Spokane River
Moderate
Reduced aesthetics in residential area-
Will affect view frcm river
Short-term
3B
Street
Residential/
Spokane River
Moderate
Reduced aesthetics m residential area-
Will affect view from river
Short-term
4B
oo
Parking lot
Mission Park
Low
Reduced aesthetics at Mission Park
Short-term
5B (1)
Brickyard
Industrial
low
None
-
5B (2)
Vacant
Industrial
Low
None
-
6B (1)
Parking lot
Riverfront
Park
Msderate
Will affect view frcm opposite bank and
and Washington Bridge
Short-term
6B (2)
Park
Riverfront
Park
Moderate
to
High
Will affect views frcm adjoining park
areas and Washington Bridge-Remove
landscaping
Short-term
7B
Vacant
Ccmmercial
public facility
Low
None
—
8B
Residential
Residential/
Spokane River
Moderate
to
Hiqh
Remove hones of architectural/historical
interest-Degrade major view area in city-
Will affect view frcm river, Monroe Bridge,
and Gondolas
Long-term
9B
Meadow
Forest/
Inland Qnpire
Hiahuav
High
Remove vegetation-Disturb open space area-
Will affect view frcm Highway and High Drive
Long-term
Severity
of
Impact
None
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
None
None
Moderate
Signi-
ficant
None
Signi-
ficant
Signi-
ficant
-------
Storage
Basin
10B
Existing
Use
Park
Adjacent Use
Park/Hangman
Creek
Aesthetic
Quality
of Site
High
11B
Street
Abandoned
railroad grade-
limited
residential
Low
13B
14 B
CO
L71
Intersection
12th Tee
Street and
vacant
Residential/
golf course
clubhouse/
pro shop
Residential/
Spokane River
Moderate
High
16B
Park
River,
Convalescent
Hospital, Golf
Course
High
Anticipated Impacts
Duration
of
Impact
Severity
of
Impact
Remove vegetation-Disturb open space Long-term
area-will affect view fran opposite
bank
None
Reduced aesthetics in residential Short-term
area-Golf course
Reduced aesthetics in scenic drive Short-term
and in residential area-Will affect
view frcm river
Signi-
ficant
None
Moderate
Signi-
ficant
Remove vegetation-disturb open space
area-will affect view frcm river and
Downriver Drive.
Long-term
Signi-
ficant
-------
Latenser Plan. Construction of Latenser Plan facilities
would create aesthetic detractions primarily in Riverside
State Park from Fort Wright Bridge to the proposed storage
basin across the river from the city treatment plant. Pipe-
line excavation along the south bank of the river would be
especially deleterious to the relatively undisturbed open
space character of this part of the park. The presence of
heavy equipment and excavation spoil in the parkland will
be noticeable from numerous vantage points on both sides of
the river.
Export system construction from the treatment plant site
to upper Crab Creek would occur through relatively open
terrain. Where pipeline and storage basin construction bordered
major roadways, the activity could be considered a detraction
to passing motorists. Specific locations for these facilities
have not been determined.
Combination Concept. This option would require storage
basin construction at sites 5B, 6B, 8B, 10B, 14B and 16B.
The aesthetic implications of construction at these sites
are listed in Table 4-?. Separate sewer construction would
occur mostly in older residential neighborhoods and industrial
areas adjacent to the Spokane River. Scenic Riverview Drive
adjacent to Downriver Golf Course would be affected, as would
High Drive Parkway near Manito Golf Club and Summit Boulevard
south of Maxwell.
Mitigation Measures. Surface restoration and landscaping
should be required where basin and treatment plant construction
disturbs the terrain. To the extent possible, structures
should be sited to avoid removal of mature trees. Where
permanent structures such as treatment plant storage facilities
or surface lagoons would be visible, landscaping in keeping
with the surrounding terrain should be required. Long-term
adverse aesthetic impacts of storm and relief sewer construction
should be largely mitigated by protective and restorative
measures required as part of the construction contract.
Where construction is planned on heavily landscaped streets
and scenic drives and parkways, trenches should be shored,
not sloped. This would limit disruption of vegetation,
sidewalks, etc.
Population Dislocation
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers. The
construction of storage basin 8B (Peaceful Valley), may
require some permanent removal of housing. Peaceful Valley
is one of the two lowest income sections of the city. The
86
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area has a high number of elderly and disabled residents who
live on fixed incomes (Spokane City Plan Commission, 1974).
Dislocation of such persons may have a serious psychological
and economic impact due to difficulties in adjusting to a new
place of residence and securing replacement housing which
would be affordable.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief Sewers.
Although the land required at site 8B would be significantly
less than with Alternative 1, some housing may be removed.
Impacts would be the same as those previously described.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. Construction
would not result in any population displacement.
Klicker Suboption. The Klicker storage suboption would
require essentially the same population dislocations as
described for Alternative 1. There could be additional
houses removed in the Peaceful Valley area, depending upon
the location of the surface lagoon adjacent to basin 8B.
Latenser Plan. Because the Latenser Plan does not
require major storage basin construction in downtown
Spokane, it should not require dislocation of any Spokane
area residents.
Combination Concept. Construction of storage basin 8B
in Peaceful Valley mignt require some relocation of residents,
but the basin would be designed to accommodate the 1-year
frequency storm rather than the 25-year storm as planned for
Alternative 1. Therefore, the basin would be much smaller
and fewer residences would be affected.
No-Action. No population dislocation would result with
this alternative.
Mitigation Measures. Relocation assistance should be
provided £y the city toany displaced residents who might
experience difficulty or hardships as the result of relocation.
Assistance could include aid in securing replacement housing
and aid in the physical movement of belongings from existing
residences. The federal Uniform Relocation Act requires this
assistance when federally-funded projects force the relocation.
Circulation Network
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers. Storage
basin construction would temporarily interfere with traffic
flow on a number of Spokane's major streets. Excavation at
basin 14B would disrupt traffic on Northwest Boulevard at
Garland Avenue and construction of basin 6B could affect
traffic on Washington Street north of the river. Both of
87
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these streets are listed as major arterials in the city's
Arterial Street Plan (Spokane City Traffic Engineering
Department, 1966). Relief sewers would be placed in portions
of Wellesley, Division, Nevada, Crestline, A, Grand and 2nd
Streets; these streets are also major city arterials. The
construction obstructions would be short-term, but could
create heavy traffic congestion and public safety hazards.
Numerous secondary arterials and less heavily traveled
surface streets would also be affected by Alternative 1
construction activity.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief Sewers.
This alternative would create traffic problems in the same
locations as described for Alternative 1, but the duration
of the impact would be less as construction time for satellite
plants is less than for storage basins.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. Separate storm
sewer construction would affect up to 220miles of city
streets. Most of the city's major arterials would be
influenced by construction along some part of its right-of-
way or from crossing construction activity. No attempt will
be made to list all of the streets affected, but worthy of
note is construction on major downtown streets, including
Main, Riverside, Sprague, Spokane Falls Boulevard, Monroe
and 1st Avenue. Construction would be phased to affect only
a few blocks on any given street at one time, but major
traffic tie-ups in downtown could be expected. Close
coordination between construction contractor and the city
traffic engineering department would be essential.
Klicker Suboption. The Klicker storage suboption would
result in circulation problems similar to those described
for Alternative 1.
Latenser Plan. Traffic congestion related to relief
sewer construction would be the same as described for
Alternative 1. Most downtown storage basin construction would
not occur. The major traffic tie-ups would result from
separate storm sewer construction in small sections of eastern
Spokane and from pipeline construction across Fort Wright
Bridge. Meenach Drive across Fort Wright Bridge is listed
as a secondary arterial on the city's arterial street plan
(Spokane City Traffic Engineering Department, 1966). It is
not known whether construction of the export system would
create traffic problems, as specific facility locations have
not been identified for this portion of the Latenser Plan.
88
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Combination Concept. Traffic disruptions associated
with the combination alternative would be a combination of
those described for Alternatives 1 and 3. Storage basin
construction at sites 14B and 6B would disrupt traffic on
Northwest Boulevard and Washington Avenue, respectively.
Construction of separate sewers in Mission Avenue and in the
vicinity of the county courthouse could create major traffic
tie-ups in those areas. The central business district and
major shopping centers would not be affected under this project.
Mitigation Measures. Mitigation of circulation system
impacts would be primarily the responsibility of the con-
struction contractor. Relocation of construction to avoid
major arterials could reduce circulation impacts, but the
flexibility of specific pipeline routes has not been analyzed
for this report. Construction timing with regard to peak
traffic periods and provision of alternate traffic routes
will be major factors in limiting the severity of impacts.
Public safety precautions such as signing, use of flagmen
and timely closure of excavations should be specified in the
construction contract.
89
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Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction
Employment
All of the alternatives except no-action would increase
employment in the contract construction industry and in those
businesses supplying materials for the project. (Separate
discussion follows for each alternative.) The U. S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics estimates that for every construction
30b, another half job is created in industries supplying
building materials and transportation used in construction
(multiplier effect). Since 1974, the construction industry
in Spokane County has experienced steady growth, largely
due to residential construction. Commercial and industrial
construction has shown a lack of growth since 1976, and a
decline in the first quarter of 1978 over that in 1977 (Spokane
Area Development Council, 1978). Contract construction accounted
for 4.7 percent of total Spokane County employment in 1977,
which does not consider the important multiplier effect. In
1977, unemployment in the construction industry in Spokane
County ranged from a low of 4.5 percent during the peak
construction period to a high of 27 percent during the off-
season (Gifford, pers. comm.).
Contract construction (exclusive of the alternatives
under consideration) is expected to peak in 1978 and then
level off in 1979 due to an anticipated decline in residential
and commercial construction (Spokane Regional Planning
Conference, 1976). The major employment provided by each of
the alternatives would be in the heavy construction category,
which includes street, sewer and heavy building construction.
Labor statistics for the construction industry are shown in
Table 4-3 . A summary comparison of employment impacts for
each of the alternatives is given in Table 4-4 at the conclusion
of this section.
Business Activity
All of the structural alternatives would require purchase
of large volumes of construction materials, which would
benefit local business and industries supplying this demand.
A separate discussion follows for each alternative, and a
summary comparison of sales generated is given in Table
Disruptions caused by construction adjacent to some commercial
areas would have a negative impact on sales. (See Land Use
and Development for description of commercial and industrial
areas impacted.)
90
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Table 4-3
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT SPOKANE COUNTY
Construction
Category
General Building
Contractors
Heavy Construction
Contractors
, Special Trade
Contractors
Total
Average
Monthly
Average
Monthly
Total Average
Employment Employment Percent Annual Weekly
1976 1977 Change Payroll1 Earnings2
1,893
861
3,091
5,845
1,700
900
3,300
5,900
-10.0 $26,363,000 310.96
+ 4.0 22,237,000 307.30
+ 7.0 46,817,000 321.12
$95,417,000
Average
Weekly
Hours
36.8
39.6
36.0
Average
Hourly
Earnings2
8.45
7.76
8.92
Washington Employment Security Department, 4th Quarter, 1976; 1, 2, and 3 Quarter, 1977.
2U. S. Bureau of labor Statistics, U. S. average as of May 1, 1978 (does not include fringe benefits
or reflect overhead costs).
-------
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers. Very
1 im ited information is available as to the manpower and
building supply requirements of this alternative. Based on
similar public works projects it is estimated that 30 percent
of construction costs, excluding land, design and engineering,
and supervision and administration would be allocated to
labor. Based on a total construction cost of $101,720,000
this would result in a total labor allocation of $30,516,000
during the estimated 2 to 3 years required for construction.
Contracts in excess of $5 million would generally
require large contractors from outside the area, such as
Portland and Seattle (Gellner, pers. comm.). To the extent
local labor is available, they are generally used by outside
contractors. Based on average hours worked, an average 10-
month construction season, and an average hourly pay of
$12.00 per hour or $14,880 annually (includes fringe benefits),
this alternative would require employment of from 683 to 1,025
persons annually, depending on the length of time required
for construction. This would constitute from 7 6 to 114 percent of
all heavy construction workers employed on a monthly average
in Spokane County in 1977 (see Table 4-3). This would
virtually eliminate unemployment in this sector of the con-
struction industry and would necessitate a temporary influx
of workers from outside labor markets. Although the beneficial
impacts for workers would be substantial, such labor require-
ments would put unusual demands on the labor market and may
adversely affect the labor supply for other construction
projects in the city. Based on the multiplier effect, this
alternative would generate additional employment of 342 to
512 persons in support industries during the construction
phase. Building materials are expected to constitute one-
third of total costs, resulting in sales of an estimated
$33,907,000 in construction materials, which would have a
substantial beneficial impact on the building supply sector.
The above mentioned employment and payroll estimates are
summarized for each alternative in Table 4-4 at the end of
this section.
Adverse impacts on commercial activity would be primarily
due to relief sewer construction and would include those
factors discussed in Alternative 3. A reduction in business
activity and revenue is expected due" to construction in the
strip commercial area on Division "Street.
Division Street now experiences frequently heavy traffic con-
gestion in the commercial zone and the construction work
would compound this problem and reduce on-street parking.
As Division Street businesses are almost exclusively oriented
to drive-in traffic, the impact would be significant. Relief
sewer construction would have generally the same impact on
Shadle Center, Manito Center and Eastown as described in
92
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Alternative 3. Storage basin construction could
decrease revenue at the Downriver Golf Course concession-
operated facilities. Overall, revenue losses would be less
with this alternative than Alternative 3, due to lack of
construction in the downtown area and the fewer number of
community and local business areas affected.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief Sewers.
Very limited information is available as to manpower and
building supply requirements for this alternative. Using
the ratio of 30 percent of costs, to determine labor allocations,
this alternative would result in a total payroll of $28,74 5,000
over the 2- to 3-year construction period. On the ba^is of
those factors described in Alternative 1, annual employment
would range from 644 to 966 persons annually, depending on
the length of time required for construction. Workers required
would constitute from 72 to 107 percent of all heavy construction
workers employed in the county in 1977. Based on the multiplier
effect, the alternative would generate additional employment
of 322 to 483 persons in support industries during the con-
struction phase. Total employment generated would be slightly
less than with Alternative 1, and would have major beneficial
impacts on the construction industry. Influx of workers
from outside labor markets could be anticipated due to the
large labor requirements. Assuming that one-third of the
total cost is allocated for building materials, tfiis alter-
native would result in sales of about $31,620,000 in construction
materials, which would substantially benefit the construction
industry. Adverse impacts on sales due to construction adjacent
to commercial developments would be generally of the same type
as described in Alternative 1. Loss of revenue at Downriver
Golf Course may be slightly less due to the shorter construction
period and smaller area disturbed.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. Using the ratio
of 3 0 percent of costs to determine labor allocation, this
alternative would generate $19,215,000 in payroll over the 8-
to 10-year construction period. On the basis of those factors
described in Alternative 1, annual employment would range from
129 to 161 persons annually, depending on the time required
for project completion. Workers required would constitute
from 15 to 19 percent of the heavy construction workers in the
county. Although this represents a substantial percentage,
the influx of workers from outside labor markets would be
minor with this alternative. Based on the multiplier effect,
this alternative would generate additional employment of 65
to 81 persons in support industries during the construction
phase. Assuming that one-third of the project cost is allocated
for building materials, this alternative would result in sales
of about $21,000,000 in construction materials.
93
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Short-term adverse economic impacts could result where
extensive construction occurs adjacent to commercial
development. Impacts would include loss in sales volume
due to obstructed access to stores and parking areas, loss
of on-street parking, traffic congestion, and nuisance
factors such as excess noise and dust. Retail establishments
would be most affected, particularly highway or strip
commercial development where traffic problems and street
parking limitations would be most pronounced, and in the
downtown business area due to the extensive construction
planned. Adverse impacts would occur only during the construc-
tion period, which may last anywhere from 2 weeks to more than
a month. Except in the most marginal business areas,
this would not be sufficient to result in significant long-
term economic impacts. The most significantly impacted strip
commercial area would be Garland Street. Businesses appear
to be primarily small, older, owner-operated retail and
service establishments, with heavy reliance on drive-in
traffic. Garland is narrow and is the major source of
parking for customers. Street construction would, therefore,
have a greater than usual adverse impact on business sales.
Due to inherent complications of construction in the
intensively used and developed downtown area, construction
would occur over a longer period of time. A minimum of 3 to
5 months would be required to complete construction. The
proliferation of above- and below-ground utilities in the area
could slow construction considerably. The core represents
the largest structures and greatest density of employees of any
area within the region. Retailing, office and hotel uses pre-
dominate. The core also contains the highest volume of ped-
estrian and vehicular traffic of any area within metropolitan
Spokane. To assist in evaluation of potential impacts and
mitigation measures, property managers and representatives of
large retailing concerns in the downtown area were consulted,
and the following is based on information received from them.
The estimated weekly volume of shoppers in downtown Spokane is
250,000 persons. Of these an estimated 75 percent arrive by
private transportation, 21 percent by public transit, and 4 per-
cent walk. Estimates of peak shopping hours ranqed.from 11:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Most respondents
believed that construction would have a significant adverse
impact. Reasons cited were upsets in flow of traffic and
parking, and confusion for potential customers. Types of
impacts anticipated included loss of sales revenue and loss
of sales tax revenue to the city. Most seriously impacted
businesses listed were small and large retail establishments
and fee parking facilities. Estimates of loss of sales ranged
from a low to 5 to 10 percent to a high of 33 percent. Due
to the regional drawing power of the downtown area and the
plans to minimize adverse impacts by methods such as maintaining
partial access on all downtown streets, a middle range of
10 to 15 percent loss of sales during construction would
94
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appear reasonable. Although this would represent a significant
loss in sales revenue, it would generally not be considered
sufficient to result in business failure or long-term
economic loss.
The community shopping centers at Shadle Park, Manito,
and Eastown may also experience loss of revenue due to
construction planned adjacent to the centers. Shadle Park
is a major shopping center in the northwest sector, accommo-
dating 3 5 retail and service outlets.
Manito Center accommodates 11 retail and service
establishments, and Eastown currently accommodates 10 retail
and service outlets. Revenue losses of from 10 to 15 percent
can be expected during the construction phase. A large
number of small local business areas may suffer some loss of
revenue due to construction activities. However, typically
such establishments serve the daily needs of local residents
within a 1/2 mile radius and would not be as affected by
parking and traffic congestion problems. The concession-
operated pro shop and restaurant at Downriver Golf Course
may also lose revenue during construction adjacent to these
facilities. Revenue losses would be greatest should
construction occur during peak summer use at the course
(Korff, pers. comm.). Although construction would be required
in many wholesale and industrial zones, the primary impact
would be temporary delays and inconvenience in the transport
and delivery of merchandise and supplies rather than actual
significant losses of revenue.
Klicker Storage Suboption. Using the ratio of 3 0 percent
of costs to determine labor allocations, this alternative
could generate $18,161,460 in total payroll over the 2 to 3
years required for construction. On the basis of those factors
described in Alternative 1, annual employment would range
from 4 07 to 610 persons, depending on the time required for
construction. Workers required would constitute from 45 to
68 percent of all heavy construction workers employed in the
county. Influx of workers from outside labor markets could
be anticipated due to the large labor requirements. Based
on the multiplier effect, the alternative would generate
additional employment of from 204 to 3 05 persons. Assuming
that one-third of total cost is allocated for building
materials, the alternative would result in sales of $18,161,400
in construction materials. Adverse impacts on sales due to
construction adjacent to commercial development would be
generally the same as described in Alternative 1.
Latenser Export Plan. Using the ratio of 30 percent
of cost to determine labor costs, this alternative could
generate $31,693,500 in total payroll over the 2 to 3 years
required for construction. Annual employment would range
95
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from 710 to 1,065 persons, depending on the time required for
construction. Workers required would constitute from 79 to
118 percent of all heavy construction workers employed in
the county. A large influx of workers from outside labor
markets employed in the county. A large influx of workers
from outside labor markets would be required. Based on the
multiplier effect, the alternative would generate additional
employment of from 355 to 533 persons. Assuming that one-third
of total cost is allocated for construction material, the
alternative would result insales of $34,862,850 in building
materials. Adverse impacts would be limited primarily to
relief sewer construction and would be the same as Alternative 1.
Combination Concept. Using the ratio of 30 percent of
costs to determine labor allocations, this alternative could
generate $15,925,200 in total payroll over the 3 to 5 years
required for construction. Annual employment would range
from 214 to 356 persons, depending on the time required for
construction. Workers required would constitute from 24 to
40 percent of all heavy construction workers employed in
the county. Due to the multiplier effect, the alternative
would generate additional employment of from 107 to 178
persons. Assuming that one-third of total cost is allocated
for construction material, the alternative would result in
sales of $17,517,720 in building materials. Some adverse
impacts could be expected due to construction of storage
basins and relief sewers and would be similar to those
described in Alternative 1. Separate storm sewer construction
would occur in some industrial areas and on the northern
fringe of the downtown area. However, the core downtown
area Vvould not require separate storm sewer construction
and would be only affected by relief sewer construction.
Overall, adverse impacts on commercial uses would be signi-
ficantly less than with Alternative 3, but somewhat greater
than for the other alternatives.
No-Action. As this alternative would require no con-
struction^ there, would be no impacts on employment or
economic conditions.
Mitigation Measures. A number of measures could be
implemented to reduce the loss of sales revenue associated
with relief sewer and storm sewer construction. In the more
significantly impacted commercial areas, work should be
limited to one block at a time, and at least partial access
maintained at all times. Construction should be avoided
at major shopping areas during the peak season between October
1 and January 1. Representatives of the downtown business
area recommend the following measures to minimize impacts:
1) limit work to one block segments; 2) perform street work
in evening when possible or before and after peak shopping
hours; 3) plan construction between January 1 and July with
no construction between the holiday season from October 1 to
January 1; 4) keep one or two lanes open on streets under
construction, and remove parking meters if necessary to
accomplish this; and 5) move construction equipment on week-
ends. 96
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Table 4-4
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF EMPLOYMENT
AND CONSTRUCTION SALES IMPACTS
Alternative
#1 - Storage Basins
and Relief Sewers
#2 - Satellite
Treatment and
Relief Sewers
#3 - Separate
Storm Sewers
#4 - Klicker
Storage Sub-
option
#5 - Latenser
Export Plan
#6 - Combination
Concept
Total
Payroll-
Generated
Dollars
Estimated Duration
Annual of
Employment Employment
% of Total
Construction
Employment
(Countywide)
Building
Material
Sales
Dollars
$30,516,000 683 to 1,025 2-3 yrs. 76.0 to 114.0 $33,907,000
28,745,000 644 to 966
2-3 yrs. 72.0 to 107.0 31,620,000
19,215,000 129 to 161 8-10 yrs. 15.0 to 19.0 21,000,000
18,161,460 407 to 610
2-3 yrs. 45.0 to 68.0 18,161,400
31,693,500 710 to 1,065 2-3 yrs. 79.0 to 118.0 34,862,850
15,925,200 214 to 356 3-5 yrs. 24.0 to 40.0 17,517,720
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Influence of Alternatives on Spokane River Quality
History of Water Quality Management and Planning on the
Spokane River
The Spokane River's value as a water resource has been
a major factor in the settlement and growth of the Spokane
area for over 100 years, but it has only been in the last
25 to 30 years that there have been attempts to manage and
protect that resource for its diversity of uses. The U. S.
Geological Survey has measured flows in the river at Long
Lake Dam since it was constructed for power production in
1913. Since that time other stream gauging stations have
been constructed to monitor both flows and water quality in
the river. In the meantime, the river has been further
dammed and developed as a source of power and irrigation water
supply and has been used as a receptacle for the area's
domestic and industrial wastewater. It was not until the
early and mid 1950's that studies were undertaken to analyze
the water quality situation and develop means of improving
river quality and use. Reports by the U. S. Public Health
Service (1952), the Washington State Pollution Control
Commission (1954; now part of DOE), and others began to
identify the severity of the pollution problem and prompted
construction of the first Spokane wastewater treatment plant
in 1958. Since that time, the City and County of Spokane and
the Washington Department of Ecology, among others, have
continued to study the river and plan for its improved
quality and expanded use.
The impetus for recent pollution abatement actions is
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) of 1965 and
subsequent amendments of 1972. This act gives both direction
and purpose to federal, state and local entities involved
in water resources management. It requires that both point
and nonpoint sources of stream pollution be identified and
eliminated by 1985. In response to these directives, the
state has participated in a number of activities designed to
improve water quality management.
In 197 2, the Office of Water Resources and Technology
(U. S. Department of Interior) and DOE sponsored
a detailed water quality analysis of the lower Spokane River
system conducted by Dr. Ray Soltero of Eastern Washington
University. In addition, the Department of Ecology has
prepared priority lists and administered federal-state grants
for upgrading of municipal wastewater treatment systems that
discharge into Spokane River basin waterways. The Department
of Ecology has also prepared a basin-wide water quality manage-
ment plan (Washington Department of Ecology, 1976a) to act as
a framework for developing and judging local wastewater
facilities planning efforts.
98
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Local government efforts since 1972 have concentrated
on improving wastewater treatment systems. The City of
Spokane prepared an action plan in 1972 (Esvelt and Saxton
Bovay Engineers, Inc., 1972) that has led to design and
construction of an advanced wastewater treatment plant and
implementation of this CSO abatement planning effort. Spokane
County has similarly prepared facilities plans for the north
Spokane suburban area and the Newman Lake area. In addition,
the Liberty Lake Sewer District is in the process of preparing
a facilities plan for its portion of the Spokane Valley urban
area.
The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has carried out the
most comprehensive ~water resources inventory and planning
effort in the area to date. Its 1976 water resources study
for the entire metropolitan Spokane area (U. S. Department
of Army, Corps of Engineers, 197 6) provided data and planning
guidelines for controlling both point and nonpoint sources
of water pollution. This data has subsequently been used
by local government entities in their water resources planning
(e.g., City of Spokane, Spokane County).
In response to Section 208 of the FWPCA, the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring two water
quality management plans in the area aimed at remedying
nonpoint source pollution of surface and groundwater. The
Water Quality Management Plan, Rathdrum Aquifer (Panhandle
Area Council, 1978) deals with sources of surface and
groundwater pollution in the Idaho Panhandle area. This is
important to the Spokane area because both the Spokane
River and the Spokane Valley aquifer originate in this area.
The Spokane County Engineers are conducting a similar 208
planning study for that portion of Spokane County underlain
by the aquifer. Federal, state and local water resources
planning and management will be guided in the following
years by recommendations presented in these 208 plans, the
Department of Ecology Water Quality Management Plan for the
Spokane basin, and local facilities plans prepared under the
auspices of EPA and the Department of Ecology.
Parameters and Methods of Analysis
The most recent effort in the Spokane area to eliminate
identified point sources of pollution as required by FWPCA
Amendments of 197 2 is the plan proposed to reduce CSOs from
the City of Spokane. Alternatives considered include:
storage of overflows for later treatment (Alternative 1
and Klicker Plan); storage with export (Latenser Plan);
satellite treatment plants (Alternative 2); complete separation
of storm and sanitary sewer system (Alternative 3); and a
combination of storage and sewage separation (Combination
Concept).
99
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Each alternative is evaluated here according to how
much it would reduce the present waste load exerted by the
city on the Spokane River, and how much it would reduce the
nitrogen and phosphorus load entering Long Lake annually
and during the principal growing season for aquatic vegetation
(May 1 through September 30). The estimated reductions in
city loading are expressed as the average percentage of the
total load, which includes the sewage treatment plant
tertiary effluent, combined sewer overflow and stormwater
plant effluent (Table 4-5). The mean percent of total
nitrogen and total phosphorus load entering Long Lake was
then estimated (Table 4-6) from data collected by R. Soltero
during 1978 (Soltero, pers. comm.).
Parameters considered in evaluating the alternatives
were:
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5). An index to the
amount of dissolved oxygen required to meet demands of aerobic
bacteria in the decompositon of organic matter (generally
a 5-day arithmetic average).
Suspended Solids (SS). A measure of the particulate
matter within the water which could be removed by centri-
fugation or filtration under specified test conditions.
Total Nitrogen (TN). All organic and inorganic forms of
nitrogen as N.
Total Phosphorus (TP). All organic and inorganic forms
of phosphorus as P.
The bacteria and viral character of Spokane River water
quality is discussed in the following section of Chapter 4
titled Ability of Alternatives to Alleviate Public Health
and Aesthetic Concerns.
The load reductions of BOD5, SS, TN and TP shown in
Tables 4-5, 4-6, and 4-7 are the products of average annual
flows presented m Table B-ll (Appendix B) and average water
quality characteristics shown in Table B-10 (Appendix B).
The calculated percent reductions under each alternative
are, therefore, best estimated within ranges of possible values.
Effects of Proposed Alternatives on Nutrient Loading
All of the alternatives except Alternative 3 and the
Latenser Plan would remove approximately equal amounts of
BOD5, SS, TN and TP (Table 4-5). Only the Latenser Plan
includes export of wastewater after it has been stored and
treated and therefore greatly alters loading to the river.
In all other alternatives, the extra wastewater introduced
into the sewage treatment system during storms must eventually
add to the normal dry weather discharges of treated effluent
from the plant. The 99 plus percent removal projected under
100
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Table 4-5
PROJECTED PERCENT OF PRESENT CITY WASTE LOAD REMOVED*
Alternative
BOD 5
SS
TN
TP
Alternative 1
1 yr. storage
25 yr. storage
15
16
17
17
A A
M H-1
A A
M h-»
Alternative 2
12
16
<1
<1
Alternative 3
16
-163**
22
21
Klicker Plan
16
17
<1
<1
Latenser Plan
>99
>99
>99
>99
Combination Concept
17
-15**
3
5
*Sewage treatment plant tertiary effluent discharge plus
stormwater plant discharge plus combined sewer overflows
to the Spokane River removed annually by each alternative.
**Added to present city load.
NOTE :
The product of flows from appropriate discharge points
(Table B-ll, Appendix B) and the expected water quality of
each of these discharge sources (Table B-10, Appendix B)
was converted to projected load in tons per year for each
alternative. Each load was subtracted from then divided
by the total annual city waste load (Table B-12) to approxi-
mate the annual percent removal by each alternative.
101
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the Latenser Plan demonstrates how little a single overflow
each year contributes to the loading compared to the load
which the treatment plant adds to the river. The Latenser
Plan removes the plant discharge (99 plus percent removal)
and leaves a single overflow event each year (<1 percent of
present loading).
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BODq). Organic substances
and ammonia discharged into the river from Spokane's
sewage treatment plant and combined sewer overflow points
are degraded by bacteria. This decomposition consumes
oxygen from surrounding water. Sampling for dissolved oxygen
levels in the Spokane River below the city has revealed
high concentrations, suggesting that the river is able to
assimilate the waste-related BOD load through turbulent
mixing and photosynthesis.
The Latenser Plan would remove essentially all of the
city's BOD5 load on the river (Table 4-5). The other four
alternatives would reduce the load about 12 to 21 percent.
How much the city load represents compared to the total
BOD5 load entering Long Lake is unquantified. A study by
Cunningham and Pine (1969) concluded that the Spokane River
probably does not contribute directly to the anaerobic
condition of Long Lake. Rather, nutrients from the river
stimulate growth of phytoplankton which later decay and
consume oxygen.
Suspended Solids. The removal of suspended solids
would not only increase water clarity in the Spokane River,
but also reduce the influx of bacteria, viruses, heavy
metals, nutrients and other agents adsorbed onto those
particles.
The most effective alternative for removing suspended
solids would be the Latenser Plan (Table 4-5). Alternatives
1, 2 and the Klicker Plan would remove 16 or 17 percent of
the load, representing a minor improvement. Alternative 3
and the Combination Concept would increase the amount of
suspended solids contributed by the City of Spokane. The
significant increase projected under Alternative 3 would be
from mineral solids, such as dust and grit from streets,
entering the river in stormwater runoff . A large amount
of these materials now go to the sewage treatment plant.
The organic solids from sewage wastes would be eliminated
from this runoff. Implementing Best Management Practices,
e.g., sweeping streets and paving dirt roads, should reduce
this projected increase.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus. Although no standards for
nitrogen or phosphorus have been established in the Washington
State Water Quality Standards (Washington State Department of
102
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Ecology, 1977), the Washington State Department of Ecology
believes phosphorus is important enough to require its
year-round removal from Spokane's sewage treatment plant
effluent (NPDES Permit No. WA-02447-3; Washington Department
of Ecology, 1977a). Numerous studies have confirmed that
phosphorus supply is the primary determinant of algal community
biomass and production in most temperate zone lakes (Kalff
and Knoechel, 1978).
Approximately 1,200 tons of total nitrogen (TN) enter
Washington from Idaho (based on average annual flows from
USGS and water quality data from the U. S, Army Corps of
Engineers [1976]). This nitrogen loading represents about
60 percent of the approximate 2,030 tons entering Long Lake
during 1978. The City of Spokane contributes roughly 730 tons
of total nitrogen (36 percent) to this Long Lake load annually.
Idaho contributes about 70 tons of total phosphorus
annually to the Spokane River, which is approximately 31
percent of the 225 tons that entered Long Lake during 1978.
Roughly 80 tons (36 percent) of the total phosphorus are
contributed by Spokane annually. These percentages are only
estimates and would surely vary from year to year, but they
do put relative contributions in perspective.
The percent removals for each alternative shown in Table 4-5
are portions of the 730 tons per year of total nitrogen or
80 tons per year of total phosphorus discharged by the city
through the treatment plant outfall and combined sewer over-
flows. These values were calculated using water quality
data which reflect improvements realized from the treatment
plant's new phosphorus removal facilities. Also, the tons
per year removed by each alternative were assumed to be the
same for both 1977 and 1978 analyses; the percent removed
from the annual TN and TP load entering Long Lake increased
in 1978 because the actual total loading to the lake decreased.
Latenser's Plan for exporting effluent to Crab Creek
would remove essentially all of the city's TN and TP from
the Spokane River (Table 4-5). Thus, 36 percent of the total
annual nitrogen and phosphorus load to Long Lake could be
removed (Table 4-6). This removal would also reduce TN
loading by 44 percent and TP loading by 64 percent during
the growing season (Table 4-7). The nutrient concentrations
resulting in Long Lake from these reductions cannot be pre-
dicted without considering other factors such as water re-
tention time within the reservoir. Nevertheless, the water
quality in Long Lake would be expected to improve significantly.
During 1978 the lake's algal standing crop decreased, water
clarity improved, and less anoxia was noted (Soltero, pers.
comm). The most likely cause for these improvements was the
103
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Table 4-6
POTENTIAL PERCENT OF ANNUAL TOTAL NITROGEN AND TOTAL PHOSPHORUS
LOAD TO LONG LAKE REMOVED BY EACH ALTERNATIVE
Removed from Estimated
Removed from Estimated 1977 1978 Total Load to the
Total Load to the Lake Lake
Alternative TN TP TN TP
Alternative 1
Add
1 yr. Storage <1
Add
25 yr. Storage <1
Alternative 2 <1
/alternative 3 5
Add
"*Jicker Plan <1
'..atenser Plan 22
Conbjnation Concept <1
Add
<1 <1 <1
Add
<1 <1 <1
<1 <1 <1
5 8 7
Add
<1 <1 <1
23 36 36
1 12
¦ RCES: Soltero, et al., 1977; Soltero, pers. comm.
NO'lT:
The tons per year of waste load (TN & TP) removed by each alternative, which
('as determined to construct Table B-12, was divided by the TN and TP load
entering Long Lake annually to estimate the percent removals given above.
The TN and TP values for Long Lake were taken from a report by Soltero, et al.,
^977 and from unpublished data collected during 1978 by R. Soltero (Soltero,
- ers. Gown. ) .
104
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Table 4-7
ESTIMATED PERCENT OF TOTAL NITROGEN AND TOTAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVED
FROM LONG LAKE BY EACH ALTERNATIVE DURING THE
1978 GROWING SEASON (MAY 1 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30)
Alternatives TN TP
Alternative 1
Adds
1 yr. storage
<1
<1
Adds
25 yr. storage
<1
<1
Alternative 2
<1
<1
Alternative 3
10
13
Adds
Klicker Plan
<1
<1
Latenser Plan
44
64
Combination Concept
1
3
NOTE:
Five twelfths of the tons per year potentially removed
from the present city TN and TP load by each alter-
native was divided by the TN and TP loading to Long
Lake calculated from unpublished data (Soltero, pers.
comm.) to provide the result above.
105
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operation of the new phosphorus removal facilities at Spokane's
wastewater treatment plant. The Latenser Plan would remove
a comparable amount of TP as well as TN.
Implementing Alternative 3 would remove about 8 percent
of the annual TN load and 7 percent of the annual TP load
(Table 4-6). During the growing season, reductions would
be greater, i.e., 10 percent TN and 13 percent TP (Table 4-7).
Whether these nutrient reductions would significantly or even
noticeably improve surface water quality below the city is
difficult to judge. Expected improvements would be similar
to those described for the Latenser Plan, but proportionately
smaller.
No significant improvements in receiving-water quality
would be expected if any of the remaining alternatives were
implemented. None would reduce the present loading more than
a few percent (Tables 4-6 and 4-7).
106
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Ability of Alternatives to Alleviate
Public Health and Aesthetic Concerns
Surface Water Contamination
Water is recognized as a conveyor of human and animal
disease agents. The biological agents can be conveniently
cataloged as bacterial, viral and parasitical. In the United
States the bacteria of most concern are members of the genus
Shigella (bacillary dysentery - Shigellosis) the genus
Salmonella (typhoid and salmonellosis) and entero-toxogenic
Escherichia coli. More than 100 virus types associated with
human fecal material can be categorized into viral groups
including polio, ECHO, coxsackie, REO and infectious
hepatitis. The most serious diseases are associated with
polio virus and infectious hepatitis virus. In the United
States poliomyelitis is not now a serious threat because of
active immunization campaigns. The other viruses (ECHO, etc.)
generally cause less severe diseases except among those who
are very susceptible because of age or physical condition.
Water-borne parasitical diseases of importance in the United
States are giardiasis and amoebic dysentery.
Chemical disease agents include metals (such as cadmium,
mercury, lead and arsenic), nitrates and asbestos, and —
particularly pesticides and herbicides. Recently there has
been a growing concern as to the toxigenic properties of a
myriad of low molecular weight organic compounds, such as
the trihalomethanes, which may occur in water and wastewater.
The concern centers about the carcinogenic/mutagenic nature
of these compounds and the effects of long-term exposure to
low concentrations consumed with drinking water and food.
The surface water contamination of concern in this study
is that created by storm-caused CSOs. Although storms
occur throughout the year in Spokane, the winter and spring
months typically have the most storms and the largest
monthly precipitation. A large percentage of the winter
precipitation (November to March) falls as snow, however,
while most spring and summer precipitation (April to October)
is rain. Overflows from the city's combined sewer system
appear to occur most frequently when spring rains coincide
with snowmelt, or when heavy, short duration rainfalls occur
in the summer.(see Figure 4-6). There are approximately
27 points along the Spokane River and one along Hangman
Creek where overflows from the city system occur. The location
and volume of overflows varies tremendously from storm to
storm, depending primarily on the local pattern of rainfall.
Estimates of the number of annual overflow events have ranged
from 7 9 to 110 depending upon the minimum amount of rainfall
considered sufficient to trigger an overflow. The actual
number and volume of overflow to the river is not monitored
by the city. ,n_
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In attempting to evaluate the public health implications
of various sewage disposal systems one must first be aware
of the presence of the aforementioned pathogenic agents as
well as others. Secondly, the dose or concentration of those
agents present must be considered. In this instance the
ability of various CSO control processes to reduce the dose
must be estimated. Finally, the evaluator must consider the
dose contact, i.e., how does the susceptible population come
into contact with the agent and with what frequency.
In making an evaluation of the risk involved in any CSO
control scheme there are two ends to a spectrum based upon
intensity of "dose contact". The low risk would be associated
with a situation in which no contact can be made between a
susceptible host and the wastewater, regardless of degree of
treatment. High risk would be associated with intimate contact
(ingestion) with raw wastewater.
The Spokane County Health District has no documented
evidence of any diseases being contracted by individuals
using the Spokane River during combined sewer overflows
(Pickett, pers. comm.). It was stressed, however, that this
lack of documentation does not mean that no illnesses have
occurred. Several doctors in the area have reportedly
attributed infections to contact with wastewater. Where the
contact occurred has not been specified.
Pathogenic Organisms. Contamination of water by pathogenic
organisms is normally monitored by testing for the presence
of fecal coliform bacteria. Even though the fecal coliform
is only one of many known disease-carrying agents found in
water, it is considered a good indicator of contamination by
human wastes which are known to carry a variety of other
potentially harmful pathogens. High levels of fecal coliforms
m water indicate the potential for a significant health
hazard to humans.
Combined sewer overflows carry varying concentrations
of pathogenic organisms, depending upon the relative amounts
of domestic wastewater and storm runoff that have combined
to create the overflow. Data collected in a national survey
by EPA (1977a) characterized fecal coliform levels in CSO as
ranging from 201,000 to 1,140,000 MPN per 100 ml. Two
samples taken from the T. J. Meenach overflow in November
1974 (after first flush) had fecal coliform levels of 460,000
and 2,4 00,000 MPN per 100 ml (Spokane City Department of
Public Works, 1977, Text). More recent samples (August and
November 1977) taken from the Meenach overflow by the Washington
Department of Ecology (pers. comm.) recorded somewhat lower
fecal coliform levels — 107,800 and 120,000 MPN per 100 ml.
It is obvious that no single number can be used to characterize
fecal coliform levels in CSO. In order to understand the
public health risks associated with CSOs, however, it helps
to consider what a "typical" overflow situation might entail.
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The Meenach overflow carries the largest annual discharge
to the Spokane River. The city facilities plan indicated a
typical Meenach overflow carries 6.1 million gallons of CSO
into the river over a 9-hour period (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, 1977, Text). If this overflow contained
100,000 MPN per 100 ml fecal coliform and occurred during a
low river flow condition (1,000 cfs), it would receive about
a 40:1 dilution when completely mixed. Fecal coliform levels
would then be about 2,500 MPN per 100 ml downstream assuming
no background contamination in the river. Under a high river
flow situation (10,000 cfs) typical of winter and spring
months, the Meenach overflow could receive up to 400:1 dilution
if total mixing occurred. Downstream fecal coliform levels
would be expected to be about 250 MPN per 100 ml. State
Class A river water quality standards call for fecal coliform
levels of 100 MPN per 100 ml or less. These examples are
theoretical of course, but they do indicate that CSOs have
a definite bearing on the level of pathogenic organisms and
therefore public health risks found in the Spokane River.
The city's facilities plan presented two graphs that give
actual coliform measurements taken in the river during
overflow events. They provide more graphic evidence of the
impact of CSO on river bacterial quality (see Figures 4-4
and 4-5).
As biological agents move downstream, concentrations can
be changed by a variety of factors including dilution, light
intensity, water clarity, water temperature and natural die-off.
The half life of viruses and bacteria in natural freshwater
can range from 4 to 30 hours depending upon most of these factors.
Thus, unless a stream is particularly sluggish, the impact
of natural decay on pathogenic organism concentrations
immediately downstream is negligible. In estimating the
health risk to downstream users along the Spokane River,
the most conservative approach is to assume that natural
removal processes will have a minimal effect upon biological
agent concentrations at least as far downstream as the slack
waters of Long Lake.
Each proposed CSO abatement option would improve the
quality of the Spokane River below Spokane during high waste-
water flow conditions. The reduction in untreated CSOs is
the key to this improvement. The Klicker option would be
the most effective, completely eliminating untreated over-
flows to the river. Alternative 1 with 25-year storage
capacity would be nearly as effective, reducing overflows
to once in 25 years (or roughly 4 percent chance of an
overflow occurring in any given year). This overflow would
probably occur in spring when rapid snowmelt combined with
heavy rains, or in early summer during high intensity-short
duration thunder storms. Most active water contact use of
the river occurs between June and September, so there is the
possibility that this CSO would create a health threat to
people in direct contact with the river between Spokane and
Long Lake.
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FIGURE 4-4
COLI FORM COUNTS TAKEN IN SPOKANE
RIVER DURING RAINSTORM
OF NOVEMBER 17, 1974
I— 11-17 - 7 4 ~+«• II -18-74
SOURCE CITY OF SPOKANE OEPT OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, TE XT TIME -HOURS
-------
FIGURE 4-5
COLI FORM COUNTS TAKEN IN SPOKANE RIVER DURING PERIOD OF
STEADY RUNOFF FROM SNOWMELT ON FEBRUARY 13,1975
NOON HI
SOURCE MODIFIEO FROM CITY OF SPOKANE DEPT OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, TEXT
-------
Under the Latenser Plan and Alternative 1 with limited
1-year storage capacity, one overflow event would probably
occur each year (100 percent chance of an overflow occurring
in any given year). The Alternative 1 overflow could occur
at any or all of the 14 storage basin locations. The single
overflow from the Latenser Plan could occur at the Trent or
Clark Street pump stations and/or at the large storage
reservoir across the river from the wastewater treatment
plant. The overflow would most likely occur in spring or
early summer and would create a health hazard from the dis-
charge point downstream to Long Lake.
Alternative 3 would eliminate combined overflows to the
river, but would increase the discharge of stormwater runoff
Stormwater typically carries a much lower bacterial load
than does CSO, but fecal coliform levels ranging from less
than 30 to about 11,000 MPN per 100 ml have been measured
in Spokane stormwater in the past. The source of these
organisms is unknown, but domestic animal and not human
wastes may be the primary contributor. If separate storm
sewers are constructed, their discharges could be subject
to a general NPDES waste discharge permit issued by DOE.
The permit would specify the types of control strategies
the city might undertake to improve the quality of storm
runoff reaching the river.
Alternative 2 does nothing to eliminate the CSOs to
the Spokane River, but it would chlorinate all overflows.
The impact of this control strategy on pathogenic organism
hazards in the river would depend upon the effectiveness of
the chlorination process. Information on this subject is
not readily available, but it is expected that chlorination
at the smaller overflow points could probably reduce fecal
coliform levels below Class A stream standards. At the larg
overflow points, however, it may be extremely difficult
to adequately disinfect the large volumes of water that
would have to be treated in high runoff situations. Proper
nxing and contact time may not be available in the
.Siuali satellite treatment facilities.
The no-action alternative would do nothing to improve
the present bacterial contamination problem that arises
after each overflow of the city's combined sewer system.
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Aesthetics
Trash and Floating Materials. The heaviest CSOs enter
the Spokane River (and eventua1ly Long Lake) during spring
snowmelt or the intense, short-duration rainstorms of spring
and summer. During these same seasons, the Spokane River and
Long Lake receive the heaviest use by swimmers, boaters,
fishermen, etc. Persons recreating at Long Lake have com-
plained about "toilet paper", and other sewage-related refuse
which collects occasionally in the backwaters and along the
shores.
Klicker's proposal to end all overflows to the Spokane
River would eliminate Spokane's contribution to the aesthetic
problems created by large waste solids in Long_ Lake. Satel-
lite plants (Alternative 2) would remove nearly all of these
larger solids by screening and settling. Overflow reductions
would confine the frequency of the problem to once each year
(Alternative 1 and Latenser) or once every 25 years (Alter-
native 1 - Suboption) and greatly reduce the volume of overflows.
Some trash and animal fecal matter could enter the river
through storm sewers if Alternative 3 were constructed.
Screening and Best Management Practices applied to urban
clean-up would help mitigate this potential problem.
Water Clarity. Suspended solids from Spokane's CSOs
detract from the clarity of Spokane River water, especially
during low flows. Sediments from Hangman Creek and upstream
areas mask the effect of CSOs during high flows. The
Latenser Plan (storage and export) would eliminate nearly
all suspended sediment loading contributed by the City of
Spokane (Table 4-5). Alternatives 1 and 2 and the Klicker Plan
would each reduce this loading about 16 to 17 percent. Under
the Combination Concept more suspended solids would be
expected to enter the river than now. Complete separation
(Alternative 3) would allow sediment-laden stormwater to
enter the river directly and substantially increase (163
percent) the city's loading of suspended sediments. Establishing
prudent Best Management Practices for storm sewer and street
cleaning should improve the quality of stormwater runoff and
help mitigate the impacts introduced by sewer separation.
Chemical Health Hazards. Inorganic and organic chemicals
can be introduced into surface waters by combined sewer
overflows. Metallic compounds are typical inorganic agents
thought to be harmful to man. Organic compounds such as
pesticides, herbicides and trihalomethanes are also considered
a health threat even in low concentrations.
The Latenser Plan would eliminate most waste-related
chemical hazards coming from the City of Spokane by exporting
all wastewater from the basin. The hazard would be relocated
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in Crab Creek. Alternatives 1 and 2, the Klicker Plan and
the Combination Concept provide some level of treatment to
most CSOs, but there is relatively little known about how
effective the typical wastewater treatment processes are at
removing the chemicals of concern. Alternative 3 would
ensure treatment of the sanitary wastes now being discharged
untreated as CSO, but all stormwater would pass directly to
the river with no treatment. Those chemical contaminants
(Table B-l) typically washed into the wastewater system by
surface runoff will continue to flow into the river with no
treatment.
Keeping potentially hazardous chemicals out of surface
waters is best accomplished through source control. Manu-
facturers and users of these materials must be educated about
their hazards and they must be encouraged to carefully handle and
dispose of used chemicals and chemical containers. Pollutants
that collect on streets and other paved areas should be
cleaned up and disposed of in landfills or other appropriate
disposal sites rather than simply be washed into drainage
systems. Federally-sponsored 208 planning efforts are designed
to confront these nonpoint sources of water pollution.
Algal Toxicity. Blooms of reportedly toxin-producing
algae such as Anabaena flos-aquae and Microcystis originosa
have occurred in Long Lake. If these algal blooms are limited
by phosphorus and/or nitrogen loading, CSO abatement (which
removes little of either nutrient) probably will not reduce
this problem.
Groundwater Contamination
Groundwater exchange between subsurface aquifers and
the Spokane River below Spokane results in a net flow into
the river. There may be some transfer of water from the
river to the aquifer during the dry season, but no incidents
of contamination have been reported to local health or planning
officials (Card, pers. comm.). Therefore, it appears that
none of the CSO alternatives would significantly alter current
conditions, but could reduce the potential for future ground-
water contamination.
Sewer System Backups
During heavy rainstorms, many of the existing sewer
trunk lines in Spokane are reportedly taxed beyond capacity.
The combination of normal sanitary waste flows and storm-
water runoff hydraulically overloads the smaller sewer lines,
causing wastewater to backup and overflow at low points in
the system. These low points are frequently manholes,
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basement drains or ground-level bathrooms of residential and
commercial structures that are hooked to the trunk lines by
sewer laterals. These overflows represent a threat to
public health, are a nuisance, and a cause of property damage.
The history of sewer backups is not well documented in
Spokane. They are only brought to the attention of the city
when those persons affected either call the utilities department
to seek aid in pumping out flooded basements or when claims
for damages are filed with the city. No attempts have been
made to keep detailed records and maps of backup frequencies
and locations, but general information compiled by the
Spokane City Department of Public Works and Utilities Depart-
ment indicates that at least 1,400 backup event occur each
year. (Fourteen hundred structural floodings, including
some structures that are affected several times a year,
[James, pers. comm.]). The number obviously varies from
year to year, depending on the number and intensity of
rainstorms that hit Spokane. A normal year might include
80 to 100 stormy days capable of causing backups at some
locations in the city. Records maintained by the city and
its insurance company indicate that each backup results in
an average of $700 in property damage and/or cleanup costs
(James, pers. comm.).
Due to the general nature of the information available
on backups and the anticipated significance of fiscal and
environmental impacts associated with backup correction,
letters have been forwarded to the City of Spokane requesting
a more thorough description of the problem. Location,
extent and frequency of backups need to be more accurately
determined, and the fiscal impact of the backups needs to
be looked at in greater detail. This information has not
been developed in time to present in the Draft EIS, but
should be available for inclusion in the final report. More
accurate descriptions of the problem are essential to
determining the severity of the present public health threat
and the fiscal reasonableness of the proposed control
measures.
Backup locations vary with the intensity of the storm,
but some small areas north of the river flood almost every
time there is a storm. Residential areas near the intersections
of Division and Mission, and Lincoln and Knox are two such
areas. Less frequent but occasional backups occur in the
Hollywood northwest area, in the northeast quadrant of town
north of Wellesley, in scattered south-town locations around
Manito Park, and southeast of the Sprague-Perry Street
intersection. Small portions of the downtown area also
experience occasional backups, especially along Spokane Falls
Boulevard, Riverside and adjacent ot the railroad tracks
(based on generalized mapping prepared by the Spokane City
Department of Public Works).
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The potential public health problems linked to backup
and spillage of untreated sewage include a wide range of
bacterial and viral maladies. Infections could include
dysentery, infectious hepatitis, typhoid, staph infection,
shigella and others. Tape worms, roundworms and amoebic
dysentery can also be transmitted through sewage. However,
discussions with the Spokane County Environmental Health
District (Prather, pers. comm.) indicated they have not
received reports of human illness related to contact with
sewer backups. The health threat comes primarily from direct
contact with the backup, but overflows also increase the
possibility of water supply contamination. It would normally
take an unusual set of circumstances for this wastewater to
enter water supply piping, but if negative pressure in water
lines were to coincide with flooding, wastewater could be
drawn into basement water fixtures.
Each of the major CSO control options analyzed in the
Spokane Facilities Plan includes a method of relieving
this backup problem. The storage and satellite treatment
alternatives (Alternatives 1 and 2) provide for construction
of about 55 miles of relief sewers. These would be scattered
throughout the city and would be placed parallel to existing
undersized lines. The relief sewers would be sized to
provide a combined new and existing pipe capacity sufficient
to carry the 25-year-frequency storm. This would eliminate
backups in all but the most severe storm that could be expected
in a 25-year period.
The Latenser Plan, which modifies the city's storage
alternative, did not originally include relief sewers. It
was designed primarily to eliminate or reduce overflows to
the river. However, for purposes of this EIS analysis relief
sewers were added so that this alternative would respond to
the city's desire to eliminate basement flooding. Therefore,
the Latenser Plan would reduce the public health threat from
sewer backups to the same degreee as Alternatives 1 and 2.
The Klicker Plan proposes to solve the backup problem
by constructing gate valves and small storage basins on the
sewer laterals of each structure currently affected by back-
ups. This system prevents backups by restricting reverse
sewage flow from trunk lines. It eliminates the backup in
structures with gate valves, but does not relieve the
hydraulic overloading of trunk sewers. Therefore, there is
the chance that the overflow might simply be relocated to an
upstream section of the trunk system. This relocation effect
would vary from one area to the next, but would have to be
considered before installing gate valves on a large number
of laterals. The exact number of individual control systems
needed is not known because a complete count of affected
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structures has not been made. However, Mr. Klicker suggests
that about 700 units would have to be installed. If properly
constructed and maintained, the gate valve-storage basin
systems should eliminate backup-related public health threats
at the homes receiving the new systems.
The city's Alternative 3 would solve the backup problem
by providing separate storm sewers for the entire city. This
separation of storm runoff and sanitary wastewater would
eliminate all storm-related sewer backups. It would also
require construction of about 220 miles of new pipeline.
Construction of these lines would be phased over a considerable
period of time so all backups would not be relieved immediately.
Total construction period estimates are as high as 10 years.
Under the Combination Concept, drainage areas 1, 2, 3,
4, 7, 9, 11 and 13 (Figure 2-7) would receive separate sewers
to solve the backup problem. Drainage areas 5, 6, 8, 10,
12, 14 and 15 would be provided with relief sewers to
eliminate basement flooding. The effectiveness of these
control measures was discussed above for Alternatives 1 and 3.
If outlying county areas were connected to the city
system under Alternative 3, this would have little or no
influence on the elimination of sewer backups as long as
the connections were made into lines with sufficient
hydraulic capacity.
The no-action option perpetuates the existing situation.
Backups and basement flooding would continue during intense
storms unless some type of control action was taken by the
individual homeowner. The public health threat would also
remain.
In summary, Alternative 3 appears to provide the greatest
protection from the sewer backup and basement flooding problems
experienced in Spokane because it completely removes storm
runoff from the sanitary sewer system. Alternatives 1 and 2
and the Latenser option could provide major protection through
construction of relief sewers, but backups could still occur
under the most severe precipitation situations. The Klicker
Plan would provide backup protection to those structures
known to have an existing problem, but in some instances the
health threat may simply be relocated.
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Long-Term Effect of Alternatives on Beneficial Uses
of the Spokane River and Land Adjacent to the River
Introduction
The Spokane River and adjacent lands below the City of
Spokane are a major source of recreation for local residents
and visitors to the area. River flows are used for power
generation and to supply water for industry. Whether these
beneficial uses will be affected by alternative plans for
abatement of CSO is discussed based on interviews with
individuals representing the various uses.
Figure 4-6 at the end of this discussion plots the
seasonality of the various beneficial uses and also indicates
the frequency of storm events and of combined sewer overflows
under a design criterion allowing one overflow per year.
Water-Contact Recreation
Swimming and Water Skiing, Although some water skiing
enthusiasts might extend the season somewhat by braving cool
air and cold water in wet suits, most in-water activities are
confined to the warmer summer months of July and August
(Figure 4-6). Underwater currents, whirlpools and cold
water temperatures make the free flowing portion of the
Spokane River between the city and Long Lake dangerous for
swimmers.
When materials commonly flushed down toilets appear
along the shores and within the backwaters of the lake,
recreationists are reluctant to enter the water. A strong
"sewage odor" often accompanies the appearance of this waste
matter (Phillips, et al., pers. comm.). According to Long
Lake residents, their physicians blame lake water for re-
current eye and ear infections and rashes. Posting of the
lake and newspaper warnings of toxic conditions have created
for some the impression that the water is totally unsuitable
for body-contact recreation.
Each of the proposed CSO alternatives would significantly
reduce the present health hazards and aesthetic problems
now associated with swimming and other water-contact recreation.
Implementing Alternative 1 would reduce overflows to one per
year or one per 25 years on the average, depending upon the
design adopted. Both possible designs represent major
reductions from the present overflow rate of approximately
80 per year. Alternative 3 and the Klicker Plan would
eliminate essentially all CSOs to the Spokane River. Storm-
water would still reach the river under Alternative 3, though,
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and could introduce surface runoff pollutants such as heavy
metals, oil and grease, sediment and an array of organic
materials. The Latenser Plan allows for one CSO per year.
No overflows would be removed under Alternative 2, but all
would receive primary treatment. Screening and chlorination
would remove trash, floatables, etc., and kill most bacteria.
Suspended solids may still enter the river and decrease
water clarity. Even with chlorination, pathogenic viruses
and resistant parasitic organisms could cause risks to public
health.
The source of odors on the Spokane River (especially at
Long Lake) is unknown. The decay of organic material,
partially represented in Table - as BOD5 may be a possible
cause. All CSO abatement alternatives would remove about
12 to 17 percent of the total BOD5 load now discharged by
the city, (except the Latenser Plan, which would remove
99.9 plus percent). Whether the reduction by any but the
Latenser Plan would be a significant part of the total
organic load, or whether the decay of the city's CSO
organics is causing the odor problems is unknown. It may be
that the odor is associated with the decay of algae or other
aquatic life.
The waters of Long Lake have become toxic during blooms
of blue-green algae (Anabaena flos-aquae). If phosphorus
or nitrogen are limiting, the amount of both nutrients that
any of the CSO alternatives would remove (Table 4-6) is
considered insufficient to affect any significant reduction
in present levels of eutrophication.
Rafting, Canoeing and Kayaking. The most enthusiastic
members (15 to 20 persons) of the White-Water Northwest Kayak
Club use the Spokane River year round (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, 1977 Appendices). A maximum of 40 members
use the river from March to September (Figure 4-6). The Bowl
and Pitcher area and the section between Maple Street and
Fort Wright Bridge receive the most use.
Spokane River Expeditions provides rafting runs from
Glover Field (near Monroe Street) to the Rifle Club Road
area. Most of this rafting occurs from June to September
(Staves, pers. comm.).
Eastern Washington .University Recreation Department
uses the Spokane River for rafting and canoeing. About 16
people canoe near Nine Mile Dam, and 35 to 4 5 people raft
in the Bowl and Pitcher area six or seven times each year
(Spokane City, Department of Public Works, 1977, Appendices).
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Running the river in rafts or inner tubes is popular
with visitors to Riverside State Park. Users put in upstream
from the park and either float through or get out at the
riverfront campground (Heiser, pers. comm.).
Present water quality apparently has little impact upon
rafting, canoeing and kayaking, according to sources contacted.
Thus, eliminating trash and improving water clarity would be
desirable but wouldn't necessarily increase the use of the
river.
Scuba Diving. Instructors at the Spokane Scuba School
report that a few people float from above Spokane to Riverside
State Park using snorkle and mask, and they occasionally spear
fish. Most diving occurs above the city (Wilson, pers. comm.).
Those persons now snorkling in the Spokane River have
not been discouraged by CSOs or by the county health department.
Whether use by scuba divers would increase under the proposed
alternatives was not speculated upon.
On-Water Recreation
Boating. Given favorable weather, residents of Long
Lake would boat from March or April until November (Phillips,
et al., pers. comm.). Both sailboats and motor boats are
used on the lake.
Algae and aquatic weeds create most of the problems for
boaters. Algae accumulates on the submerged portions of
boats and can be removed only by heavy scouring. Boat lifts
have been purchased by several individuals to avoid this
problem; others refuse to launch their boats now. Aquatic
weeds fill the quiet bays and tend to restrict the boating
area. As mentioned earlier, the algae and weeds result to a
large extent from general nutrient loading which cannot be
directly attributed to CSOs.
Fishing. Bass fishermen use Long Lake from spring thaw
(March! to winter freeze (November), although year-round
fishing is allowed below Mission Street. Approximately 300
persons are members of bass fishing clubs within the Spokane
area. Several catch-and-release tournaments with up to 80
participants are held each year at Long Lake (Parish,
pers. comm.).
The Washington State Federation of Bass Clubs has
traditionally supported the practice of high nutrient
loading into Long Lake. More nutrients have meant more
productivity, i.e., bigger bass in a shorter time (Parish,
pers. comm.). Individual fishermen have expressed disgust
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at the sewage wastes which occasionally accumulate in back-
waters and along shores from Willow Bay to Long Lake Dam
during summer (Burns, pers. comm.). Sewage wastes from the
City of Spokane would rarely or never appear in the water
or along the shorelines of Long Lake if any of the CSO
alternatives were implemented. The overflows represent such
a small part of the total nutrient load on Long Lake that
they should not impair the bass fishery.
Decreased use of Long Lake for bass fishing tournaments
and fishing in general is attributed to an increase in
squawfish and other rough fish, and to insufficient boat
launching facilities. Most fish are released during tournaments,
so edibility is of little concern. Long Lake residents,
however, are reluctant to eat fish from the lake (Phillips,
et al., pers. comm.). This reluctance is based upon a general
distrust of the lake's water quality. Complete trust may
not be restored until algal blooms disappear from the lake,
a feat beyond the capability of CSO abatement. Certain
species of blue-green algae may impart an unpalatable flavor
to fish. Although flavor tainting was not mentioned in the
interviews it may be a factor in an apparent reluctance to
eat fish from the lake.
Ice Skating. From around December through February,
Long Lake residents enjoy ice skating on the frozen lake.
Combined sewer overflows have apparently not affected this
use.
Hunting. Duck hunting season in the Spokane area extends
from mid-October to mid-January. Approximately 30 to 50
hunters can be found on Long Lake on a weekend during hunting
season (McCalgen, pers. comm.).
Adopting any of the proposed alternatives would not
alleviate the duck hunters principal problem, the shifting
of the flyway west and away from Spokane (Miotke, pers. comm.).
Shoreline Activities
Camping and Picnicking. Riverside State Park contains
5,543 acres with 44,000 feet of river frontage. Attendance
figures compiled for camping and day use at the park in
197 6 and 1977 show May, June and July as the most popular
months, with April and August still receiving heavy use
(Heiser, pers. comm.). Visitors to the park totaled 690,082
and 851,987 during 1976 and 1977, respectively.
Signs are posted in state campgrounds adjacent to the
river warning "Do Not Drink Water or Use for Washing". The
boat launch has been closed periodically when the lake was
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posted by the Spokane County Health Department during toxic
algal blooms. Nevertheless, a very small increase in use of
Riverside State Park is anticipated if factors such as health
hazards, streamside aesthetics, turbidity and smell, and algal
blooms were improved (Heiser, pers. comm.). All of the CSO
alternatives should reduce these problems except, perhaps,
the algal blooms which have not been conclusively linked
with CSO loading.
Scenic Driving, Hiking, etc. Driving along the parkway
and roadway which border the Spokane River within Riverside
State Park is one of the important uses of the shoreline area.
Many park visitors enjoy the scenic overlooks offered along
the route (Heiser, pers. comm.).
Other facilities available in the state park are hiking
and horseback riding trails, a firing range and off-road
vehicle use areas.
Park officials feel that these shoreline activities would
not be increased by the elimination of combined sewer overflows.
Trash, floatables, turbidity and odor apparently do not now
detract from the enjoyment of these uses.
Many Long Lake residents no longer walk their dogs along
shoreline areas because they fear for their animals' health
(Phillips, et al., pers. comm.). According to the office
of Fredrickson, Maxey, Bell & Stiley, several dog deaths
have been linked to ingestion of toxic algae from the lake
(Delfeld, pers. comm.). Because the abatement of CSOs
probably will not measurably affect algal blooms, this
problem may continue for dog owners.
Bird Watching. Bird watching is very productive during
spring along the shorelines at Long Lake and above Nine Mile
in Riverside State Park (Hagen, pers. comm.).
CSOs apparently create no problem for this use.
Golfing. Golfers can see the Spokane River from the
clubhouse and various other points of the Downriver Municipal
Golf Course (Korff, pers. comm.). Changes in water quality
would not be noticeable from this distance-
Economic Uses - -----
Resorts and Restaurants. During 197 5, Long Lake supported
three resort areas: Sportman's Paradise, Willow Bay Resort
and Tumtum. Sportsman's Paradise no longer operates, but
the latter two are open year-round with camping occurring
from April to October.
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Willow Bay Resort grossed approximately $60,000 per year
during the early 1970s and was gaining roughly $10,000 to
$20,000 annually (Thom, pers. comm.). Yearly gross income
is now about $40,000. Mr. Thom, owner of the resort, blames
this loss of business on the bad image given to Long Lake by
publicity on the October 1975 bypass, on algal blooms during
197 6 and 1977, and on overflows during storm events. Very
few of his regular customers (before 1975) return now. Resorts
at other lakes within the Spokane area are often at capacity
while his is never filled.
Sportman's Paradise was closed by the owner on his own
accord October 3, 1975 when sewage was bypassed to the river
while the new treatment plant was being put into operation
(Miotke, pers. comm.). From 1969 to 1974, Mr. Miotke in-
vested roughly $140,000 in this resort. Gross returns rose
from about $8,000 in 1969 to $35,000 in 1975. State jamborees
were once held at Sportsman's Paradis and nearly 3,000
visitors attended a weekend boat race during 1974. Mr. Miotke
felt that the health hazard in the lake after the 1975
bypass was sufficient reason to close his resort.
Sunset Bay Restaurant has also reportedly suffered from
the bad image given Long Lake by press coverage of the bypass,
algal blooms and overflows. Fewer people now visit the lake;
this reduces restaurant use (McCullough, pers. comm.).
Business was cut in half during the algal blooms when
homeowners across the lake, worried about the algae and
hampered by macrophyte outbreaks, wouldn't boat across to
dine out. The restaurant owners have abandoned plans to
invest in construction of a laundromat and hardware store
at their present site.
Mitigating CSOs should help dispel the image of raw
sewage being discharged into the river and entering Long
Lake. The lake's eutrophic condition and associated algal
blooms, however, are the result of more than just overflows.
Any improvement in water quality coupled with favorable
publicity should bolster the success of shoreline resorts.
Property Value. Mr. William Main, a real estate broker
and developer in the Spokane area, has developed and is
developing several thousand acres of property adjacent to
Long Lake. He testified that the October 1975 sewage bypass
and the 197 6 and 1977 toxic algal blooms had no adverse impact
upon the market value of this property or upon his ability to
sell this property in the Spokane real estate market (Miotke
v. City of Spokane, 1977).
Power Generation. Washington Water Power operates a
series of hydroelectric structures on the Spokane River.
The present quality of surface water does not interfere with
123
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the generation of power (Vaughn, pers. comm.). The only
possible CSO abatement conflict with power production would
be export of Spokane's wastewater as proposed in the Latenser
Plan. Washington Water Power Company has rights to generate
electricity with all water in the river up to its generator's
capacity (O'Kelley, pers. comm.). Therefore, removal of the
treatment plant flow from the river during low flow conditions
could theoretically reduce WWP's generation capabilities.
The actual reduction in flow would be quite small, however,
(60 cfs) and some agreement could probably be reached
between Spokane and WWP with regard to any export.
Industrial and Agricultural Uses
Industrial Uses. The only significant withdrawal of
surface water from the Spokane River is for industrial purposes.
Annual consumptive use is 2,372 million gallons (10 cfs)
while diversion by Kaiser Trentwood is 6,387 million gallons
(27 cfs; U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976; Appendix C).
This water is withdrawn above most of the outlet pipes for
combined sewer overflow.
Agricultural Uses. Surface water used for agricultural
irrigation is taken from the Little Spokane River, and its
tributaries (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976; Appendix C).
CSOs, therefore, have no impact upon this use.
Spokane River water below the city and above Long Lake
Dam is not used as a water supply for commercial livestock.
However, riding stables are maintained (near Seven Kile Dam),
and cows graze near Nine Mile Dam (Soltero, pers. comm.).
As of June 1977, Dr. Pidlake, head of the Animal Health
Division of the Washington State Agricultural Department,
knew of no documented cases of animal sickness related to
the drinking of river water below the City of Spokane
(Spokane City Department of Public Works, 1977; Appendices).
Uses Downstream from Long Lake Dam
Spokane Indian Reservation. The Spokane Indian Reservation
consists of about 150,000 acres of land and is bounded on the
south by 3 0 miles of the Spokane River from Chamokane Creek
to the Columbia River. The tribe uses the Spokane River for
hunting, fishing and other recreation as well as irrigation
and livestock watering (Spokane City Department of Public
Works, 1977; Appendices).
The Spokane Indians have traditionally been concerned
that sewage from the City of Spokane be removed from the
river. This concern extends now to the elimination of
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overflows during storms (Dellwo, pers. comm.). Tribal
use of the river for fishing and domestic water supply and
their plans for fish farming and expanded recreational
development are hampered by the belief that the water is
polluted. Reducing CSOs may improve their opinions.
Coulee Dam National Recreation Area. Approximately
150,000 visitors to the Coulee Dam Recreation Area enjoyed
the facilities offered at the Spokane Arm of Franklin D.
Roosevelt Lake. Two Class A campgrounds with beaches, boat
launching ramps, fireplace grills, bath houses and numerous
camping and picnicking sites have been established there by
the National Park Service (Dunmire, pers. comm.). The warmer,
quieter waters of the Spokane arm are preferred by water
skiers and swimmers. Anglers fish for walleye, rainbow
trout, chinook salmon, and silver salmon in these waters.
Combined sewer overflows from Spokane apparently are not
now discouraging visitors from using the Spokane Arm of Franklin D.
Roosevelt Lake. Park officials are concerned, however,
about preventing pollution of the water. There has been
some concern that the blue-green algae (Anabaena) which
bloomed in the Spokane Arm last summer (1978) may have been
the result of "seeding" by algae from Long Lake (Sterling,
pers. comm.).
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FIGURE 4-6
SEASONALITY OF BENEFICIAL USES OF
THE SPOKANE RIVER IN RELATION TO
AREA PRECIPITATION & POTENTIAL CSO EVENTS
SEPT OCT NOV etc
WATER CONTACT RECREATION
SWIMMING , WATER SKIING
RAFTING, CANOEING, KAYA KING
SCUBA OIVING
ON-WATER RECREATION
BOATING
FISHING
ICE SKATING
HUN fIMC
SHORELINE ACTIVITIES
CAMPING , PICNICKING
HIKING, OOG WALKING , SCENIC ORIVE
BIRD HATCHING
GOLF COURSE
ECONOMIC USES
RESORTS
RESTAURANT
PROPERTY VALUES
POWER GENERATION
AGRICULTURAL USES
L IVESTOCK WATERING
IRRIGATION
HISTORIC
PRECIPITATION
PATTERN
200 -
I 90 —
180
170 -
160 -
MO-
NO -
130-
l 20 —
I I 0
100 -
90 —
SO
70
60 -
50-
40-
30-
20
10-
0
PPT SNOWFALL
NONE
NONE
PRECIPITATION PREDOMINANTLY RAINFALL*
PPT
SNOWFALL
MAR I APRIL
I MAY I JUNE I JULY 1 AUG 1 SEPT ¦ OCT ¦ NOV I OEC
CSO
SEASONALITY
DESIGN tOVERriOW/YR OR
1 YR STORM FREQUENCY
J~T-l
126
• U S DEPARTMENT Of COMMERCE NATIONAL OCEANIC £ ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, 1976
¦ « BASED ON ACTUAL OVERFLOW EVENT OATA COLLECTED 1566 TO 1977
-------
Influence of Alternatives on Spokane River Tributaries
Introduction
Hangman Creek and the Little Spokane River are the major
tributaries entering the Spokane River between the Idaho
border and Long Lake Dam. Hangman Creek enters at Highbridge
Park, 7 2.4 miles above the mouth of the Spokane River. The
river becomes Long Lake where the Little Spokane enters 56.3
miles above the mouth.
Hangman Creek
A single outfall from Spokane's combined sewer system
discharges into Hangman Creek approximately 4 miles above
the creek's confluence with the Spokane River. CSO abatement
would substantially decrease (Alternative 1 and Latenser
Plan), eliminate (Klicker Plan), or improve the quality of
(Alternatives 2 and 3) overflows from this outfall.
Because most of the water quality monitoring programs
have involved sampling below the CSO discharge point into
Hangman Creek, it is difficult to evaluate the changes CSO
abatement would effect. High nitrogen and phosphorus levels
have been recorded in the creek, but no studies have been
conducted to determine the exact source of the nutrients.
CSO suspended solids additions to the creek represent a
minor impact upon Hangman Creek compared to the heavy sediment
load introduced by erosive soils during rainy seasons; CSO
abatement would be beneficial but not vital to the improve-
ment of its quality.
Little Spokane River
Only Alternative 3 (separate storm sewers) could affect
water quality in the Little Spokane River, but effects could
be significant. Although no overflow from the City of Spokane
now enters this tributary, Kennedy Engineers (1978) indicate
that sewage from small individual treatment systems in the
North Spokane area probably does. Sewer separation within
the city would increase the capacity of the Spokane sewage
treatment plant to accommodate flows from other areas within
the region, e.g., North Spokane. The elimination of oxidation
ponds and individual septic tanks near the Little Spokane
River would probably decrease direct and indirect (through
groundwater discharges to the river) contamination of the
tributary.
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Effects of Wastewater Importation
on the Crab Creek Drainage
Crab Creek is a major drainage in east central Washington
with a total watershed of approximately 4,250 square miles.
Its headwaters are located 25 miles west of Spokane near the
community of Reardan. The stream flows southwest and then
west across Lincoln County and into Grant County, where it
turns abruptly south and enters the Parker Horn of Moses Lake.
After passing through control structures on both Moses Lake
and Potholes Reservoir, Crab Creek flows west into the
Columbia River a few miles upstream of Priest Rapids Dam
(Figure 4-7). The major communities in the basin include
Reardan, Canby, Edwall, Odessa, Irby, Marlin, Wilson Creek,
Stratford, Adrian and Moses Lake.
Because the Crab Creek basin is considered water short
and the expansion of irrigated agriculture has started to
overtax both surface and groundwater supplies, Spokane engineer
(James Latenser) developed a proposal to export Spokane treated
wastewater to the Crab Creek drainage to augment local water
supplies. This Plan (Latenser Plan) is described in some
detail in Chapter 2. In brief, Spokane's wastewater would
receive biological secondary treatment, be piped to the
headwaters of Crab Creek near Reardan and discharged to the
creek. From the point of discharge, wastewater would flow
down the creek toward Odessa where it would be diverted for
agricultural uses. The wastewater could be discharged 365
days a year at a rate of 39 million gallons per day (mgd)
at the outset. No specific location for agricultural reuse
has been described, but there are sizable areas of irrigable
land within 1/2 mile of the creek, especially in the Odessa
drea.
The flow regime in Crab Creek varies considerably both
with season and location. It is generally perennial upstream
from Odessa, but often dries up in summer and fall between
Odessa and Wilson Creek. It resurfaces near Wilson Creek and
maintains surface flow into Moses Lake. The U. S. Geological
Survey maintains stream gauging stations on the creek at Irby
and just above Moses Lake (Figure 4-7). Annual average
flows at Irby are 79 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 57,090
acre-feet. Flow rate extremes are 8,370 cfs (in 1957) and
no flow for several consecutive days (in 1969). During
the 1975-76 water year, instantaneous discharges at Irby
varied from 6.4 cfs in August to 1,930 cfs in February
(U. S. Geological Survey, 1977).
Crab Creek frequently floods above Moses Lake. Its
floodplain is quite flat and broad below Odessa which encourages
local flooding during peak winter and spring runoff. A
detailed study of flood locations and frequencies has not
128
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been prepared for the entire creek, but a U. S. Soil Conservation
Service environmental assessment of the creek from Marlin to
Brook Lake indicated approximately 1,100 acres of cropland
flooded about every 2 years between the Towns of Marlin
and Wilson Creek (U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service, 1975). The basin's water quality
management plan (Stevens, Thompson and Runyon, Inc., 1975)
indicates that the zero damage flood flows of 3,000 cfs at
Irby are exceeded approximately once every five years, usually
in January, February or March. There have been seven major
floods on Crab Creek in the last 50 years, the worst in 1957
with Odessa, Wilson Creek and 8,500 acres of agricultural land
flooded.
The Latenser proposal for wastewater reuse in the Crab
Creek basin could have some obvious benefits. First, it would
increase the amount of water available.for agricultural use by
40 million gallons per day or roughly 17,2001 acre-feet during
a 140-day growing season. If total storaqe was available,
the annual water supply would be about 4 5,35 0 acre-feet
(before percolation and evaporation losses). This water
could be used to expand Lincoln County's current total of 50,000
irrigated acres of cropland by as much as 10,000 acres.
Irrigated crops currently include wheat, dry peas, hay, beans,
barley and pasture (Lincoln County Conservation District, 1978).
The expanded irrigation could occur at any point along upper
Crab Creek below Reardan. Most irrigated land is presently
found south and west of Odessa. Land immediately adjacent to
the creek is generally not irrigated and is used primarily as
rangeland; the water would have to be lifted out of the creek
to the surrounding cropland. Downstream from Odessa, the
farmers are expecting to get additional water from the Bureau
of Reclamation's second Bacon Tunnel and Siphon Project,
part of the larger Columbia Basin Irrigation Project.
The added irrigation water would give the farmer an
option to grow crops other than wheat or increase the annual
yield from his existing crop. It would also provide a built-
in source of fertilizer. Wastewater with a 10 mg/1 nitrogen
component would supply 27 pounds of nitrogen per acre-foot
of water. This is an obvious economic benefit to the farmer.
One additional benefit from the reuse could be reduced
groundwater pumping in the Odessa-Wilson Creek area. The
increase in groundwater pumping for irrigation water supply
in that area is causing a rapid drop in groundwater levels.
Studies by the Washington State Department of Water Resources
(Garrett, 1968 and Luzier et al., 1968) indicated that ground-
water pumping in the Odessa-Lind area nearly quadrupled from
1963 to 1967. This has caused seasonal drops in groundwater
levels of as much as 12 feet in upper water-bearing zones
to over 50 feet in lower water-bearing zones. Wells must be
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continuously deepened where the drops are not regenerated by
subsurface inflows. Currently, many of the agricultural wells
in the Odessa area are 1,500 feet deep (Dompier, pers. commT) .
If the new source of surface water were used to replace
groundwater pumping, the amount of overdrafting could be
reduced.
The Latenser export scheme also has some potential
drawbacks relating to the Crab Creek drainage. Those with
most direct influence on its implementability are potential
conflicts with state laws and regulations that are designed
to protect and improve the quality of Washington's surface
waters. The Washington Department of Ecology has classified
Crab Creek as a Class B stream. According to the Washington
State Water Quality Standards, this means the water quality
must be maintained sufficient to support most potential uses
except domestic water supply, swimming, and water skiing.
The appropriate uses include agricultural water supply,
stock watering, fishery and wildlife habitat, and general
recreation (fishing, picnicking, boating). The water quality
criteria for Class B streams are summarized below:
In addition to these standards, toxic radioactive or
deleterious material concentrations must be kept below levels
that would adversely affect the characteristic water uses
mentioned above or public health during characteristic uses.
Aesthetic values cannot be reduced by dissolved, suspended,
floating or submerged matter not attributed to natural causes
so as to affect water use or taint the flesh of edible fish
species (Washington Department of Ecology, 1977).
The anticipated quality of the secondary effluent dis-
charged to Crab Creek would probably meet most of the Class
B water quality standards with the exception of aesthetics
and toxic and deleterious materials. These two categories
are fairly subjective in nature and would be subject to
interpretation by the Washington DOE. Discussions with
WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
CLASS B STREAMS
Parameter
Freshwater Standard
Fecal coliform organisms
Dissolved oxygen
Total dissolved gas
Temperature
PH
Turbidity
200/100 ml
>6.5 mg/1 or 70 percent saturation
<110 percent saturation
<21.0°C
6.5 to 8.5
<10 NTU over background or 20
percent increase
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Rhys Sterling of DOE's Spokane office suggested the aesthetic
and toxic and deleterious areas would be of concern. The
possibility of dissolved oxygen sags brought on by the
wastewater nutrient load was also voiced as an area of
concern (Sterling, pers. comm.). The water discharged to
Crab Creek would contain 10 to 15 mg/1 of NOo + NH4 and
approximately 6 mg/1 of phosphorus. BOD loading would be in
the neighborhood of 17 mg/1. The present quality of upper
Crab Creek is not well documented, but grab samples analyzed
by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (reported in Stevens,
Thompson and Runyan, 1975) in 1972 showed most quality
parameters to be well below Class B standards. Table 4-8
below summarizes the Bureau of Reclamation data.
Table 4-8
CRAB CREEK WATER QUALITY
Sampling Station1
Parameter
DO (% saturation)
Turbidity (tu)
Total phosphorus (mg/1)
Nitrate (mg/1)
PH
13
+90%
6
0.1-1.0
0.02-1.3
7.7-8.5
15
0.12-1.9
0.4-1.2
7.6-8.3
16
+85%
4
0.1-7.4
0.7-1.5
7.2-8.7
^ee Figure 4-5 for location of sampling stations.
The wastewater discharge would also conflict with DOE's
Advanced Waste Treatment Policy (Washington Department of
Ecology, 1972) which requires a 20 to 1 dilution ratio of
average minimum stream flows to new wastewater discharges.
Stream flows in the Crab Creek headwaters have not been
measured over any extended period, but during the summer
season they would be well below the 1,200 cfs required to
provide a 20 to 1 dilution to the anticipated 39 mgd (60
cfs) wastewater discharge. The Latenser Plan discharge
would have to be exempted from this policy constraint in
order to operate as currently proposed.
The public health concerns created by transporting
wastewater in Crab Creek would be two-fold. First, any
direct human contact with or consumption of water out of the
creek could cause illness. This would be especially true
during the summer months when dilution by natural flows
would be low and stream use would be at its greatest.
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Bacterial and virus infections such as hepatitis, dysentery
and shigella are commonly transmitted in wastewater. The
wastewater would be disinfected to meet Class B stream
standards (200 MPN/100 ml or less), but incidental contact
through wading, fishing or swimming would still be a potential
hazard. The other health threat could result from contamination
of groundwater supplies. Crab Creek recharges a discontinuous
aquifer that occupies sand and gravel lenses immediately
adjacent to and below the creek. The depth and continuity
of this aquifer has not been accurately mapped, but there is
little doubt that Crab Creek feeds into it at various
locations (Garrett, 1968). The number of domestic water
supply wells tapping this aquifer is not known, and the
relationship of this aquifer to deeper basalt aquifers which
furnish the area's primary water supply has not been determined.
Although a health threat cannot be identified without further
investigation, the potential health hazard is extreme and
may not be acceptable to state and local public health officials.
The Latenser Plan, in effect, exports a water quality-public
health problem from the Spokane River and relocates it in
Crab Creek.
The discharge of 39 million gallons of water per day
into Crab Creek during heavy rain periods could increase the
threat of flooding in downstream areas. As mentioned earlier,
Crab Creek floods quite frequently. The 39 mgd represents
an average flow of 60 cfs; a flow of 3,000 cfs is considered
zero damage flood stage on Crab Creek at Irby. Flows above
3,000 cfs result in flooding. It would take a much lower
flow to create local flooding higher up on Crab Creek,
between Odessa and Reardan. Therefore, it may be desirable
to be able to discharge to the Spokane River or to have some
wastewater storage capability to avoid discharge to the creek
during periods of flood threat.
Upper Crab Creek does not receive a heavy amount of
recreational use, but there is some fishing for brown trout
in the upper reach. Trout fishing could be diminished if
wastewater discharges in low flow periods result in major
oxygen sags. Trout are hiqhly sensitive to dissolved oxygen
levels and adverse effects could be expected if dissolved
oxgyen levels drop below 5 parts per million (ppm) for any
extended period of time. It is not possible to predict the
actual threat of dissolved oxygen depletion without modeling
the stream, and there are insufficient base data for this.
However, the low levels of dilution that would be afforded
the wastewater discharge in summer low flow periods suggest
oxygen depletions are possible.
Other uses of Crab Creek are not likely to be adversely
affected. The creek acts as a water source for range cattle
most of the year and the antipicated quality of the waste
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discharge should be sufficient to support this use. However,
if dairy cattle are to utilize this water source, the dis-
infection must be sufficient to reduce total coliform to
23 (geometric mean) per 100 milliliters (state guidelines
for land disposal of treated domestic sewage effluent;
Washington Department of Ecology, 1976).
Two additional potential problems are raised by expansion
of irrigation along upper Crab Creek. First, much of the
surrounding agricultural land is on sloping terrain, and
irrigation of the steeper slopes can increase soil erosion
significantly (Dompier, pers. comm.). Most of the irrigated
soils are deep, wind-deposited silt loams and under heavy
rainfall or sprinkler irrigation conditions they are easily
washed downslope. Second, some area farmers have expressed
the fear that irrigation projects increase production costs
while increasing yields; the increased yields can flood local
markets and thereby decrease prices received for the crops
(McBride, 1978). Whether this feeling is widespread among
Lincoln County farmers is not known.
Most of the adverse implications of the Latenser reuse
scheme relate to the change in water quality it would exert
on Crab Creek. There are a number of ways this change could
be eliminated or at least reduced, but they require major
adjustments in the scheme's design. If the wastewater were
transmitted down the Crab Creek drainage in a pipe rather
than in the creek, the water quality problems would obviously
be eliminated. This would add a major new cost to the project
however, and would probably make it economically unacceptable.
Another remedy would be to increase the level of treatment
prior to discharge to the creek. Additional BOD, suspended
solids and bacteria/virus removals would be desirable, but
this again would add significantly to project costs. If
storage were added after treatment, discharges during extreme
low flow or high flow conditions could be eliminated, ensuring
some control on dilution and avoiding discharge during flood
periods.
The public health threats are most readily controlled
by improved water treatment and disinfection, as mentioned
above. Other mitigation could include relocation or deepening
of all domestic wells drawing water from shallow aquifers
along Crab Creek.
Impacts on the Crab Creek fishery could be avoided
by using pipe transport rather than the creek channel, or by
increasing the treatment level. Removal of as much of the
organic matter as possible would be desirable. This would
also remove the wastewater's fertilizer value. If wastewater
discharges to the creek were limited to high natural flow
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periods (through storage), the likelihood of dissolved oxygen
sags would be reduced. All of these remedies would add
significantly to the cost of the project.
The potential soil erosion associated with sprinkler
irrigation can be avoided by limiting the irrigation to
relatively flat acreages. This would require selective
distribution of the new water source"^ "The U. S. Soil
Conservation Service and the County Agricultural Extension
Service can also provide information on farming practices
that help control sprinkler-related soil erosion.
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Groundwater Quality Implications of Alternatives
There is some concern that contaminants in Spokane's
combined sewage overflows could be transferred to groundwater
supplies downstream from the City of Spokane. Studies of
the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer provide the best
available information on quality and hydrology of groundwater
in the vicinity of Spokane. The findings of several of
these studies are summarized below.
The most thorough study of the aquifer completed to
date was prepared by Drost & Seitz (1978) for the U. S.
Geological Survey. Their findings indicated that only
manganese and phenols occurred in excessive levels in
groundwater downstream from Spokane. Unacceptably high
levels of these contaminants occurred in relatively few of
the water samples analyzed in the study. Manganese exceeded
the National Proposed Secondary Water Regulations (U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1977) standard of 0.05 mg/1
in 12 of 700 samples. Phenols exceeded the U. S. Public
Health Service (1962) standard of 0.001 mg/1 for drinking
water in 18 of 77 samples. No other groundwater contaminants
were noted by Drost & Seitz. The current water supply
quality standards established under the National Interim
Primary Drinking Water Regulations (U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1975) no longer list phenols in the
hazardous substances category. The source of these two
contaminants is unknown, but it is unlikely that they are
transmitted to the aquifer from CSOs. Neither manganese
nor phenols occur in high concentrations in typical combined
sewage overflows. Phenols are frequently used by industries
located east of Spokane, but no direct link to aquifer
contamination has been uncovered to date.
Other studies of the aquifer have considered the transfer
of coliforms from the surface to groundwater supplies.
Studies by Phillips, et al., (1968) concluded that soils in
the Spokane Valley are capable of filtering out virtually
all coliform bacteria leached downward from the surface
before it can reach the groundwater 40 to 100 feet below.
This does not eliminate the possibility of transferring
contaminants through well holes or other unimpeded routes
downward. Randall (1970) suggests that coliform bacteria
can travel as far as 180 feet horizontally upon reaching a
water table. Therefore, there is the possibility that coliforms
or other contaminants could be transferred from the Spokane
River to groundwater stores below Spokane where there is a
direct interchange between surface flows and underground
flows.
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The Drost & Seitz report (1978) indicated there is a
net flow of 120 cfs of groundwater into the Spokane River
between Spokane and Seven Mile Bridge (on an annual basis);
similarly, there is a 100 cfs net inflow to the river between
Seven Mile Bridge and Nine Mile Bridge. This net exchange
from the groundwater to the river indicates that transfer of
CSO pollutants to the groundwater is unlikely, but not
necessarily impossible. To date there have been no reports
of groundwater contamination by coliforms along the river
below Spokane. The 208 study of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum
Prairie aquifer now being conducted by the Spokane County
Engineers should be continuously consulted for further in-
formation on groundwater quality below Spokane.
Alternative 3, which would allow eventual sewering of
the Spokane Valley area to the City of Spokane wastewater
system, could have an indirect positive influence on the
quality of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer. If
Spokane Valley septic tank systems can be eliminated by connecting
valley residents to the city sewer system this source of
groundwater contamination would be eliminated. Waste materials
leaching downward from the numerous valley septic tanks are
believed to be a major threat to the quality of the underlying
aquifer.
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Costs of Alternatives and Probable
Levels of Federal/State Grant Funding
Construction Costs and Cost Allocations
The construction costs of alternatives, expressed in
1978 costs, were previously presented in Chapter 2, when
each individual alternative was discussed. These con-
struction costs are summarized in Table 4-9, along with an
estimate of the cost allocation between the U. S. EPA,
the State of Washington, and the City of Spokane.
The assumptions which were used to develop the con-
struction cost allocation are explained below for each of
the alternatives.
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins - Storage Plan B and
Klicker Suboption. All costs for relief sewers or on-site
gate valves (Klicker Plan) were allocated to the City of
Spokane, and storage basin costs were allocated 75 percent,
15 percent, and 10 percent to the EPA, State of Washington
and Spokane, respectively.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Plants. All costs for relief
sewers were allocated to City of Spokane, and satellite
treatment plant costs were allocated 75 percent; 15 percent;
and 10 percent to the EPA, State of Washington and Spokane,
respectively.
Alternative 3 - Storm Sewers. Costs for storm sewers
were allocated 66 percent to EPA, 13 percent to the State
of Washington and 21 percent to Spokane; this was based on
a determination that 87.8 percent of the multi-purpose project
would be grant eligible.
Latenser Export Plan. Costs for relief sewers and for
the export portion of the plan were allocated 100 percent
to the City of Spokane. Costs for storm sewers, force mains,
pipelines and storage facilities were allocated 7 5 percent;
15 percent; and 10 percent to the EPA, State of Washington
and Spokane, respectively.
Combination Pollution Control and Drainage Concept.
The cost of relief sewers, where they are required, was
allocated to the City of Spokane. The cost of cost-effective
storm sewers and storage basins was allocated according to
EPA Program Guidance Memorandum Number 61.
138
-------
Table 4-9
SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION COST ALLOCATIONS
Alternative
1. City Alternative 1 -
Storage
Basins
25 yr. frequency storm*
Storage basins
Relief sewers
Total
1 yr. frequency storm**
Storage basins
Relief sewers
Total
2. City Alternative 2 -
Satellite Treatment
Plants
Relief sewers
Total
3. City Alternative 3 -
Separate sewers
Storm sewers
4. Klicker Plan
Storage basins
& pipelines
Check valves
& storage
Total
5. Latenser Plan
Total
Construction
Cost
Allocations
State of
EPA Washington
City of
Spokane
72,800,000
28,920,000
101,720,000
25,090,000
28,920,000
53,979,000
59,538,200
1,000,000
60,538,200
54,600,000
54,600,000
18,794,250
18,794,250
44,653,650
44,653,650
10,920,000
10,920,000
3,758,850
3,785,850
66,899,000 50,174,250 10,034,850
28,920,000
95,819,000 50,174,250 10,034,850
64,050,000 42,170,000 8,430,000
8,930,730
8,930,730
7,280,000
28,920,000
36,200,000
2,505,900
28,920,000
31,425,900
6,689,900
28,920,000
35,609,900
13,450,000
5,953,820
1,000,000
6,953,820
Storm sewers
& storage
Relief sewers
Export facilities
Total
Combination Concept
Storm Sewers
Storage basins
Relief sewers
Total
41,152,400
28,920,000
35,573,000
105,645,400
5,630,000
21,534,000
25,920,000
53,084,000
30,864,300
30,864,300
4,222,500
16,150,500
20,373,000
6,172,860
6,172,860
844,500
3,230,000
4,074,600
4,115,290
28,920,000
35,573,000
68,608,240
563,000
2,153,400
25,920,000
28,636,400
* Each storage basin would be large enough to contain the maximum expected overflow created by
all but the largest storm expected to occur in a 25-year period; statistically, this size of
storm would have a 4 percent chance of occurring in any given year.
**Storage basins would be large enough to contain the flows of all but the largest storm norma
expected to occur each year. '
139
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Public Maintenance Costs Associated with Alternatives
Alternative 1. Annual operation and maintenance (O&M)
costs for any of the structural alternatives would be the
responsibility of the City of Spokane. O&M costs would be
the second highest with this alternative. It would be
necessary to clean the storage basins after each use, which
adds to maintenance requirements (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, pers. comm.). Annual costs are estimated
over the service life of the project. According to public
works personnel estimates, one additional maintenance employee
would be required for every $30,000 of O&M costs (Gellner,
pers. comm.). This would require the employment of an
estimated 26 additional maintenance personnel. There would
be additional street maintenance costs due to relief sewer
construction, but not to the extent estimated for separate
storm sewers. This alternative would eliminate municipal
costs for cleanup and repair of areas damaged by storm water
and sewer backup.
Alternative 2. O&M costs associated with this alternative
would result primarily from the extensive maintenance and
monitoring required at the small treatment facilities and
from the greater energy and chemical consumption. O&M costs
are estimated at $2.50 per cfs of flow capacity or $474,700
annually over the service life of the project. This would
require additional annual employment of an estimated 15 persons.
Additional street maintenance costs due to relief sewers and
costs savings due to elimination of sewage backup would be
the same as Alternative 1.
Alternative 3. Annual O&M costs would be relatively low
with this alternative. Annual costs are estimated at $700
per mile of storm sewer# or $152,930 annually over the
service life of the project. On this basis, the project
would require employment of five additional persons. This
alternative would require more widespread disturbance of
street surfacing than would either of the other two structural
alternatives. The first year following construction in any
street segment there may be some trouble with settling,
necessitating releveling of streets. Patched streets may
also require additional resurfacing. Additional costs over
the 10-year construction period are estimated at $200,000
(Gellner, pers. comm.). This cost has not been included
in average annual costs for this alternative. The alternative
would eliminate maintenance costs now incurred by the city
for periodic cleanup and repair of areas damaged by storm
water and sewer backup. No estimate was available from the
city as to annual average costs for this service.
140
-------
Klicker Storage Suboption. O&M costs are the highest
with this alternative and are estimated at $837,150 annually
over the service life of the project. This would require
employment of an estimated 28 additional maintenance personnel.
Street maintenance costs due to relief sewers would not be
incurred, but cost savings due to elimination of sewage
backups would probably be the same as Alternative 1.
Latenser Plan. O&M costs are estimated at $587,900
annually over the service life of the project. This would
require employment of an estimated 20 additional maintenance
personnel. Street maintenance costs and cost savings due to
elimination of sewage backups would be the same as Alternative 1.
Combination Concept. O&M cost are relatively high with
this alternative and are estimated at $758,450 annually over
the service life of the project. This would require employ-
ment of an estimated 25 additional maintenance personnel.
Where separate storm sewer and relief sewers are planned,
additional costs would be incurred for street maintenance.
These additional costs would be significantly less than with
Alternative 3, but greater than for Alternatives 1 and 2.
This alternative would eliminate municipal costs for cleanup
and repair of areas damaged by storm water and sewer backup.
No-Action. With this alternative there would be con-
tinuing public costs connected with cleanup and repair of
facilities damaged by storm sewer backup. Annual damages
are currently estimated at about $1,000,000 (James, pers.
comm.). This estimate does not include the city expense
of sending maintenance crews out to help pump out basements
or clean up at backup sites. It is only an estimate of
property damages and individual homeowners cleanup costs.
No estimates were available from the city as to the actual
amounts paid annually by the city to reimburse or compensate
occupants for these damages.
Local Government Ability to Finance Alternatives
The city currently proposes to finance its CSO abatement
project by a combination of federal and state grants
(see discussion of cost of alternatives and probable levels
of federal/state grant funding) and revenue produced from
monthly user charges (James, pers. comm.). However, until
the actual level of grant funding is determined, the precise
method of funding cannot be determined, and may require
other financing methods. This section will, therefore,
deal with the major methods of financing available, and the
existing debt or bonding capacity of the city.
141
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Financing powers available to the city or a city-wide
local improvement district (LID) are shown in Table 4-10.
User Service Charge. The user service charge is the
basic continuing revenue producer other than ad valorem taxes
(property taxes). The user charge can be allocated in a
variety of ways providing alternative methods of equitably
spreading costs to those benefiting from service. Anticipated
sewer rates with the implementation of the alternatives are
discussed in a subsequent section. Portions of the following
are quoted from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (1976
Appendix F).
"Ad Valorem Taxes. Taxes levied in proportion to the value
of the property are a potential revenue source that can be used
to pay for either bond amortization or recurring operation and
maintenance costs. Due to the trend of carmitment of taxes for
other civic purposes up to the limit of the maximum statutory rate
and because of the inequities inherent in the payments related
to the services, this revenue source has not been favored recently
for financing.
"The principal classes of long-term debt instruments used to
finance projects which have ccrrmunity-wide benefit are: (1) general
obligation bonds and (2) revenue bonds. Special assessment bonds
are used to finance facilities which provide immediate and localized
benefits.
"General Obligation Bonds are secured by the full faith
and credit of the issuing agency, and the issuer is obligated to
levy ad valorem (property) taxes to pay annual bond interest and
principal, to the extent other funds are not available. The
issuer may use revenues fran service charges or other sources to
meet the required payments on the bonds.
"With a revenue-supported general obligation bond, revenues
fran the enterprise are pledged tcward payment of debt service.
This limits the potential increase in the general tax rate. Self-
supporting general obligation bonds have the advantages of a revenue
bond, but maintain the low interest rate and ready marketability
of general obligation bonds secured by the taxing power of the
issuing agency. Under the present statutes general obligation
bonds of a constitutionally created entity (cities, counties)
must receive an affirmative vote of three-fifths (60 percent)
of those casting a vote on the measure to authorize the bonds."
The limits on bonds which a city may issue are based on
the total property value of the community. A Washington
city is authorized to issue general obligation bonds of up
to 2 1/2 percent of total property value for general purposes
and up to 5 percent of total property value for special
142
-------
Table 4-10*
FINANCING POWERS OF AGENCIES
Agency
Power
to Tax
Power to
Levy Rates
& Charges
Uniform
Charges
Reqnired
Lien for
Delinquent
Charges
Other
General
Indebtedness Bonds
Election' Limitations
General
Indebt. -
Revenue
Bonds
Election
Revenue Bonds
Limitations
Refunding
Bonds
u>
City/Town
FWC 35.67
Yes
Yes
For each
class
Yes
Special tax
allowed
35.21.280
Always
required
No interest
max-30 yr.
max
Yes Required over 1.5%' 30.yr. max.
property value
Yes
Sewer/Water
District2
RCW 56.16/
57.08.065
Yes Yes For each Yes Charges must Always No interest None Always required 30 yr. max.
class meet oosts2 required max-30 yr. spec. (1/2 majority) to
max 1.5% property3
value
Yes
Diking and No Assessments Per benefit Yes- — N. A.11 N. A.
Drainage unpaid
Dist./No Sewer assessments
improvement
Dist. RCW
85.08 & 85.16
1 An election is also required under 1.5 percent unless a health hazard exists.
2 Water district providing sewerage services may exercise powers of a sewer district, RCW 57.08.065.
3 Except in case of additions and betterments.
^ Not applicable.
N. A.
N. A.
N. A.
Yes
* Modified fran U. S. Anny Corps of Engineers, 1976, Appendix F
-------
purposes. Councilmanic bonds are limited to 0.7 5 percent
of the property value and are not subject to voter approval.
Legal limitations on indebtedness and margin of indebtedness
remaining for the City of Spokane are shown in Table 4-11.
"Revenue bonds are secured solely by a pledge of the revenues
frcm the facility or enterprise they are used to acquire, construct
or improve. This type of bond may be issued to finance storm
sewer improvanents. Usually a simple majority vote is required.
In the case of the city, revenue bonds may be issued with only
governing board approval for facilities conforming to an approved
general plan. The agency cannot levy taxes for the payment of
revenue bond service and there is no obligation to levy taxes for
the maintenance and operation of the enterprise which produces
the revenues pledged to pay revenue bond services. There is no
legal limitation on the amount of authorized revenue bonds which
may be issued.
"The principal advantage of revenue bonds is that funds for
payment of the bonds aire derived solely frcm those who use the
facilities for which the bonds were issed. Revenue bonds can never
beccme a lien or charge against real property. An additional
advantage lies in the fact that approval by three-fifths of the
voters is not required, as in the case of general obligation
bonds. Revenue bonds are not considered applicable debt toward
an entity's general obligation bonding capacity.
"A disadvantage of this type of bond is that revenues to
secure their payment must be from 25 to 50 percent above actual
requirements to insure [ensure] their saleability. In the case of
grant-aided facilities, however, this requirement may fulfill the
need to obtain sufficient funds for depreciation accruals or for
capital improvements, uses which also satisfy the 25 to 50 percent
ocverage factor to market the bonds.
"Assessment bond financing is a possible vehicle for a project
of identifiable benefit. A utility local improvement district (ULID)
can be established and assessments spread for projects of special
local benefit. Assessments constitute a lien against the
benefited property which serves as security for issuance of bonds
to finance the project costs. These liens would not represent
an encumbrance on any overlapping district and do not affect
any district's debt capacity. The property securing the lien
must, hcwever, be of sufficient value to more than cover the
assessment. Assessments must be spread only over property that
benefits frcm the project. Assessment bonds have specific
application to finance projects where the benefits of facilities
can be easily identified."
144
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Table 4-11
City of Spokane
LIMITATION OF INDEBTEDNESS
December 31, 1977
VaSue of Taxable Property
Assessed Value of Taxable Property
$ 1,835,660,452
1,835,660,452
iNDEBTEDNESS FOR GENERAL PURPOSES
WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE (Councilmanic Bonds)
LEGAL LiMIT 3/4 of \% ON PROPERTY VALUE
$4,280,000
( 135,646)
INDEBTEDNESS INCURRED
G O Bond L iabl151les
Less Redemption Fund Assets:
Cash-Stadium ] & R Fund
Excess of Liabilities Over Assets
Park Fund-Lease/Opt!on Agree.
Ut 5 Mtles Comm. Fund Llab.-Contract
Totai Net General Indebtedness
Margin of indebtedness St J i! Available
INDEBTEDNESS FOR GENERAL PURPOSES
WITH A 3/5 VOTE OF THE PEOPLE (General Obligation Bonds)
LEGAL LIMIT % 2\% ON PR0PERFY VALUE
INDEBTEDNESS INCURRED
G 0 Bond L1ab«IH les
Less Redemption Fund Assets:
Cash
Excess of Liabilities Over Assets
Net General indebtedness From.Sect Son I
Combined indebtedness Section ! & I!
Margin of Indebtedness St;'; I Available
$2,267,000
( 3 j 9,668)
$13,76?,453
$4,144,354
4,4! 8
156,794
4.305.566
$ 9,45',887
$45,89i,
I,947,332
4,305,566
6,252.898
$39,638,6t 3
! INDEBTEDNESS FOR SPECIAL PU1-POSES WITH
A 3/5 VOTE OF THE PEOPLE
LEGAL LIMIT @ 5% ON PROPERTY VALUE
INDEBTEDNESS INCURRED *
Combined indeDfedness-SectIons !, li, & III
Margin of indebtedness StllI Available
-0-
$91,783,023
6,252,898
$85.530.125
SOURCE: City of Spokane, Washington, 1977
145
-------
Water and Sewer Service Revenue/Expenditures
The city's sewer charges currently bring in about
$3,300,000 annually, with expenditures estimated at $4,732,000
for fiscal year 1978 (Forten, pers. comm.). Costs of existing
sewerage facilities are shown in Table 4-12. Outstanding
water and sewer revenue bonds are shown in Table 4-13.
Impact of Alternatives on Property Values/Taxes
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers. Land
costs for storage or treatment facilities were estimated at
$65,000 per acre for the approximately 60 acres required.
Assuming that this reflects the actual market value of the
land to be acquired, this alternative could remove land
valued at $3,890,000 from the tax rolls. The property tax
rate in 1977 in the city was $18,961 per $1,000 of property
value (100 percent of true and fair value), which was
allocated as follows:
Based on 1977 tax levies and assessed valuations, this
alternative could result in an annual loss of about $73,758
in total revenue to the taxing agencies. Sales of construction
materials would increase local sales tax revenue. The
disruptive impact of construction on commercial activities may
cause a minor decrease in sales tax revenue.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief Sewers.
An estimated 9.7 acres of land would be required for this
alternative. Based on the land values and tax levies
previously described, this alternative would result in
removal of land valued at $628,050 from the tax rolls. The
tax revenue decrease would, therefore, be $11,908 annually.
Impacts on sales tax revenue would be comparable to Alternative
1.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers. According to the
Spokane County Assessors Office, sewer backup problems have
not been sufficiently severe to reduce property values
(McBride, pers. comm.). Therefore, a complete solution to
the problem may not have a measurable effect on property
values. This alternative would not require removal of any
City of Spokane
County of Spokane
and State of
Washington
School District
4.606
6.145
8.210
Total
$13,961
146
-------
Table 4-12
SUMMARY, HISTORICAL COST OF EXISTING SEWERAGE FACILITIES
Entity
City of Spokane
Treatment Plant
Interceptors
Pump Stations
Improvements in Progress
1 Based on entity records
Description
4 0 mgd primary treatment
24 inches to 7 2 inches
numerous
secondary treatment plant
Estimated Major
Facilities Investment1
$ 628,000
1,030,000
127,000
45,800,000
Total Grants
171,000
41,101,000
(completed 1978)
-j
Table 4-13
WATER-SEWER REVENUE BONDS SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST
December 31, 19771
Year
1978
1979
1980
Outstanding
Beginning
of Year
$218,000.00
149,000.00
76,000.00
Principal
$ 69,000.00
73,000.00
76,000.00
Interest
$ 6,422.50
3,937.50
1,330.00
Total
Requirements
$ 75,422.50
76,937.50
77,330.00
$218,000.00
$11,690.00
$229,690.00
SOURCE: City of Spokane, Washington, 1977
-------
property from municipal tax rolls. Should the alternative
indirectly result in additional areas being sewered within
the city, there may be a beneficial impact on property values
and revenues. Land values are typically $1,500 higher for
sewered lots in comparison to unsewered lots (McBride, pers.
comm.). Increased sales of construction materials would have
a short-term beneficial impact on sales tax revenue. Con-
versely, loss of sales due to short-term disruption of
commercial activities would reduce sales tax revenues to the
city.
Klicker Storage Suboption. This alternative would
remove an estimated 68.5 acres of land valued at $65,000
from municipal and county tax rolls. Based on tax levies
previously described, the tax revenue loss is estimated at
about $84,424 annually. To the extent that surface storage
basins reduce the desirability and value of affected residential
areas, there may be a minor long-term decrease in property
tax revenue. Beneficial and adverse impacts on sales tax
revenue would be of the same type described in Alternative 1.
Latenser Plan. This plan would have the greatest land
requirements of the alternatives analyzed. Approximately
101 acres of land would potentially be removed from municipal
and county tax rolls. Based on land values and tax levies
previously discussed, the tax revenue loss is estimated at
a maximum of $124,849 annually. It should be noted that the
land costs of $65,000 per acre used in estimating project
costs would appear high for the extensive rural lands
required for this alternative, and therefore, estimates of
property tax loss are probably high. The irrigation benefits
provided by this alternative could significantly increase the
value of receiving agricultural lands in Lincoln County.
Beneficial and adverse impacts on sales tax revenue would
be of the same type described in Alternative 1.
Combination Concept. An estimated 16 acres of land
would be required for this alternative. Based on land values
and tax levies previously described, this alternative would
remove land valued at $1,040,000 from municipal and county
tax rolls with a resulting revenue decrease of approximately
$19,720 to taxing agencies. Sales of construction materials
would increase local sales tax revenue. This would be offset
to a degree by loss of sales tax revenue due to disruption
of commercial zones during construction.
No-Action". As property values have not been appreciably
affected by existing backup problems, this alternative
would have no significant impact on existing values. However,
to the extent that city policy and private development
restraints dictate nondevelopment of areas suffering from
severe backup problems, there would be a long-term reduction
in future property values of backup areas.
148
-------
Impact of the Alternatives on
The Spokane Area Economy
User Charge Increases
Actual user charge increases attributable to the various
alternatives cannot be determined until the level of grant
funding and methods of financing are established. However,
as discussed under Changes in Sewer User Rates, tentative
estimates based on two potential methods of financing have
been computed for all of the structural alternatives. The
estimated values are computed examples to enable a comparison
of the alternatives. Actual rates may differ significantly
from these estimates.
An increase in rates may result with implementation of
any of the alternatives. All residential dwellings, including
multiple family and mobile home units, are currently charged
a flat rate of $3.20 per month for sewer service. Commercial
and industrial establishments are charged on the basis of
flow, with a minimum charge also in effect. The schedule
of charges is on Table 4-14.
An additional charge is imposed if maximum allowable
standard wastes discharged into the sewerage system are
exceeded. Special sewer rates are granted to churches and
certain public or charitable institutions, A 6 percent tax
is levied on the combined water-sewer-refuse billing for all users.
Flat Rate Increase. One method of financing the city's
share of the project would be a flat rate increase for all
users. The increase would most seriously affect residential
users, particularly the relatively large percentage of low
income and elderly persons on fixed incomes who reside
within the city. The added cost would generally represent
a proportionately,lower increase in fixed costs for commercial
and industrial establishments within the city. Table 4-15.
summarizes the estimated increases for residential users.
Ad Valorem Tax Increase. Increased ad valorem (property)
taxes are another method of financing the selected alternative.
Although the increased tax rate would be applied equally to
all development in the city, the cost burden would tend to
be disproportionately higher for commercial and industrial
development due to their higher assessed valuation. The costs
would be most inequitable for large scale industrial and
commercial development. For example, a business concern
valued at $10 million would pay increased property taxes of
from $24,000 to $25,000 annually for implementation of any
but the Latenser alternative. It is not known whether this
additional charge would be sufficient to discourage location
149
-------
Table 4-14
SEWER SERVICE CHARGES - INDUSTRIAL USERS
m below:
U1
o
Amount: The Charge Shall Be
From 0 to 100,000 ,~ubic feet $ . 16C per 100 cubic feet
From 100,000 to 250,000 cubic feet .138 per 100 cubic feet
F^om 250,000 to 500,000 cubic feet .117 per 100 cubic feet
From 500,000 and up cubic feet .085 per 100 cubic feet
In no case shall the charge be less than the minimum tabulated in the chart
Size of Service
Based on Side of Minimum Charge
Domestic Water Meter Per Month
1
1/2
inches
$ 4.25
1
1/2
inches
7.70
2
inches
10.65
3
inches
16.60
4
inches
23.35
6
inches
31.95
8
inches
63.95
-------
Table 4-15
ANNUAL IMPACT ON SEWER USER RATES IF
USER CHARGES USED TO FINANCE LOCAL SHARE
OF PROJECT COSTS
Alternative
#1 - Storage
Basins and Relief
Sewers
#2 - Satellite
Treatment and
Relief Sewers
#3 - Separate
Storm Sewers
#4 - Klicker Storage
Suboption
#5 - Latenser
Export Plan
#6 - Combination
Concept
#7 - No-Action
Current
User1
Charge
(Residential)
Dollars
38.40
38.40
38. 40
38.40
38. 40
38.40
38. 40
Estimated
Increase2
Dollars
94.10
87.49
32. 59
30. 38
162.73
77. 09
Not Known
Percent
Increase
145
127
85
79
423
50
Total and
Annual
Charge
Anticipated1
Dollars
132.50
125.89
70.99
68.78
201.13
115.49
38.40
IDoes not include 6 percent tax levy or combined water-sewer refuse billing.
2Based on 56,000 sewer connections.
-------
of new business in metropolitan Spokane, or result in
relocation of business and industry to areas outside the
city. However, it should be noted that sewage service
costs in outlying, unincorporated areas may soon increase
as many county areas are now considering construction of
sewer systems of their own. This is true of North Spokane
and Liberty Lake; Spokane Valley may also soon embark on
a facilities planning effort. Therefore, relocation of
businesses or industries simply on the basis of increased
taxes for sewage facilities does not seem likely unless the
increases are extremely large. Tables 4-16 and 4-17 show
typical increases in property taxes which could be anticipated
for residential, commercial, and industrial development
with the various alternatives.
152
-------
Table 4-16
IMPACT ON TAX RATES IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS IF AD VALOREM TAX USED
TO FINANCE LOCAL SHARE CF PROJECT COSTS
Alternative
#1 - Storage
Basins and
Relief Sewers
#2 - Satellite
Treatment and
Relief Sewers
#3 - Separate
Storm Sewers
#4 - Klicker
Storage Sub-
option
#5 - tenser
Export Plan
#6 - Combination
Concept
#7 - No-Action
Number Average
Residential Value
Units1
71,244
71,244
71,244
71,244
71,244
71,244
71,244
Per Unit2 Rate3
35,000
35,000
35,000
35,000
35,000
35,000
Current Estimated
Tax Tax
Increase5
$35,000 18.961
18.961
18.961
18.961
18.961
18.961
18.961
$2.87
2.66
0.99
0.93
4.96
2.35
Percent
Increase"
15
14
26
12
Without
Project
Tax Per
Average
Residen-
tial Unit
$664
664
664
664
664
664
664
With
Project
Tax Per
Residen-
$764
757
698
696
837
746
Annual
Dollar
Increase In
Tax Levy
tial Unit Per Unit
$100.00
93.00
34.00
32.00
173.00
82.00
includes all single family, duplex, multi-family, and mobile home units in City of Spokane (Spokane Area Development
Council, 1978).
2Spokane Area Development Council, 1978.
'Per $1,000 of assessed (fair market) value.
"All figures rounded.
5All increases calculated assuming a total city assessed valuation of $1,835,660,452.
-------
Table 4-17
IMPACT OF INCREASED AD VALOREM TAX ON
COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
(CITY' OF SPOKANE')
Alternative
Average Current - Estimated
Value Tax Tax Percent2
Per Unit1 Rate Increase Increase
Without
Project
Tax' Average
Catmercial
Unit
With
Project
Tax-"Average
Ccntnercial
Unit
Annual
Dollar
Increase
In Tax Levy
By Catmercial
Unit
Ln
#1 - Storage
'Basin and
Relief Sewers
0=. - #2 - Satellite
Treatment and
Relief Sewers
$192,000
$18,961-
192,000 18.961
2.87
2.66
15
14
$3^641
3,641
$4,192
-4,151
$551.00
510.00
#3 - Separate
Storm Sewers 192,000 18.961
#4 - Klicker . -.1
Storage Sub-
Option 192,000 18.961
#5 - Latenser
Export Plan 192,000 18.961
#6 - Combination
Concept 192,000 18.961
#7 - No-Action 192,000 18.961
0 .-,99
0.93
4.96_ _
' .J. ' jZ J ^
2.35
r r r.Ov?
26
3, 641,
C'
^..
ATrt>orr
3,641
COilc
12
3,641
3,641
"--37931..
I r. b'--
:^-;819
4,593
4,092
3,641
190.00
-178.00
952.00
451.00
1 Based on average value for all new ccnmercial and industrial building permits issued in City of Spokane in
1977.
2All figures rounded.
-------
Energy and Resource Consumption of Alternatives
E"ergy
The Spokane wastewater treatment system presently includes
a large advance waste treatment plant (40 mgd design capacity)
and 19 separate pump stations in the wastewater collection
network. Based on an analysis of plant records for the first
six months of 1978, the treatment plant consumed an average
of about 1,770,000 kilowatt hours (Kwh) of electricity per
month, or roughly 1,562 Kwh per million gallons treated.
Project Alternative 1 would increase electrical consumption
primarily at the treatment plant, as approximately 547 million
gallons per year of additional flow would be fed from the
storage basins through the treatment system. At the plant's
existing unit consumption rate, this would increase annual
energy use by about 854,000 Kwh for an annual cost increase of
$8,967. Alternative 2 would not significantly change energy
use at the plant, but there would be some electricla energy
demand at the satellite treatment sites. The CSO Facilities
Plan (Spokane City Department of Public Works, 1977) did not
estimate the power requirements for this extra treatment,
but the volume that would be treated would be the same as
for Alternative 1. However, the treatment would be primary
rather than secondary. Alternative 3 would significantly
reduce the energy requirements for collection and treatment
because the volume of water reaching the plant would be
greatly reduced. Assuming separate storm sewers cut flows
into the plant from the 39 mgd averaged over the first six
months of 1978 to about 28 mgd (the estimated average dry
weather flow based on September-October 1977 records), the
annual energy savings at the plant would be about 6,270,000 Kwh
(a $65,835 annual cost savings at current electricity rates).
The Klicker and Latenser storage options would both
require more energy than the existing system. Klicker's
plan would increase flows into the treatment plant at roughly
the same rate as Alternative 1, increasing energy consumption
similarly. The planned use of Bridge Street surface storage
would add a small increment to the collection system energy
consumption because water from this site would have to be
pumped northward back into the system rather than flow by
gravity into the basin as planned in Alternative 1. Latenser1s
plan wouldTncrease energy requirements tremendously. Pumping
at the Erie Street and Clarke Street pump stations would be
significantly increased and flows into the treatment plant
would increase almost as much as Alternative 1. Energy
consumed during tertiary treatment would no longer be needed,
but all wastewater would be pumped up out of the Spokane
River basin after treatment. This would be a vertical lift
155
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of over 700 feet. Pumping would also be required to lift
water out of Crab Creek and carry it to surrounding agricul-
tural land.
The No-Action Alternative would leave energy consumption
at its present rate.
The most effective means of keeping energy consumption
to a minimum and still effect some level of CSO control
would be to select Alternative 3. It would require much less
energy in wastewater treatment than any of the other project
alternatives. If a storage alternative is eventually selected
for implementation, efforts should be made to keep pumping
back from the storage basins to a minimum. If gravity feed-
back is feasible, it should be utilized. If satellite treat-
ment is selected for use, energy efficiency should be a
major criterion in selecting the type of treatment unit to
be installed.
Chemicals
In the first six months of 1978, the Spokane wastewater
treatment plant treated an average of 39 million gallons of
water per day. In order to treat and disinfect the wastewater,
varying amounts of ferric chloride, quicklime, alum and
chlorine were utilized. Table 4-18 below summarizes the average
rate of chemical consumption over this February to June 1978
period.
Table 4-18
EXISTING CHEMICAL CONSUMPTION AT THE SPOKANE
STP FEBRUARY - JUNE 1978*
Average Rate of Consumption
Chemical LB/Month LB/MG Treated
Chlorine 17,910 15.8
Ferric Chloride 134,730 118.4
Quicklime 445,673 396.0
Alum (Liquid Form) 637,287 556.7
*SOURCE: Compiled from wastewater treatment plant
records.
The CSO abatement alternatives would change this chemical
consumption pattern in varying degrees. Alternative 1 and the
Klicker storage option would require minor increases in the
annual volume of chemicals used because flows through the plant
156
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would increase. If all of the estimated annual combined
sewer overflow (547 million gallons) was stored and eventually
passed through the plant, ferric chloride use would increase
by as much as 64,800 pounds per year. Quicklime use would
increase by 217,000 pounds, alum use would increase by
305,000 pounds and chlorine use would increase by 8,600
pounds (total annual cost of $25,800 at current rates of
charge). Alternative 2 would require similar increases,
but the polymer and chlorine consumption would occur during
primary treatment of overflow at satellite plants rather than
from phosphorus removal at the main plant site. Alternative 3
would cut chemical use because flows into the plant would be
reduced by nearly one-third on an average daily flow basis.
Ferric chloride use would be reduced by as much as 475,000
pounds per year, quicklime use by 1,600,000 pounds per year,
alum use by 2,235,000 pounds per year and chlorine use by
63,000 pounds per year. At present chemical costs, this
would create an annual operations savings of about $132,600.
The Latenser Plan would eliminate a major element of
chemical use because phosphorus removal would no longer be
necessary. Chlorination and sludge treatment would still be
required, but alum and ferric chloride use could be discon-
tinued. The increase in chlorine and quicklime use would be
similar to Alternative 1 due to the increase in flows through
the plant. The net decrease in annual chemical costs would
be over $452,000 with the Latenser Plan.
The No-Action option would not alter chemical use
patterns at the Spokane treatment plant site. Chemical
consumption at the Spokane plant could best be kept to a
minimum by adopting the Latenser Plan, which eliminates the
need for phosphorus removal. However, this alternative has
extremely large energy requirements. If discharge to the
Spokane River is maintained as the disposal mode, adoption
of Alternative 3 would do the most for reducing chemical use.
The only other means of significantly reducing chemical con-
sumption would be to alter or eliminate the plant's NPDES
permit phosphorus removal requirement.
157
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Influence of CSO Alternatives on the Spokane Wastewater
Treatment Plant Capacity and Long-Term Viability
The new Spokane wastewater treatment plant was designed
to treat an average dry weather flow of 40 mgd. This was
considered sufficient to accommodate flows from the city
until the turn of the century (Bovay Engineers, Inc., 1977).
Under wet weather conditions, the interceptor leading into
the treatment plant can carry a peak flow of 146 mgd. Under
these short-term peak flow conditions, the existing secondary
treatment facilities can treat a peak hourly flow equivalent
of 77 mgd. All flows beyond 77 mgd are diverted into the
plant's two stormwater primary clarifiers. These units give
primary treatment to the remaining 69 mgd. The treatment
does not meet DOE wastewater discharge requirements.
The plant was designed to be easily expanded to a 60
mgd average dry weather flow capacity by converting the two
stormwater primary clarifiers to secondary clarifiers.
This would extend the plant's effective life to about 2025
and allow it to accommodate flows from areas outside the
city (Bovay Engineers, Inc., Text). In order to change the
stormwater clarifiers to secondary clarifiers, however, storm-
water flows must be removed for the city's sanitary sewer
system. It should also be mentioned that this expansion of
secondary treatment capacity would eliminate the emergency
capacity the plant now has with its infrequently used
stormwater clarifiers.
In 1972 the city's average dry weather flows were
estimated to be 27.3 mgd. Between January and June 197 8
flows into the plant have averaged 39 mgd (based on city
treatment plant records). Of this total, about 28 mgd is
believed to be domestic and industrial sewage (equivalent
to average dry weather flow for design purposes) and the
rest is stormwater (based on September-October 1977 plant
inflow records).
The CSO abatement alternatives have differing effects
on the treatment plant's hydraulic loadings. Alternative 1
proposes storage of stormwater which under present conditions
overflows into the river. The storage would not significantly
change the plant's hydraulic loading during peak wet weather
conditions; it would, however, extend the period of high flows
into the plant well after a storm had ceased. The treatment
plant would be treating a larger volume of water on an annual
basis, but its effective life to serve the city would not
be altered. The plant's primary stormwater clarifiers would
still be needed to treat peak flows; they would not be
modified to secondary clarifiers for an increase in advanced
treatment capability.
158
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The Klicker storage suboption would have a similar
effect on the plant's hydraulics and effective lifetime.
However, it would catch a greater volume of the current
annual overflow when compared to the city's storage option
(Alternative 1). This would result in a prolonged peak
inflow to the plant after a storm. The city's storage
option would allow overflows from the 25-year frequency
storm, while Klicker storage would essentially catch all
overflows.
In order for the Klicker plan to accept flow from county
areas, the Bridge Street storage reservoir would have to be
oversized to store all wet weather flows coming in from
outlying areas annexed to the city system. The extra storage
would relieve any additional hydraulic loading on the
treatment plant during storms. Hook-ups from outlying areas
would have to be made to the North Bluff interceptor, as
this is the line tapped by Bridge Street storage. However,
only through complete sewer separation can the plant's two
stormwater clarifiers be converted to secondary clarifier
use. Without this modification, the plant cannot be up-
graded to a full 60 mgd ADWF capacity for its secondary
treatment processes and truly become a regional facility.
The Latenser storage and export option is quite similar
to the Klicker Plan in its effect on plant hydraulics and
long-term viability. Hydraulic overloading in the upper
portions of the collection system is relieved by a combination
of rerouting flows and putting in some separate storm sewers.
Excess flows reaching the Meenach Drive overflow point are
diverted through a new interceptor to storage across the
river from the treatment plant site. If this diversion and
storage were sized to accommodate flows for newly annexed
county areas in addition to the city's excess wet weather
flows, some county wastewater could be accepted at the
Spokane plant. The volume of added flow the city could
accept would depend upon the sizing of this storage basin.
However, the plans as proposed by Mr. Latenser did not
include sizing for connection of county areas.
The city's Alternative 2 proposes primary treatment
of CSO at satellite treatment plants rather than either
storage or stormwater separation. This would have no effect
on the treatment plant's capacity, now or in the future. The
wastewater system would function just as it does now except
overflows to the river would receive an equivalent of primary
treatment prior to discharge.
Alternative 3 could have a major impact on the treatment
plant's capacity. First, it would remove all of the stormwater
flows fed to the plant during rainstorms or snowmelt. Only
sanitary wastewater and infiltration/inflow would reach the
159
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plant. With an existing average dry weather flow (ADWF) of
28 mgd coming from the city and a design capacity of 40 mgd
ADWF, there would be 12 mgd of unused capacity in the plant.
The CSO abatement facilities plan (Spokane City Department
of Public Works, 1977, Supplement) indicated that the city's
sewered population would increase to about 189,282 by the
year 2000, with an average dry weather wastewater flow of
34.25 mgd (assuming sewer separation). This included the
addition of Moran Prairie and Southwest, two planning areas
currently outside the city's sewer service area (see Table 4-19
and Figure 4-8) . By 2020 the population and flows were
expected to increase to 204,315 and 36.86 ADWF, respectively.
These population and flow estimates are lower than those
reported in the Spokane treatment plant facilities plan
(Bovay Engineers, Inc., 1973), but are identical to those
presented in the Metropolitan Spokane study (U. S. Department
of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Technical Report). The
projections indicate that if all stormwater is removed from
the city's sanitary sewer system as planned in Alternative 3,
there would be sufficient capacity in the plant to accept a
sizeable county wastewater flow with little or no plant
modification. If the two clarifiers now used for primary
treatment of stormwater were converted to secondary clarifiers
(along with other minor plant modifications), the plant's
average dry weather capacity would increase to about 60 mgd.
Therefore, there would be over 23 mgd of available plant
capacity through the year 2020 if all stormwater flows were
removed from the sanitary sewer system. This assumes,
however, that the phosphorus removal units of the treatment
system need no modification to accommodate a 60 mgd ADWF.
Draft information prepared by Kennedy Engineers, Inc., (1978a)
for an amendment to the North Spokane facilities plan suggests
that the phosphorus removal units cannot properly treat flows
beyond 57 mgd without expansion. Reference to population and
flow estimates for the year 2020 have been included only to
show the relationship of the alternative to earlier long-range
plannmq conducted for the city and county. Projections that
Ear in the future are generally speculative and are not used
for EPA planning purposes. The projections for the 1980 to
2000 planning period are the primary basis for state and EPA
participation m local facilities planning.
Table 4-19 lists projected populations and wastewater
flows for the three county areas that might be served by the
Spokane wastewater plant if Alternative 3 were implemented.
Table 4-20 shows combined wastewater flows under various
schemes of hooking these county areas to the city treatment
system. A brief discussion of these regionalization possibilities
is presented in the following paragraphs.
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Table 4-19
POPULATION AND FLOW ESTIMATES - METROPOLITAN SPOKANE WASTEWATER SERVICE AREAS
Service Area 1990 2000 20207
City of Spokane1
Population served 182,506 189,282 204,315
Flows (ADWF)2 32.39 34.25 36.86
North Spokane'
Population served 29,433 44,627 62,482
Flows (ADWF) 3.91 5.80 7.96
Spokane Valley1'
Population served 117,630 (104,930) 148,990 (131,360) 217,080 (184,820)
Flows (ADWF) 11.52 (10.27) 16.15 (14.38) 23.40 (20.18)
Spokane Plains (W. Plateau)5
Population served 2,187 2,614 3,532
Flows (ADWF) 3.76
l1990 and 2020 data from U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Technical
Repott, year 2000 data from City of Spokane Department of Public Works, 1977, Supplement;
estimates include Moran Prairie and southwest, assuming sewer separation.
2 ADWF is average dry weather flow, including residential, commercial, industrial and
infiltration components.
3Data from U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Tecnical Report and used in
Kennedy Engineers, Inc., 1978
"•Data from URS Company, 1978; population and flow numbers in parentheses do not include
planning areas SV-7 and SV-8, the Newman and Liberty Lake areas.
5Data from U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Technical Report; assumes
Spokane Plains water supply is augmented.
6Flow is not proportional to population estimates because Corps Report added flows from
Airway Heights, Fairchild AFB, Medical Lake and Cheney to this planning area without
adding their populations. No flow figure is available for Spokane Plains only.
'Year 2020 population and flow estimates included only to show relationship between
current facilities planning and long-range planning conducted earlier for the City
and County of Spokane; state and EPA participation in facilities planning is limited
to the 1980 to 2000 planning period.
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FIGURE 4-8
METROPOLITAN SPOKANE PLANNING UNITS*
& WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES
POSSIBLE NORTH SPOKANE
TREATMENT PLANT C
PERCOLATION POND SITE
APPROXIMATE PLANNING
AREA FOR NORTH SPOKANE|
SUBURBAN SEWAGE
PROPOSED NEWMAN
LAKE SERVICE AREA
PROPOSED LIBERTY LAKE
S.D. SERVICE AREA
FAIRCH ILD A.F.B.
* PLANNING UNITS USED BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ARMY, CORPS OF ENGI N EERS (1976) 6.
SPOKANE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY.
SOURCE: MODIFIED FROM U.S. ARMY CORPS OF E N Gl N EERS , 1976, TEC H NIC A L REPORT
-------
Table 4-201
FLOWS TO THE SPOKANE TREATMENT PLANT UNDER VARIOUS REGIONALIZATION SCHEMES
Wastewater Flows
(ADWF)
Reqionalization Schemes
1990
2000
2020
City of Spokane and North Spokane
36.3
40.05
44.72
City of Spokane and Spokane Valley2
43. 91
50.4
60.26
City of Spokane and Spokane Plains
37.95
City of Spokane and North Spokane
and Spokane Valley2
47.82
56.2
68. 22
City of Spokane and North Spokane,
Spokane Valley and Spokane Plains2
59.9
1Computed from data presented in Table
4-19.
2Spokane Valley total includes Liberty
Lake and
Newman Lake.
-------
As Table 4-20 indicates, the Spokane plant could treat
the projected City and North Spokane flows to beyond the
year 2020 if complete sewer separation occurs and the plant
is expanded to a 60 mgd capacity. Even without the capacity
increase, the existing plant could accommodate the combined
flows until the year 2000. This assumes the plant phosphorus
removal units are capable of treating the increased flows
(see earlier note about possible phosphorus unit_limitations) .
This regionalization scheme has recently been studied by
Kennedy Engineers Inc., (1978a). Their rough draft report
suggests there is adequate trunk sewer capacity in the city
system at Rowan and Milton to accommodate North Spokane flows
until about 1990. After that date, a paralleling relief
sewer to the city main interceptor would be needed. It is
important to note that the actual timing of transferring
North Spokane wastewater to the city treatment plant would
be dependent upon completion of total sewer separation in
the city (perhaps 10 years for construction) and sewering
of the North Spokane area.
If Spokane Valley wastewater is to be treated at the
Spokane plant, the life expectancy of the treatment system
would be much shorter. Based on the projections shown in
Table 4-19 the combined city and valley flows would exceed
the ultimate plant capacity of 60 mgd before the year 2020.
This assumes that the entire valley population would be
sewered by then; however, it also includes flows from
both Liberty Lake and Newman Lake. If the Liberty and Newman
Lake systems remain separated from the rest of the valley
and if complete sewering of the valley planning area does
not occur, the Spokane plant's life expectancy would be
extended beyond 2020 under this regionalization scheme. A
brief analysis of valley regionalization prepared by URS
Company (1978) as part of the county 208 plan program
indicates that there are two possible locations to tap
valley flows into the city interceptor system. The northern
part of the valley interceptor system could connect to the
city at Mallon Avenue and Perry Street (42" diameter pipe),
and the southern part could connect at Harston Avenue and
Havana Street. As noted in discussing North Spokane
regionalization possibilities, the actual timing of hooking
the valley into the city wastewater treatment system would
be dependent upon completion of the city sewer separation
project and sewering of the valley populations.
If both North Spokane and Spokane Valley (including
Liberty and Newman Lakes) were to be tied to the city
treatment system, the Spokane plant's expanded 60 mgd
capacity would be able to accommodate projected flows
(Table 4-20) until about 2005 or 2010. The combined flows
would theoretically be about 56.2 mgd by the year 2000.
Again, the actual timing of reaching the 60 mgd capacity
would be dependent on the rate at which the county populations
were sewered and connected to the city interceptor system.
164
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The combination CSO control concept, which includes some
storage and some separate sewers, would eliminate storm flows
from 8 of the 14 drainage groupings in the city (See Figure 2-7).
This would reduce peak flows into the plant, but would not be
sufficient to completely abandon the primary stormwater
clarifiers. Therefore, some outside flows could be fed into
the plant, but they might not receive full AWT treatment and
eventual plant expansion to 60 mgd could not be realized.
The 8 areas that would receive separate sewers contribute
about 24 percent of the theoretical maximum stormwater inflow
to the city's main interceptor.
A no-action alternative would perpetuate the Spokane
plant's present hydraulic overloading situation and would
not allow for any regional tie-ins to the city system.
Anticipated flow increases from growth within the city
service area would simply add to the volume of combined
sewer overflows or bypassing through the plant's storm water
treatment system.
The concept of using the Spokane treatment plant as a
regional wastewater facility is scheduled to receive more
detailed analysis as part of a comprehensive county 201
facilities plan the Spokane County Engineers are hoping to
initiate in the near future.
165
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Environmental Considerations for Regionalization of
Wastewater Treatment
The previous section dealt with the various CSO
alternatives and their influence on the Spokane treatment
plant's ability to provide wastewater treatment to outlying
county areas. This is an important topic because wastewater
facilities planning is proceeding at a rapid rate for many
of the unsewered areas surrounding Spokane . Preliminary
draft facilities plans have recently been prepared for North
Spokane and the Liberty Lake Sanitation District, and a
draft facilities plan has been published for the Newman
Lake area. It is essential that the environmental pros and
cons of regionalizing wastewater treatment be considered
prior to making long-term decisions for the county areas
on an individual basis. There is currently no single planning
effort underway with a broad enough scope to consider all
of the ramifications of regionalization as compared to
local wastewater treatment and disposal. However, Spokane
County is now seeking federal and state grant funds to prepare
a single facilities plan for the entire unincorporated
portion of metropolitan Spokane. This may bring together
sufficient data to thoroughly analyze the pros and cons of
wastewater regionalization in the Spokane area. The following
paragraphs briefly discuss the major areas of environmental
concern raised by the regionalization concept.
Rapid population growth in unincorporated urban areas
surrounding Spokane has been a primary stimulus to the
wastewater facilities planning now being conducted. This
growth is resulting in a proliferation of individual on-site
waste disposal systems and small community treatment plants.
It is extremely difficult to monitor and assess the effectiveness
of all of these systems and is therefore a point of concern
to those federal, state and local agencies responsible for
enforcing sanitation, public health and water quality standards.
The dominant concern in the Spokane area is the impact of
wastewater treatment and disposal on the area's groundwater.
The Spokane Valley aquifer has been classified as the sole
source of water supply to metropolitan Spokane and there are
concerns that seepage from individual wastewater systems
is contaminating this supply. A 208 planning effort by
Spokane County is currently studying aquifer water quality.
Two of the major tasks of that study are to determine changes
in groundwater quality as it passes through the Spokane area
and to investigate how man's activity is affecting the quality.
The 208 plan is also reviewing and updating facilities planning
data for Spokane Valley that was prepared for the U. S. Army
Corps of Engineers (197 6) Metropolitan Spokane study. This
208 information will be very valuable to those planning the
long-range wastewater facilities needs of the Spokane Valley.
166
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If county areas are to be sewered, there are two basic
directions that can be taken. New wastewater treatment
plants could be built in each of the county's urban subregions
(e.g., North Spokane, Spokane Valley, Spokane Plains, etc.)
or some of the outlying county areas could be tied into the
Spokane city treatment plant (regionalization). The latter
could more readily occur if the city's CSO problem is solved
by constructing separate storm sewers. This would free up
the most treatment plant and interceptor capacity.
The benefits of regionalization can be as much financial
and administrative as they are environmental. Quite often
there is some economy of scale attributable to a single
large facility when compared to several smaller facilities.
Personnel, chemical and energy costs are usually lower per"
volume of treated wastewater for a single facility. Admini-
stration and monitoring of treatment is also usually easier
and cheaper for a single facility. In the Spokane area,
regionalization could eliminate the need for one or two new
wastewater treatment plants. This could be a considerable
cost savings, but specific economic comparisons have not yet
been made between regionalization and separate systems.
Regionalization for North Spokane means the difference
between constructing an interceptor to tie into the city
interceptor system or constructing a new secondary treatment
plant with disposal by percolation near the junction of
Rutter Parkway and Indian Trail Road (Figure 4-8). The
direct construction impact of tying into the city system
would be negligible. Construction of the new treatment
plant at the proposed Rutter site would remove open space
and farmland in an area that is expected to remain rural.
Under a regionalization scheme, North Spokane's wastewater
would be transported to the Spokane treatment plant for
secondary treatment, phosphorus removal and discharge to
the Spokane River. The hazardous chemicals, pathogenic
organisms and nutrients found in that wastewater would no
longer be disposed of through individual septic tanks or
small community land disposal systems; they would be removed
at the Spokane plant except for the small residual that would
be discharged to the Spokane River. If North Spokane's wastes
are collected for treatment and percolation at a new plant
north of town near the Little Spokane River, the residual
elements in the plant effluent would pass through the soil
column before entering ground or surface waters. Kennedy
Engineers, Inc. (1978) indicate that groundwater in this
area is of limited quantity and use. Some of the percolate
would eventually surface and possibly enter the Little
Spokane River, but the filtering effect of the soil would
remove most undesirable constituents. Kennedy Engineers
(1978) draft amendment to the North Spokane facilities plan
suggests that hooking into the city's wastewater conveyance
and treatment system is the most cost-effective alternative
for the North Spokane urbanized area.
167
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The Spokane Valley has several options for treating and
disposing of its wastewater. Use of the city's treatment
facilities would mean that only an interceptor network would
have to be constructed in the valley. This system would
have to be attached to city interceptors with sufficient
capacity to accommodate projected valley wastewater flows.
Two potential connection locations have been identified
by URS company (1978; see preceding impact discussion).
Eventually, structures now using septic tanks and new
developments would be sewered and wastes now entering the
ground would be treated at the city plant and discharged to
the Spokane River. This would mean that an additional nutrient
load would be entering the river below Spokane, but it would
eventually eliminate public health threats posed by septic
tank wastes leaching into the Spokane-Rathdrum aquifer. If
individual treatment systems are allowed to continue as the
wastewater treatment mode in the valley area, there will
continue to be serious, long-term threats to the health of
persons relying on underground sources for their domestic
water supply. This includes most of the people in the
metropolitan Spokane area.
Another option for Spokane Valley is to construct new
wastewater treatment facilities and develop a wastewater
system independent of the city. This approach was recommended
in the Metropolitan Spokane water resources study (U. S.
Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976). There are
two suboptions to this plan: 1) construct a single facility
for the entire valley near Felts Field with secondary treatment,
phosphorus removal and discharge to the Spokane River; or
2) expand the Liberty Lake plant for secondary treatment of
Liberty Lake and Newman Lake wastewater, with phosphorus
removal and discharge to the Spokane River at Harvard Road,
and treat the remainder of the valley's wastewater at the
new Felts Field site as planned in suboption 1. The new Felts
Field plant would be located in an urbanized area while the
Liberty Lake plant expansion would remove prime agricultural
land from use (U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service, 1978). The Liberty Lake plant expansion is already
being considered as part of a separate 201 facilities planning
effort. Both of these suboptions allow for eventual elimination
of individual on-site disposal systems in the valley and are
therefore a long-term benefit to the water quality of the
Spokane-Rathdrum aquifer. However, both of these options add
an additional nutrient load to the Spokane River above the
City of Spokane. All of the pros and cons of this additional
discharge cannot be analyzed under the scope of this EIS, but
there would undoubtedly be some change in the character of river
flows through the City of Spokane. The regionalization scheme
(hooking to the city system) would eliminate new upstream
discharges in favor of a larger discharge from the existing
city treatment plant.
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It appears that the population of the metropolitan
Spokane area will continue to grow quite rapidly whether or
not outlying areas are connected to the city wastewater treatment
system. Planning is underway to develop separate wastewater
systems in many county areas and each will undoubtedly be
capable of supporting expected population increases.
Meanwhile, the county continues to allow development with
individual unit sewage systems. Therefore, sewer service
is not presently a severe constraint to development and is
not expected to be in the future. New sewage collection and
disposal facilities may simply accelerate the rate at which
new development occurs in the presently unsewered portions of
the metropolitan Spokane area.
The metropolitan Spokane water resources study projected
that the entire area would grow from 292,000 in 1980 to about
353,000 in the year 2000 (U. S. Department of Army, Corps of
Engineers, 1976, Technical Report). Recent recalculations of
growth for Spokane Valley indicate the population is increasing
even faster than this predicted rate (URS Company, 1978).
The growth itself will have a separate, but significant
impact on the quality of the environment in the Spokane area.
Air quality, water quality, land conversion and circulation
are just some of the factors strongly influenced by rapid
growth. The implications of growth should therefore be care-
fully considered in future facility planning efforts.
Air quality and water quality problems have already
developed in the Spokane area due to the large numbers of
people. Carbon monoxide levels along major roadways exceed
national standards on a regular basis. While planning is
underway to develop mitigative measures, rapid population
increases in areas such as Liberty Lake, East Farms and
Mead will stimulate more traffic in and around Spokane. The
air quality nonattainment plan being developed for Spokane
must compensate for the population increases in order to
comply with the mandates of the federal Clean Air Act. The
principal water quality problems associated with growth are
gradual contamination of the Spokane-Rathdrum aquifer from
on-site wastewater disposal and surface water contamination
from waste discharges and urban runoff. The impact of waste
discharges is being considered in the Spokane CSO abatement
facilities plan and other area 201 facilities plans. The
problems associated with urban runoff (oils, grease, suspended
solids, heavy metals, complex organics, etc.) are typically
addressed in 208 planning similar to that being conducted by
Spokane County. Continued urbanization means more paved
surfaces, more local use of pesticides and fertilizers and
more uncontrolled runoff to the Spokane River.
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Another casualty of rapid growth in the Spokane area
is prime agricultural land. Much of the undeveloped land
around Liberty Lake, East Farms and Otis Orchards is mapped
as prime agricultural land by the U. S. Department of
Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (1978). Growth in
these areas will undoubtedly remove prime soils from future
cultivation- Loss of prime agricultural land to urbanization
is generally considered an irretrievable loss; when less
productive soils are forced into cultivation as a result
of the loss, both economic and energy efficiency are
sacrificed.
Local services and facilities such as the transportation
network, schools, police and fire department and park system
will also feel the pressure of this population increase.
Each of these areas of secondary impact would typically be
analyzed as facilties plans are completed for the urbanizing
areas around the City of Spokane.
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Relationship of Alternatives to Regional Air Quality
Construction activities can be expected to produce an
undetermined quantity of dust, which may be considered a
nuisance condition by residents adjacent to construction
sites. The larger particles will settle out locally, while
the smaller particles may remain indefinitely suspended and
contribute to the existing ambient suspended particulate
problems. Although the quantification of impacts is difficult
at best, a qualitative judgement on the relative impacts of
the three basic alternative projects can be made. One
important factor is the length of construction. Alternatives 1
and 2 would be constructed over a 2- to 3-year time period,
while Alternative 3 would take 8 to 10 years. Another factor
is that an open pit excavated for either storage basins or
satellite treatment facilities would likely emit more particulates
than an equal area of pipeline trench. A large open pit is
more conducive to generating dust than narrow trenches.
Since Alternative 1 necessitates the greatest acreage of
large excavations (approximately 30 acres), and its construction
period is 2 to 3 years, it will create the greatest impact
on ambient suspended particulates. Alternative 2 requires
approximately 19 acres of excavation over a similar construction
period. Therefore, Alternative 2 would create the second
largest impact. Since Alternative 3 would be constructed
over 8 to 10 years, and it requires no large open excavations,
it would produce the least impact on ambient suspended
particulates. Through the use of standard construction
practices (such as the use of water to abate dust), none of
the alternative projects is likely to significantly affect
air quality. These construction activities should therefore
not interfere with implementation of air quality strategies
to meet federal air quality standards.
Through the use of construction equipment, construction
activities will also generate other pollutants. This equip-
ment will emit uncalculated quantities of hydrocarbons,
nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulates.
The quantity of each pollutant emitted is a function of the
type of equipment used, and the duration of use. Only carbon
monoxide and particulate emissions are of major concern, since
these are the only two pollutants that presently pose a
significant ambient air quality problem. Alternative 1
involves the heaviest use of construction equipment, and
would take 2 to 3 years to complete. It would therefore produce
the greatest impact. Alternative 2 involves the second
heaviest use of equipment and it would also take 2 to 3
years to complete. It would produce the second largest
impact on air quality. Alternative 3 would utilize the
least amount of heavy construction equipment, and it would
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take 8 to 10 years to complete. It would therefore produce
the least impact on air quality. Utilizing reasonable
construction practices, it is not likely that any of the
proposed alternatives would significantly affect ambient air
quality. Similarly, construction activities would not likely
interfere with strategies to meet federal air quality
standards.
Project Alternative 3 would allow for eventual regional-
ization of wastewater treatment in the Spokane area by freeing
capacity in both the city interceptor system and treatment
plant. This would be an impetus to growth in outlying areas
even though wastewater treatment facilities are not now a
serious constraint to growth. As these areas grow, whether from
hooking into the city system or constructing wastewater facilities
of their own, air quality will undoubtedly suffer. Increases
in auto traffic are closely tied to increases in population,
and cars are typically the biggest contributors to air
pollution. Therefore, it is important that facilities
planning efforts for outlying county areas consider the
long-term air quality implications of the growth those
facilities are designed to accommodate.
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Long-Term Effects of New Facilities
on Adjacent Land Uses
Alternative 1 - Storage Basins and Relief Sewers
Under this alternative, available interceptor and main
sewage treatment plant capacity would always be required for
storm flow, thus restricting expansion of sanitary sewer
service to unsewered areas. Relief sewers would eliminate
backup problems which would have a beneficial impact on land
use. The construction of a storage basin at Peaceful Valley
may result in permanent removal of housing. The land use
plan for city shows this as an area planned eventually for
medium and high density residential development (Spokane City
Plan Commission, 1968). Removal of existing older housing
would, therefore, not necessarily conflict with long-range
plans, but may tend to accelerate conversion of the area to
more intense land use. Storage of untreated sewage may result
in significant odor problems, which would create serious
land use conflicts in existing and proposed residential and
recreational areas where basins are proposed.
Alternative 2 - Satellite Treatment and Relief Sewers
This alternative would not free additional capacity in
the sewage treatment plant and would not, therefore, influence
development in unsewered areas. This alternative would be
identical to storage basins in terms of the effect on
eliminating backup problems. The alternative may result in
some permanent conversion of land use for construction of
facilities in the Peaceful Valley area. Although treatment
facilities will be underground, chlorination storage facilities
would be above ground, probably in fenced storage buildings.
Due to safety and aesthetic considerations, this may conflict
with adjacent uses in developed areas.
Six of the 14 treatment plant sites would be located
adjacent or close to residential development. Should odors
result due to chlorination or other operational problems,
there would be a serious conflict with adjacent land use.
This would also be the case in park lands where facilities
are planned. The presence of treatment facilities in River-
front Park may conflict with existing and proposed uses in
the park if odors or other aesthetic problems result.
Alternative 3 - Separate Storm Sewers
A portion of the capacity in the existing trunk and
interceptor sewer system and treatment plant is reserved for
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storm flows. With this alternative, stormwater would no
longer flow to the treatment plant, freeing an estimated 10
to 12 mgd of sewage treatment capacity (Gellner, per's. comm.).
This additional capacity could be used to extend service to
unsewered areas, potentially facilitating development. With
minor modifications and a relatively small additional cost,
the sewage treatment plant could be further upgraded to
provide an additional 20 mgd of capacity. No determination
has been made as to when and where the additional capacity
would be utilized. The city is almost entirely served by
the community sewage collection system. The largest unsewered
area in the city with development potential is in the
southeast corner.
The largest unsewered area contiguous to the city is
sprawling Spokane Valley to the east. The rapidly growing
suburban area has an estimated population of 60,000 (U. S.
Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976; Technical
Report). However, the greatest demand for sewerage service
comes from lesser populated North Spokane. North Spokane
is the area generally jiorth of Francis Avenue and including
both unincorporated areas and areas within the city limits.
Incorporated areas are served by small collection systems
leading to some interim form of treatment facility, either
nonoverflow lagoons or package plants. Operation of the
lagoons has not been satisfactory. Unincorporated areas are
predominately served by on-site disposal systems which are
subject to a large number of failures due to marginal soil
conditions. If the additional capacity were used to allow
a community sewer system in North Spokane, additional develop-
ment and population growth would be facilitated. It should
be noted that North Spokane's 20,000 population is expected
to increase rapidly in the future as is the Spokane Valley
area (U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976;
Technical Report). Therefore, additional development could
theoretically be accelerated by this alternative, but growth
would probably occur with or without extension of sewerage
services.
Separate storm sewers would have a beneficial impact by
eliminating sewage backup problems which now adversely impact
a variety of land uses. The most notable areas where im-
provements would occur are in the older residential sections
of the central and western south hill, and to a lesser degree
in the north side residential areas. The older residential
areas include some of the poorest quality housing in the
city, and elimination of backup problems would be extremely
beneficial. Although planning department and other city
personnel identified no areas where development has actually
been inhibited by sewage backup problems, a recent report
for the Spokane City Plan Commission recommends that no
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additional growth be permitted in sewerage backup areas or
unsewered areas (Spokane City Plan Commission, 1976a). Such
areas constitute a large percentage of the city and if the
recommendation were endorsed, would significantly inhibit
future development in the city.
Expanded Sewage Treatment Plant. Should the sewage
treatment plant be expanded to accommodate additional flows
from outlying areas, there would be a minor impact on land
uses in the vicinity of the plant. The existing site has
been laid out to accommodate the additional facilities
required for plant expansion. The treatment plant site is
owned by the City of Spokane. Land surrounding the site and
opposite the plant on the north shore, is owned by the State
of Washington, and is part of Riverside State Park. Above
the site, low density residential development is continuous
along Northwest Boulevard. The treatment plant site is zoned
for utilities, with adjacent land to the north and south
zoned for parks. Residential lands are zoned for low density
development. The site is within the planning area identifed
in city documents as NW Neighborhood 10 (Census Tract 10)
which encompasses a total of 941 acres (Spokane City Plan
Commission, 1968). The Land Use Plan indicates the area will
remain predominately low density residential, with park and
utility zoning remaining unchanged. The 1970 population of
Neighborhood 10 was estimated at 5,697, which is expected
to increase very slightly to a saturation point of 5,800
(Spokane City Plan Commission, 1975). Conflicts between
the existing sewage treatment plant and adjacent land use
have related primarily to complaints by residents along
Northwest Boulevard and the surrounding area of odor from
the plant (Hess, pers. comm.).
The expanded treatment plant is not expected to appreciably
alter the odor problem. Other significant land use conflicts
are not anticipated due to the extensive city and state lands
buffering the treatment plant site.
Klicker Storage Suboption. This alternative would have
a number of adverse impacts on adjacent land use. The surface
basins with their attendant aesthetic, odor and public
safety problems, could substantially reduce the desirability
and quality of residential and recreation areas where basins
are proposed. Construction of the Bridge Street storage
reservoir would preclude the planned development of this
area as a future residential area, which would conflict with
the city's master plan for this area (Spokane City Plan
Commission, 1975). Open storage may also preclude or
jeopardize future recreation development planned on the north
shore of Riverfront Park. Benefits due to elimination of
sewage backup would be the same as Alternative 1.
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Latenser Plan. The extent of urban development adversely
affected by this proposal would be less than with Alternative
1. Long-term effects of the Clark Street reservoir would
depend on whether the facility were below or above the surface.
A surface reservoir would require permanent removal of housing
in the Peaceful Valley area, and would periodically pose
serious problems for residents due to aesthetic, odor, and
safety factors. An underground facility may create serious
odor problems, but would not be as detrimental as a surface
lagoon. The open reservoir in Riverside State Park would
eliminate future recreation development in that vicinity.
This may not be acceptable to the State Parks and Recreation
Commission, because they plan to develop the area for equestrian
use in the near future (Heiser, pers. comm. [a]). This alter-
native would permanently remove a small amount of agricultural
land from production, but would potentially allow conversion
of nonirrigated land and open space to more intensive agri-
cultural uses.
Combination Concept. Storage basins near Riverfront
Park (6B) in Peaceful Valley (8B) and on Northwest Boulevard
(14B) could have a long-term adverse impact on adjacent land
uses under this alternative. Odors emanating from stored
wastewater could stimulate complaints from nearby residents
or recreationists. As mentioned under Alternative 1, the
Peaceful Valley storage basin could accelerate planned land
use conversion from low to medium or high density residential
uses. None of the other storage basins (5B, 10B, 16B) should
have a long-term effect on adjacent land uses. Separate storm
sewers planned in drainage areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 13
(Figure 2-7) would not improve sewer backup problems in the
areas with the most extensive problems, but relief sewers in
the other drainage areas would.
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Potential Effect Upon Historic and Archeological Resources
A cultural resource survey for this project was prepared
by staff of the Anthropology and History Departments of
Oregon State University. Their full report (Hartman and
Robbins, 1978) is not included herein, but may be reviewed
in its entirety at offices of the U. S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency in Seattle, or the City of Spokane Department
of Public Works, Spokane City Hall. The following discussion
has been excerpted from the full report.
Prehistory and Native Peoples
The Indians of the Columbia Plateau were primarily
Salish and Shahaptian speakers, and archeological evidence
indicates that people were living on the plateau between
8 and 13 thousand years ago. When the whites first encountered
them, these Salish-speakers referred to themselves as
"Spukanee," which means Sun People or Children of the Sun.
Eventually the word was rendered in English as Spokan
(Ruby and Brown, 1970).
Verne Ray (1936) has divided the Spokans into three
groups: the lower, middle and upper. The Upper Spokan
lived in the area of the present City of Spokane. Ray (1936)
has ethnographic data for several villages in the vicinity
of Spokane. Archeological verification of these sites is
difficult as the development of the downtown area has all
but obliterated any surface signs of prehistoric occupation.
A check for archeological site data was made at the
Washington Archeological Research Center, Washington State
University, Pullman. Few archeological sites are recorded
for the Spokane area; no systematic on-ground investigation
has been made. Several site areas have been located through
a literature search by Sarah Keller of Eastern Washington
University, but this information is contained in an as yet
unreleased draft of a historic landmarks survey filed with
the City Planning Commission.
Potential For Impacts
Unlike Seattle, Spokane does not have a historic "old
town" buried beneath its streets. Except for fill areas on
both sides of the river adjacent to the Monroe Street Bridge,
most of the street construction has been in accord with the
natural topography. Excavation may expose bricks, especially
in the older sections of the city where they were often used
as the original pavement. Excavation may also turn up parts
of the old wooden sewer system (Fahey, pers. comm.).
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One local historian, Edmund T. Becher, claims there are
"persistent rumors" of underground Chinese gambling and
opium dens in "Chinese Alley", the block bounded by Trent
and Main, and Bernard and Brown. These reputed underground
dens were under the alley rather than the street (Becher,
pers. comm.). The Chinese also congregated in great numbers
along lower Hangman Creek during the heyday of railroad
building in the 1880s and thus there is the possibility of
discovering evidence of their stay (Garrett, pers. comm.).
When the city was building its early street system on
the north side of the river, there are reports that the
digging and blasting disrupted some burial grounds. Early
burial areas in Browne's Addition also may have been paved
over (Garrett, pers. comm.). James Glover claims that a
cemetery near Fourth and Pine was used by Christian Indians
who buried their dead in the earth (Durham, 1912).
Places within Spokane that have been included on the
National Register of Historic Places are listed at the end
of this section.
The greatest potential impact of this project on cultural
resources is the possible disturbance of archeological sites
along the Spokane River, especially in the Peaceful Valley
area and in the vicinity of the Downriver Golf Course.
Brief inspections of the proposed storage basin sites failed
to locate archeological materials, but virtually all low-
lying areas within 1/4 mile of the river should be considered
sensitive for archeological sites. (Storage basin site 16B,
which was only recently identified as a potential storage
site by the City of Spokane, has not been surveyed on the
ground. If the storage option is eventually selected for
more detailed consideration, this site will be checked for
archeological resources.) Basin sites 2B, 4B, 5B, and 6B
(Alternatives 1, 2 and the Klicker Plan) appear to be in
locations which are mentioned as sites in the literature.
Review of the "proposed facilities sites by the Washington
Archeological Research Center indicates that construction of
storage basin/treatment plant sites 6B, 7B, 8B ( Alternatives
1 and 2, Klicker Plan, Combination Concept) may affect known
cultural resources. Site 6B could affect Indian burials at
the Masonic Temple, while sites 7B and 8B could affect
historic and prehistoric Indian encampments in the Peaceful
Valley area. In addition, the proposed intermediate storage
basin of the Latenser Plan (located just across the river
from the Spokane treatment plant) could affect the Fort
George Wright historic military trash dump (on the National
Register of Historic Places) and historic or prehistoric
Indian camp sites.
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It is nearly impossible to discover such sites in an
urban environment based solely on surface reconnaissance,
and therefore construction in such areas should be preceded
by archeological testing, or at the very least should be
closely monitored.
If any archeological materials are unearthed in the
course of construction, they should be brought to the
immediate attention of qualified professionals and the State
Historic Preservation Office in Olympia should be consulted
for guidance. Finally, detailed attention should be given
to the recent report, Historic Landmarks Survey: A Report
and Site Inventory of Spokane^s Historic Resources, (Keller,
n.d.) which can be consulted at the City Planning Commission
Office, Spokane (when it becomes available). The archeological
component of this study should contain relevant data on the
Spokane CSO abatement project area. (Three unsuccessful
attempts were made to obtain the Keller report. Site locale
data are on file both with the City of Spokane and the
Washington Archeological Research Center in Pullman. Both
should be consulted for precise archeological site locations
near facilities eventually constructed.)
Listings on the National Register of Historic Places for
Spokane
Browne's Addition Historic District. A well preserved
residential section west of the cityks center. It includes
examples of every residential style of architecture fashionable
in the Pacific Northwest between 1880 and 1930.
Cowley Park. Located on South Division between Sixth
and Seventh Avenue. The park marks the presence of several
structures erected by Reverend Henry Cowley and his family,
one of the first four families to settle in Spokane in 187 4.
Davenport Hotel. Located at 807 West Sprague and 512
Post. Built in 1914, the building was famous for its
architecture and imaginative service.
Finch House. Located at West 2340 First Avenue and
South 104 Poplar. This is a Georgian Revival mansion
built in 1893.
Flour Mill. Located at 621 Mallon and built in 1895.
Fort George Wright Historic District. Originally
designed as a replacement for Fort Spokane and used from
1897 to 1958. The fort is famous for its tree-lined lanes
and red brick buildings.
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Glover House. Located at 321 Eighth Avenue and built
in 1888 for James Glover, the founder of Spokane.
Great Western Building. Located at Riverside Avenue
and Lincoln Street. Built in 1890.
Hyde Building and Annex. Located at Riverside Avenue
and Wall Street. The main building was constructed in 1890,
the annex in 1908.
Monroe Street Bridge. Built in 1912, its 290-foot arch
was the longest in the world at that time.
Review Building. Located at Monroe Street and Riverside
Avenue. Built in 1889, this six-story building is an
architectural and historical landmark.
Riverside Avenue Historic District. Once known as the
"Civic Center" because of the concentration of monumental
buildings in one area, a majority of which still survive.
Spokane County Courthouse. Located at West 1116 Broadway.
Built in 1895 in French Renaissance style.
Westminster Congregational Church. Located at Fourth
Avenue and Washington Street. Built in 1890, the building
is the first stone church built in Washington.
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Chapter 5
PROPOSED ACTION
Introduction
The preceding chapters of this report have described and
analyzed a variety of projects designed to abate combined
sewers overflows (CSO) to the Spokane River emanating from
the City of Spokane. Controlling CSO is an immediate need
to meet the mandates of the federal Clean Water Act and
waste discharge requirements established and enforced by
the Washington Department of Ecology. The facilities plan
alternatives were analyzed for their ability to correct the
CSO problem and to meet two other objectives: 1) to remedy
sewer backups into basements and local flooding problems that
occur throughout Spokane due to inadequate hydraulic capacity
in combined sewer lines, and 2) to maintain the option of
using the Spokane interceptor system and treatment plant as
the regional wastewater system for both the city and surrounding
unincorporated urban areas. As a result of this environmental
and economic analysis, the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency has selected an apparent best project alternative for
consideration by the City of Spokane, concerned governmental
agencies and the public in general. The proposed action is
described and analyzed in the following pages.
Alternative 3 Project Phasing
The proposed action is the phased implementation of
Alternative 3. There would be two major phases, the first
being construction of separate storm sewers in the Meenach
and Hollywood drainage areas (Figure 5-1). This construction
should extend over a 3- to 5-year period and remove approximately
84 percent of the CSO that annually reaches the river. This
CSO removal can be accomplished for approximately 3 9 percent
of the anticipated total Alternative 3 construction cost.
The second phase of the project would complete the construction
of separate storm sewers in the City of Spokane. It would take
at least 5 years to complete and would remove the remaining
16 percent of the annual CSO. It would also remove the remaining
stormwater flows being conveyed to the treatment plant. The
second phase is necessary to comply with NPDES permit mandates
on CSO control and AWT treatment before discharge to the
river, and to free-up capacity in the Spokane wastewater
system for outlying county areas. The order in which other
parts of the city are given separate sewers would be determined
by the City of Spokane. Some priority ranking could be established
on the basis of CSO control and a schedule to meet project
objectives. 18]_
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FIGURE 5-1
Ml LES
PROPOSED ACTION-PHASE 1
/
*
[
i
i Lincoln
-ue:ge:nd-
CITY LIMITS
^ PHASE 1 SEPARATE
SEWER CONSTRUCTION
AREA
12 MEENACH DR. OVERFLOW
DRAINAGE AREA
15 HOLLYWOOD OVERFLOW
DRAINAGE AREA
r"
1
J
(
SOURCE ¦ BASEMAP
MODIFIED FROM SPOKANE CITY DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS, 1977, EXHIBITS
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Phasing has been suggested because there is insufficient
federal and state grant money to finance the entire project
at this time. Federal and state governments make annual
allocations of funds to finance water pollution control
projects. There is a limited supply of funds available and
allocations from the federal government to the various states
vary from one year to the next. The Washington Department
of Ecology develops an annual priority list of projects
based on the funds available in a given year and the relative
pollution control merits of projects within Washington. The
level of funding available is not known more than 2 to 3 years
in advance. Therefore, it is impossible to determine the
exact level of federal and state participation in funding
of Phase 2 of Spokane's CSO abatement project.
Probable Funding Action
The proposed action is considered a multi-purpose
project for purposes of calculating federal funding. A multi-
purpose project is designed to solve more than just a water
pollution problem; in this case it also seeks to remedy a
local sewer backup and drainage problem and to allow regionali-
zation of sewage treatment and disposal. If the cost of a
multi-purpose project (Alternative 3) exceeds the cost of the
single purpose pollution control project (control of CSO
only) then EPA regulations require that the cost of the
multi-purpose project be allocated between pollution control
and other purposes, with only the pollution control component
being eligible for EPA funding. If on the other hand the
multi-purpose project is less costly than the single purpose
pollution control project, then 100 percent of the project
is eligible for EPA funding.
Table 5-1 compares the total annual cost of the single
purpose project with that of Alternative 3 (both phases).
It shows that the multi-purpose project is more costly
in spite of the credit ($3.03 million) given it for its
regionalization potential. The regionalization allowed by
Alternative 3 could eliminate the need for constructing other
water pollution treatment and disposal facilities in the
Spokane Valley. Table 5-2 shows how this credit was developed.
It illustrates the cost savings in water pollution control
that can be achieved by using the existing Spokane treatment
plant to treat and dispose of Spokane Valley wastewater.
The alternative is to construct a new 10 mgd secondary waste
treatment facility (with phosphorus removal) for the valley.
The average annual equivalent cost of constructing a new
secondary treatment plant (with phosphorus removal) and asso-
ciated trunk sewers is estimated to be $4,074,000; the annual
equivalent cost for constructing trunk sewers, expanding
the city treatment plant, and hooking into the city system
after sewer separation is estimated to be $1,042,390. The
difference between these two figures ($3,032,000) is the
cost credit applied to Alternative 3.
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Table 5-1
MULTI-PURPOSE AND POLLUTION CONTROL ALTERNATIVE
COST COMPARISON
Average Annual Cost
Project Millions of Dollars
Multi-Purpose Project
(Alternative 3) 6.81
Single-Purpose Pollution
Control Project
Storage Basins
(one overflow/year) 3.15
Added facilities required
for the treatment and
disposal of suburban
flows* 3.03
Total 6.18
*This is a credit to the multi-purpose storm drain project,
because the construction of separate storm drains would free-
up interceptor capacity and treatment capacity at the existing
plant, which means that new treatment facilities would not have
to be constructed in the Spokane Valley. See Table 5-2
for an explanation of the credit calculation procedure.
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Table 5-2
COST CREDIT CALCULATION FOR ALTERNATIVE 3
Regional Sewerage Costs for the Period
1985 to 2005:**
Present
With Storage Basins in City of Spokane Worth Costs
Spokane Valley Secondary Treatment Plant* $43,000,000
Additional Trunk Sewers 3,256,300
Total Present Worth Costs 46,256,300
Average Annual Equivalent Cost 4,074,000
With Storm Separation in City of Spokane
Additional Interceptor from Proposed
Valley Treatment Plant Site to Existing
Interceptor 1,558,680
Additional Storm Separation in the Erie St.
Drainage Basin 1,844,600
Additional Trunk Sewers 256,540
City Treatment Plant Expansion (1985) 8,175, 920
Total Present Worth Costs 11,835,740
Average Annual Equivalent Cost 1,042,390
Cost to be added to single purpose pollution control cost
to make it comparable for regional water pollution control
purposes to Alternative 3.
$4,074,000 - 1,042,390 = 3,032,000
* With phosphorus removal.
** The credit calculation used a planning period of 1985-
2005 rather than 1980-2000 because it is estimated
that sewer separation would not make capacity in the
city system available until 1985 at the earliest.
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In all of these calculations, the cost of both phases
of Alternative 3 was used. However, the allocation of costs
between federal, state and local entities has not presently
been established firmly beyond Phase I. This is due in part
to the fact that the availability of federal and state grant
money fluctuates from year to year and priority lists for
allocation of funds are developed only 2 to 3 years in advance.
A more detailed identification of specific project costs
is presented in a following section.
First Phase Project Impacts
Introduction
Earlier discussions have dealt with the total impact of
Alternative 3. Because the apparent best alternative is a
phased Alternative 3, a brief discussion of the impacts of
the first phase is desirable to put it in proper perspective.
The following paragraphs highlight the major differences in
impact that might be expected between first phase sewer
separation and total sewer separation.
Construction Disruptions
Phase 1 construction would require installation of about
90 miles of new stormwater interceptors throughout the
northern 1/3 of Spokane Isee Figure 5-1)^ This area is
primarily residential, but there are also some commercial,
recreational and public service land uses that would be tem-
porarily impacted by the construction. Residential impacts
would be significant in most parts of the two drainage areas.
Noise, dust, traffic disruption, and interruption of access
are the most significant impacts, but all would be of short
duration. While the entire construction project may take
from 3 to 5 years to complete, specific sections of road
should be affected for only 2 to 3 weeks. All construction
should be confined to existing road rights-of-way. Other
potentially significant land use disruptions would occur at
Downriver Golf Course; strip commercial development on
Garland Street between Jefferson and Howard? Franklin, Corbin,
and A. M. Cannon Parks; Clark Playground; and Madison,
Garland and Willard Schools. None of the city's major
commercial or industrial areas would be affected by the first
phase construction.
186
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Employment and Economic Impacts of Construction
First phase construction costs would be about $24,980,000
and would be spread over about 5 years of time. Using the
same employment multiplier assumptions presented in the
Chapter 4 impact section, this would generate a total payroll
of $7,494,000 and would employ 100 construction workers for
the 5 years. This represents about 11 percent of the
current employment of construction workers. Approximately
5 0 additional jobs in tfie service and commercial business
sector would be generated by an increase in construction activity.
Building materials sales would total about $8,326,700 during
Phase 1. These levels of economic stimulus can be compared
to the other alternatives by reviewing Table A-4.
Impact on Surface Water Quality
The first phase of the proposed action would remove
approximately the same percent of Spokane's annual waste
load to the Spokane River as would the Combination Concept
(Table 4-5). About 15 percent of the BOD5 would be
removed; little effect upon dissolved oxygen concentrations
in the Spokane River or Long Lake would be expected.
Suspended-solids loading would increase by 15 percent;
however, less harmful mineral solids from surface runoff
would be replacing sewage-related organics. Total nitrogen
and total phosphorus loading contributed to the river by
the city would be reduced less than 5 percent; this reduction
would represent around 1 percent of the annual load to
Long Lake (Table 4-6) and would probably be insignificant
in improving eutrophic conditions.
Ability to Alleviate Public Health Concerns
First phase construction would eliminate about 8 4
percent of the annual volume of CSO going into the Spokane
River. The post-construction annual volume would be less than
8 6 million gallons as compared to the present average of
about 547.1 million gallons. However, the river would
continue to be affected by overflows from the remaining
25 CSO discharge points. The number of days the river
would be affected by CSO would remain about the same as
present, but because of the smaller volumes of CSO involved,
dilution of wastes would be much greater. The Front Street
CSO, which is currently the third largest in the city, would
receive at least an 80:1 dilution from the river even in low
flow periods (1,000 cfs in the river). In effect, the
public health threat from water contact in the city portion
of the river would remain as it is at present. From Fort
Wright Bridge to Long Lake, one could expect considerably
187
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lower coliform bacteria concentrations after CSO events than
are now recorded, but some threat to public health would
continue until all CSOs were eliminated. This emphasizes
the importance of following through with later phases of
the proposed action.
Aesthetic problems created by the presence of large
waste solids in the river after overflows would only partially
be corrected, because periodic unscreened CSOs would continue
from 25 overflow points.
It is difficult to assess the impact that Phase 1 would
have on the sewer backup problem in Spokane because the
location and severity of backups is not well documented.
Based on the mapping of backup events that is available, it
appears that separate sewers in Hollywood and Meenach drainage
areas would solve a relatively small part of the problem.
The areas that have reported the most frequent backup and
flooding are in the central and southern sections of town.
Meenach and Hollywood drainage areas are in the north. Central
business district conditions would not be improved by Phase 1.
Construction Costs and Cost Sharing
As noted earlier, Phase I total construction costs are
estimated to be $24,980,000. Table 5-3 below summarizes
the costs and a possible cost sharing for both Phases 1 and 2
of the proposed action. These figures can be compared to
other project alternatives by referring to Table 4-9. It
is important to note that federal and state funding may not
be available for funding of Phase 2 when it is constructed.
Table 5-3
SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION COST SHARING*-PROPOSED ACTION
Total Construction State of City of
Cost EPA Washington Spokane
Phase 1 $24,980,000 $18,740,000 $3,750,000 $2,490,000
Phase 2 39,070,000 23,430,000 4,680,000 10,960,000
Total $64,050,000 $42,170,000 $8,430,000 $13,450,000
^Allocations for Phase 1 were made assuming 75 percent federal funding,
15 percent state funding and 10 percent local funding because this first
phase was determined to be 100 percent eligible for grant funding. The
entire project was determined to be 87.8 percent grant fundable; this accounts
for the less than 75 percent federal participation in Phase 2. It is
important to note that Phase 2 sharing is only speculative at this time
because grant fund availability and priority for grant money distribution
is not known more than 2 to 3 years in advance.
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The comparisons in Table 4-9 show that the proposed action
gives the city its second lowest participation cost in terms
of capital outlay. There are two main reasons for this.
First, separate sewer construction avoids the need for relief
sewers, which are viewed as a drainage control rather than
pollution control feature and are therefore not funded by
EPA or the State of Washington. The total cost of relief
sewers would be borne by the city. Secondly, because sewer
separation effectively frees up capacity in the city system,
which could be used to provide sewer service to outlying
county areas, a cost credit is awarded to this option. In
effect, the added cost that would be required to provide
new wastewater treatment facilities for outlying areas is
credited against the total cost of sewer separation because
the cost of new treatment facilities could be avoided by
tying-in outlying areas to the city system. This cost credit
calculation was presented earlier in Table 5-2. The Klicker
Plan has a lower participation cost for the city because
it too avoids the need for relief sewers and it has a lower
total construction cost. However, it does not provide for
regionalization and its proposed method of back-up relief
(individual check valves and storage tanks) is not an effective
long-term solution to basement flooding.
Public Maintenance Costs
Annual operation and maintenance costs during Phase 1
are estimated at $67,620. Based on this total, the alterna-
tive would require employment of 2 to 3 additional persons
in the city utilities department during Phase 1. Maintenance
costs during Phase 2 would increase by $85,310 annually;
these costs are expected to continue for the remainder of the
service life of the project (1978 dollars). These added O&M
costs would be offset by a reduction in city costs associated
with clean-up of sewer backups. No dollar value is available
for these current clean-up costs. Additional street maintenance
costs would be the same as described for Alternative 3 in
Chapter 4. However, the additional cost to the city would
be spread over a longer time period due to the phasing of
construction work, and would, therefore, require less municipal
outlay on an annual basis.
Impact on Property Values and Taxes
The phased implementation of Alternative 3 would have
essentially the same impact on property values as would
implementation of Alternative 3 in a single phase. No
property would be removed from municipal tax rolls, and a
long-term beneficial impact in property values may occur
should additional areas be sewered within the city as a
result of storm sewer construction. The value of property
now having sewage backup problems should increase after con-
struction is completed.
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Total sales tax revenue due to the sale of construction
materials would be the same, but would be dispersed over a
longer time period. Phase 1 would not require construction
in Spokane's central business district; therefore, adverse
effects on downtown business activity or sales volume would
be delayed until Phase 2. Sales tax income should remain
at about present levels in the downtown area during the
first phase.
Changes in Sewer Use Rates
Due to the eligibility of the first phase of this alternative
for full 75 percent federal grant funding, increased user
charges or increased ad valorem taxation would only be required
to finance operation and maintenance costs and the local
10 percent share of construction costs.
User charges are expected to increase about $6.7 3 per
year per connection. Table 5-4 summarizes the impact of
increased user charges. Should ad valorem taxation be
utilized as a method of financing, the current tax rate would
be increased by an estimated $.21 per $1,000 of assessed
valuation, for a total tax rate of $19,171 per $1,000. Table 5-4
summarizes the estimated increase for residential and commercial
users should ad valorem taxation be utilized.
Influence on Spokane Treatment Plant's Ability to Serve
Outlying Areas
Phase 1 of the proposed CSO control measure will reduce
peak wastewater flows into the Spokane treatment plant during
storms or periods of rapid snowmelt, but the reduction will
be less than 10 percent. Due to the physical structure of the
Meenach and Hollywood overflow points, very "Tittle peaking in
flows to the plant occurs during storm periods. Most peak
flows are now bypassed to the river. The estimated annual
decrease in flows to the treatment plant after construction
of storm sewers is 595 million gallons; no estimate is
available for reduction during a single storm event. This
reduction in peak flow will not be sufficient to allow
annexing of large outlying areas to the Spokane treatment
system. Also, it will not allow total conversion of the two
primary stormwater clarifiers, which is necessary to eventually
expand the plant's secondary treatment capacity to 60 mgd
and meet EPA and DOE effluent requirements. Therefore,
in order to meet the project's regionalization objective, the
second phase of the proposed action must be completed.
Separate storm sewers must be constructed in those parts of
the city that are now contributing large storm flows to the
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Table 5-4
ESTIMATED INCREASE IN USER CHARGES OR AD VALOREM TAXATION
REQUIRED TO FINANCE PHASE 1 OF PROPOSED ACTION*
Annual Residential User Charge Increase**
Current
Residential User Estimated Percent Anticipated Total
Charge Increase Increase Annual User Charge
$38.4 0/yr. $6.73/yr. 18.0 $45.13/yr.
Ad Valorem Tax Increases - Residential Property
Example Value
Per Res Unit
$35,000
Current
Tax
Rate***
18.961
Estimated
Tax
Increase***
.21
Percent
Increase
1.0
Tax Per Ave.
Residential
Unit Without
Project
$664
Tax Per Ave.
Residential
Unit With
Project
$671
Annual
Dollar
Increase
$7.00/yr.
Ad Valorem Tax Increase - Industrial and Commercial Property
Example Value
Per unit
$192,000
Current
Tax
Rate***
18.961
Estimated
Tax
Increase***
.21
Percent
Increase
1. 0
Tax Per Ave. Unit
Without Project
$3,641
Tax Per Ave. Unit
With Project
$3,680
Annual
Dollar
Increase
$39.00/yr.
*See Table 4-15, 4-16 and 4-17 to compare these increases with increases expected for other proposed
alternatives.
**Based on 56,000 sewer connections.
*** Per $1,000 of assessed (fair market) valuation with a total city assessed valuation of $1,835,660,452.
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treatment plant (but perhaps lower CSO volumes) before North
Spokane or Spokane Valley wastewater flows can be treated
at the Spokane plant.
192
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Chapter 6
AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
Introduction
The AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT provides a brief description of
the setting into which the proposed CSO abatement project
would be inserted should it be implemented. The section is
not intended to supply all of the specific background
environmental data needed to assess the impacts of the various
CSO abatement alternatives. Instead, it provides a general
picture of metropolitan Spokane to readers unfamiliar with the
area. If needed, detailed descriptions of the environment
have been included in the ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES chapter
or the appendix.
Location
The City of Spokane is located in eastern Washington
state approximately 20 miles west of the Idaho-Washington
state line and 110 miles south of the U. S.-Canadian border
It sits astride the Spokane River almost 350 miles inland
from the Pacific Ocean and approximately 280 freeway miles
east of Seattle, the state's largest metropolitan area (see
Figure 6-1). Spokane is the seat of government for Spokane
County and is located near the county's center.
The primary area of investigation for this report is
within the Spokane city limits and along the Spokane River
from the city to Long Lake Dam. The Crab Creek drainage,
from its headwaters to the Odessa area, has also been studied
in some depth, as it is the proposed area of wastewater reuse
for one project alternative. These segments of the project
study area are mapped in Figures 6-1 and 4-7.
Climate
The Spokane area typically has a mild, arid climate
during the summer months and a cold, coastal-type climate
in the winter months. Its location east of the Coast and
Cascade Range orographic barriers limits annual precipitation
totals to around 18 inches. Usually about 70 percent of the
precipitation falls in the winter period between October 1
and March 31, and half of this total is snow. Most of the
storms approach from the west and southwest, originating in
the Gulf of Alaska and eastern Pacific Ocean. On rare occasions
the area is influenced by dry continental air masses intruding
193
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LAKE DAN
COLBERT
DART FORD' A
t\////'J/j
VmeaoL/
C/TY
MILLWOOD
/OPPORTUNITY
• / // / / /
/AIRWAY HEIGHTS //?
*/////////// A
SPOKANE
CHENEY
ROCKFORD
WASHINGTON STATE
SPANGLE
-I-EIGEIND -
SPOKANE COUNTY
BOUNDARY
SPOKANE METROPOLITAN
BOUNOARY
SPOKANE CITY BOUNDARY
(PRIMARY STUDY AREA)
X////X SPOKANE METROPOLITAN AREA
_ . - SPoMana
Spokon.*.^- -
OREGON
FIGURE 6-1
LOCATION OF
STUDY AREA
\ <•*•*"'
NT. SPOKANE
SOURCE- Modified From Spokane City Planning Com m iss i o n , 19 76
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from the north or east. These intrusions result in hot, dry
conditions in the summer and subzero temperatures in the winter.
Summer days are normally warm and sunny with temperatures in
the high 70s or low 80s, while winter days are frequently foggy
or cloudy with below freezing temperatures and occasional
snowfalls of several inches. The growing season extends from
mid-April to mid-October (U. S. Department of Commerce,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1976).
Seventeen years of precipitation data recorded at the
City of Spokane weather station (1954-1971) show a mean
monthly precipitation total in excess of 1 inch for all
months of the year except July, August, and September. Even
though 65 to 70 percent of the annual total usually falls in
the winter months, heavy rainfalls do occur from April to
June, with the highest maximum day rainfall total of 2.58
inches recorded in June (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976;
Appendix E). These late spring and early summer rainfalls are
as likely to produce combined sewer overflows and local
basement flooding as the winter storms.
Land Resources
Topography
Spokane is located on the eastern edge of the broad
Columbia Basin section of Washington. This gradually sloping
volcanic plateau is bounded by the Cascade Range on the west
and the Rocky Mountains on the east. The City of Spokane
itself spreads across the narrow Spokane River canyon at an
elevation of about 2,000 feet above sea level and rises up
onto the bordering plateau land both north and south of the
river at elevations up to 2,500 feet. Therefore, drainage
within the city is toward the river, which bisects the city on
an east-west plane. Elevations at the river drop gradually
downstream to about 1,53 0 feet at Long Lake Dam. The sur-
rounding terrain west of the city is dominated by the narrow
river canyon, basaltic cliffs rising to 2,400 feet south of
the river and river terraces and steep hills rising to over
3,400 feet north of the river. East of Spokane the river valley
widens, forming a relatively flat, open plain that reaches an
elevation of 2,100 feet above sea level at the Idaho-Washington
border.
Geology, Seismic Features
Geologic features in the Spokane area are dominated by
the multilayered basaltic flows of the Columbia Plateau south
195
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of the Spokane River and glaciated bedrock highlands to the
north of the river. The city itself overlies deep glacio-
fluvial outwash deposits washed into the Spokane River
drainage from glaciated highlands to the north and east.
These deposits reach depths of 400 feet east of the city and
are the waterbearing strata of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum
aquifer. At several locations within the city, basaltic
material is found at or near the surface, forming Spokane
Falls m the downtown area and rimrock outcrops at higher
elevations in both the north and south halves of the city.
Lava flows to the south and west of the city are capped by
wind-blown loess deposits up to 100 feet deep. This has
created an undulating topography. Downstream from Spokane,
the river is bordered by a relatively narrow band of glacio-
fluvial material. Basaltic cliffs border the river to the
south and granitic/metamorphic bedrock highlands lie to the
north.
Historically there has been very little seismic activity
in the Spokane area. Bedrock faulting is infrequent in the
Columbia basalt plateau; the nearest faults are mapped in the
Loon Lake granitic batholith to the north and mountainous
uplands east of the Idaho-Washington state line (Stover, 1977).
Algermissin and Perkins (1976) mapped maximum bedrock
acceleration in most of eastern Washington at .04 g or less.
This suggests that there is only a 10 percent chance in a
50-year period that earthquake-related bedrock acceleration
would exceed 4 percent of gravity. This level of effect is
controlled largely by earthquakes with magnitudes of 4.0
(Richter scale) or less.
Soils
General soil conditions in the Spokane area are best
described at the soil association level. Lowlands lying
along the river are covered by Garrison-Marble-Springdale
association soils formed on glacial outwash deposits. They
are somewhat excessively drained and excessively drained
sandy and gravelly soils. The higher elevations in the southern
part of the city and the rolling uplands south of the river
downstream from Spokane are dominated by Hesseltine-Cheney-
Uhlig association soils. These soils have been formed on
the undulating basaltic outwash plain that covers most of
western and southwestern Spokane County. The soils are
typically well-drained and medium-textured with gravel,
basalt or cobblestone substrates. A small portion of the
city's northeastern fringe is underlain by shallow to deep,
medium-textured Spokane-Dragoon association soils; these have
formed on an acid igneous rock base (granite, gneiss, schist)
rather than the more prevalent basaltic rocks in the area.
196
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The final association found in the area is Bernhill. Bernhill
soils are formed in glacial lake sediments or glacial till
and are deep, medium-textured and well-drained. The only
area of Bernhill soils mapped in the study area straddles
the city boundary to the northwest near Five Mile Prairie
(U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service,
1968).
Land Uses
City of Spokane. The predominant land use in the City
of Spokane is single-family residential. Residential units
are distributed quite evenly throughout the city with the
exception of the south side of the immediate up-river area
and the central city area. The majority of residential growth
since 1960 has been due to annexation of vacant lands in the
northwest and southeast corners of the city. Multiple-
family development has occurred primarily east of the city
and in that area known as Browne's addition.
Acreage developed for multi-family use has increased
at a rate greater than that for single-family use. It is
anticipated that future single-family development will
expand primarily in these same areas to the northwest and
southeast where growth has occurred in the last decade due
to the concentrations of developable vacant land. Multiple-
family development is expected to continue in more centrally
located areas of the city (Spokane City Plan Commission,
1974) .
Business and commercial uses are primarily located in
the Central Business District (CBD) and along the major
arterial streets. The CBD is the intensive area of major
business activity, providing a mix of retailing, services,
finance, residential, government and entertainment uses..
Industrial uses are primarily along the upper Spokane River,
extending eastward from the city center and on the northeast
edge of the city. Spokane contains extensive public parks
and playgrounds which are quite evenly distributed throughout
the city. Business and commercial land use is anticipated
to increase to accommodate residential development. These
increases are expected to occur adjacent to existing and future
arterial streets. Only minor expansion of industrial land
within the existing city limits is anticipated (Esvelt and
Saxton, Bovay Engineers Inc., 1972). Table 6-1 summarizes
existing land use in the city.
Spokane River (Idaho to Long Lake). Land adjoining the
Spokane River from the Idaho stateline to the City of Spokane
is used predominantly for agriculture, with some areas
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Table 6-1
1978 LAND USE CITY OF SPOKANE
Acres By Percent Of
Land Use Zoning Classification Total Land Use
Single-Family
9,957
30%
All Other Residential
1,073
3%
Group Home
132
.4%
Business/Retail
and Wholesale
1,249
4%
Industry
921
3%
Parks
2,006
6%
Public/Semipublic
1,288
4%
Railroad
539
2%
Airport
236
.6%
Transportation/
Communication/Utilities
388
1%
Agricultural
425
1%
Vacant
6,465
20%
Streets
7,356
23%
Water
542
2%
Total
32,577
100%
SOURCE: Estimates by Spokane City Planning Department, 1978
198
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remaining undeveloped (Drost and Seitz, 1978). Residential
developments include Irvine, Millwood and Pasadena Park, all
located just upstream from Spokane. Much of the immediate
shoreline area is devoted to parks and recreation areas.
The Spokane River winds back and forth through industrial,
commercial and residential areas of the City of Spokane.
Recreation areas, such as the site of the 1972 World's Fair,
(now Riverfront Park), have been developed along the river.
Undeveloped areas occur at the downstream end of the city
and include Riverside Park Cemetery, Riverside State Park,
and Downriver Municipal Golf Course. The city wastewater
treatment plant is located on the northern bank of the river
adjacent to Riverside State Park.
Below Spokane a succession of parklands line the Spokane
River. The Camp Seven Mile military reservation and the
towns of Seven Mile, Nine Mile, Long Lake and Tumtum are
residential pockets in this undeveloped area. Increased
residential growth is indicated, however, by the expansion
of the Suncrest developments near Long Lake and the rapid
increase in enrollment in Nine Mile Falls School District.
Water Resources
Spokane River - Water Quality
Introduction. The U. S. Geological Survey, the Washington
Water Pollution Control Commission (now part of the Washington
Department of Ecology) and the Washington Water Power Company
have monitored the flows and quality of the Spokane River for
several years. Results of this monitoring along with investi-
gations by Cunningham and Pine (1972), the U. S. Army Corps
of Engineers (1976; Appendix A) Soltero, et al. (1973, 1974,
197 5 and 1976) and others have described the character of
the river from Idaho to below Long Lake.
Variations in Spokane River quality with season and with
distance downstream from the Idaho border have been summarized
from available references by Kennedy-Tudor Consulting Engineers
(U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976). Results from monitoring
stations established above and below sources discharging into
the river (Figure 6-2) are summarized in Tables B-2 through
B-9 and Figures B-l through B-4 in Appendix B. The following
brief discussion is based upon these results.
199
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FIGURE 6-2
SPOKANE RIVER
WATER QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS
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For this discussion, January, February and March are
considered as winter; April, May and June, as spring; July,
August and September, as summer; and October, November and
December, as fall. Changes in the following four parameters
are examined: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total phos-
phorus, total nitrogen and total coliforms. The BOD5 is a
measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to meet
demands of aerobic bacteria in the decomposition of organic
matter. Phosphorus and nitrogen have been identified as the
important nutrients in the eutrophication of Long Lake
(Williams, pers. comm.). Total coliforms have traditionally
indicated the possible presence of pathogenic organisms.
Idaho Border to Fort Wright Bridge. Comparing water
quality measured in the Spokane River at the Idaho stateline
with that at Fort Wright Bridge helps demonstrate the impacts
of industrial dischargers, Spokane's combined sewer overflows
and Hangman Creek flows.
During winter and spring, BOD5 decreased from the state-
line to Fort Wright Bridge although data were limited to less
than 5 measurements; summer and fall measurements show little
change downstream (Figure B-l).
Phosphorus levels were higher at the downstream station
throughout the year. The significant increase during winter
(Figure B-2) may reflect a phosphorus loading from Hangman
Creek, CSO's, and/or surface runoff, although small sample
size (less than 5 data points) provides little support for
interpretation.
Total nitrogen concentrations were also higher at Fort
Wright Bridge, except during summer (Figure B-3) . Nitrogen
influx via Hangman Creek or CSO's may account for the jump
in nitrogen levels in the Spokane River during winter. More
measurements would help confirm this.
Sampling for total coliforms was done only during spring
and summer at these two stations. Sparse spring measurements
place coliform levels well above Class A standards (Figure B-4).
Overflows from Spokane's combined sewer system are the
probable cause of these high levels during this stormy season.
In summer, higher coliform concentrations are found below
Coeur D'Alene than below Spokane. Chlorine discharged from
the sewage treatment plant may be partly responsible for these
lower summer concentrations.
Fort Wright Bridge to Bowl and Pitcher Park. Water
quality differences between the Spokane River at Fort Wright
Bridge and Bowl and Pitcher Park reflect the impact of dis-
charges from Spokane's sewage treatment plant. The following
analysis is based on data collected before the new advanced
201
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wastewater treatment system was constructed. A significant
reduction in phosphorus loading is expected from the new
facilities.
BOD concentrations at Bowl and Pitcher Park were higher
(by 1 to 2 mg/1) than upstream levels throughout the year
(Figure B-l). The Spokane sewage treatment plant is a likely
source for the organic materials exerting demands on river
oxygen.
Before tertiary treatment, summer and fall phosphorus
levels increased significantly below the treatment plant
(Figure B-2). Winter and spring runoff may have diluted the
phosphorus loadings. Lack of data (less than 5 data points)
collected during spring, summer and fall, makes trends less
certain. Soltero, et al., (197 6) have found comparable
results. Mean orthophosphate concentration at Seven Mile
Bridge (below Bowl and Pitcher) was 13 times greater than
that determined for Fort Wright Bridge during 197 5.
At Bowl and Pitcher, total nitrogen levels were higher
during fall than at Fort Wright Bridge (Figure B-3). Winter
levels were comparably high at both stations. Sewage treat-
ment plant effluent is again suspected. The few spring
measurements taken show little change between stations; no
summer data were given. Mean inorganic nitrogen at Seven
Mile Bridge increased 4 times over that at Fort Wright Bridge
in 1975 (Soltero, et al., 1976).
Spring overflows from the city and its treatment plant
may account for a continued rise in total coliform concen-
trations during the season (Figure B-4). Fewer than 5 data
points establish this spring increase and a marked decrease
in summer concentrations. The difference in spring concen-
trations can be accounted for in measurement accuracy alone.
Summer decreases may be explained by releases of chlorine from
the sewage treatment plant at levels lethal to most bacteria.
Bowl and Pitcher to Long Lake. The Little Spokane River
and the change from a river to a lake environment account
for most of the difference in water quality between Bowl
and Fitcher and Long Lake measurements. Surface water samples
taken during summers are the only data summarized by the
U. S. Corps of Engineers (1976; Appendix A).
BOD concentrations, measured fewer than five times,
were lower at Long Lake than at Bowl and Pitcher (Figure B-l) .
Samples taken from a depth of 24 m had higher BOD concen-
trations, suggesting that the organic materials may have
settled.
202
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Summer phosphorus levels at Long Lake indicate that the
lake acts as a phosphorus sink (Figure B-2). Studies by
Soltero et al., (1976) corroborate this hypothesis. Their
results indicate that nitrogen may also be entrapped within
the reservoir.
Total coliform counts (based on fewer than 5 samples)
were higher at Long Lake than at Bowl and Pitcher. Whether
these coliforms came from city overflows, the little Spokane
River, or other natural runoff is unknown. Regrowth of
chlorine-resistant bacteria could also explain these higher
counts.
Long Lake to Below Long Lake Dam. The quality of water
released from Long Lake Dam is the product of lake processes.
The water quality is discussed here in terms of what was
entrapped by Long Lake and what continues downstream.
Results of very limited BOD sampling during summers show
that concentrations remain low downstream as they do in the
lake surface waters (Figure B-l).
Summer and fall total phosphate phosphorus concentrations
below Long Lake were significantly less than those measured
at Bowl and Pitcher Park (Figure B-2). These results are
consistent with the phosphorus entrapment within Long Lake
described by Soltero, et al., (1976). During winter and
spring, phosphorus concentrations were low at both stations.
Total nitrogen levels below Long Lake decreased from
or remained approximately equal to those recorded at Bowl
and Pitcher for every season except summer, when an increase
was noted (Figure B-3). Lack of information about the pre-
dominant forms of nitrogen accounting for this increase
precludes description of causal mechanisms. Soltero, et al.,
(1976) found nearly the same total nitrogen load leaving
Long Lake (16.4 2 metric tons per day) as were entering
(16.89 metric tons per day) during the 1975 sampling period.
Total coliform concentrations, although less than those
found at some upstream stations, exceeded limits recommended
for Class A streams during all seasons (Figure B-4).
Spokane River - Beneficial Uses
The high quality of Spokane River water above the City
of Spokane lends itself well to all forms of water contact
recreation. Visitors enjoy swimming, boating, trout fishing
and just taking in the beauty of the river and its environs.
203
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The river is put to more practical uses nearer the city.
Several dams have been constructed to generate electricity.
Water is also essential in many of the local industrial
processes. Aesthetic enjoyment is still provided by white
water crashing down Spokane Falls, past Riverfront Park, and
on into the gorge leading out of the city.
Below the city, the Spokane River again becomes the
focus of water-oriented recreation. Riverside State Park,
and Long Lake are visited by swimmers, water-skiers, rafters,
fisherman, hunters and those who seek the restful pleasure
that the view of a beautiful river can provide.
Other Surface Waters
Hangman Creek. Flows in Hangman Creek range from a
trickle (less than 1 cfs) during late October 1975 to as much
as 650 cfs in mid-May (Soltero, et al., 1976). During storms
a brown, sediment-laden plume often extends from the creek's
mouth into the Spokane River. Nevertheless, flows are small
enough during most of the year to prevent this nutrient-rich
(see Table B-4) stream from significantly influencing Spokane
Raver quality.
Beneficial uses of Hangman Creek are principally agricul-
tural with some minor aesthetic value. The mouth of the
creek, with its warm water and sandy beaches, serves as a
haven for sun bathers.
Little Spokane River. Flows in the Little Spokane River
are more substantial but much less extreme than Hangman Creek.
Average flows during 197 5 ranged from approximately 170 cfs
to 970 cfs (Soltero, et al., 1976).
Water quality within the Little Spokane River is
influenced by discharges from the Spokane Valley groundwater
aquifer (Table B-7). The river has relatively low phosphorus,
ammonia and zinc, but has high total nitrogen concentrations
and is generally nutrient rich. Coliform levels can be high
in this tributary (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976;
Appendix A). Because the Spokane River resembles a lake at
the confluence of the Little Spokane, it is difficult to assess
the tributary's effect on the system separate from this
change in river character.
The Little Spokane River is an important agricultural
water supply. Spokane County owns 181 acres of park land
adjacent to the Little Spokane, but most of the waterfront
lands are privately owned (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers,
1976; Appendix E).
204
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Groundwater Quality/Quantity, Water Supply
Groundwater. Recent reports by the U. S. Army Corps of
Engineers (1976) and by Drost and Seitz (1978) provide
detailed descriptions of the Spokane Valley - Rathdrum
Prairie aquifer, which underlies portions of both Washington
and Idaho, including the Spokane study area. A brief overview
of this aquifer follows.
The Spokane Valley - Rathdrum Prairie aquifer consists
of unconsolidated quaternary glaciofluvial deposits underlying
an area of about 350 square miles. Groundwater moves through
some areas at velocities exceeding 60 feet per day. Generally
the water table is between 40 and 400 feet below the land
surface, and it fluctuates 5 to 10 feet annually. The aquifer
is recharged and discharges at an average rate of about 1,320
cubic feet per second.
Water quality within the aquifer is generally good.
Of the 3,300 analyses reviewed by Drost and Seitz (1978), less
than 0.5 percent revealed contaminant levels exceeding levels
specified in the National Interim Primary (or proposed
secondary) Drinking Water Regulations (U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1975) for constituents possibly hazardous
to health. About 1.4 percent of 6,300 analyses for constituents
considered detrimental to the aesthetic quality of water
exceeded the recommended levels. The contaminants that did
occasionally exceed standards are shown on Plate 10 of Drost
and Seitz (1978).
Water Supply. Water users within the study area (from
the Idaho border to the Little Spokane River rely almost
entirely upon the Spokane Valley aquifer. Approximately 125
purveyors and users with individual supplies (not counting
individual dwellings or farms with their own supply) tap
this groundwater source.
The total amount of water used in the study area,
excluding the water Kaiser Trentwood passes once through its
cooling towers, is presented according to class of use in
Table 6-2 below.
Table 6-2
WATER USE IN STUDY AREA
Class of Use
Total Annual Use (acre-feet)
Domestic
Industrial
Agricultural irrigation
Nonagricultural
Irrigation
96,740
24,580
35,960
1,600
Total
158,880
SOURCE: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976; Appendix C
205
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Surface water use is limited mainly to nonconsumptive
uses such as hydroelectric power generation, maintenance of
fishery resources and recreation.
Flooding
The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Metropolitan Spokane
Study (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976, Technical Report)
identified four areas within the city that have periodic
flooding problems. Those areas on the Spokane River are
Peaceful Valley near the Maple Street Bridge, Riverpoint
near the Trent Avenue Bridge, and Upriver Drive between
Granite and Smith Streets. On Hangman Creek, flooding problems
extend from the 11th Avenue Bridge upstream to the city
limits. The table below lists the areas subject to damages
from the 100-year flood as identified at the time of the
Corps report.
Table 6-3
FLOOD HAZARD AREAS
Location
Peaceful Valley
Riverpoint
Upriver Drive
Hangman Creek
Structure Involved
20 residences, 1 industry
4 industrial/1 post office
2 apartments, 1 residence
Up to 5 residences and farm
buildings, a trailer court
Developed Area
Involved, Acres
11.7
8.0
Maximum
Depth, Ft.
4
3
4
The City of Spokane, in cooperation with the Army Corps of
Engineers, is now in the process of preparing more detailed
mapping of flood hazard areas. This is being done as part
of the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by the
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, so that
local flood insurance rates can be established. When
completed, the mapping will include flood hazard areas along
the Spokane River and Hangman Creek, and also local flooding
and drainage problem areas away from the river in the small
drainage basins that feed into the river.
Biological Resources
Terrestrial Flora and Fauna
The flora and fauna along the Spokane River extending
from the Idaho border to its confluence with the Columbia
206
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River are discussed briefly below. For a more thorough
discussion and lists of plants and animals found near the
river and in open space areas within the City of Spokane,
refer to reports by the U. S. Department of Army, Corps of
Engineers (1976; Appendix E) and the Spokane City Plan
Commission (1976) , respectively.
Flora. Vegetation along the Spokane River within the
study area can be considered as three distinct stretches,
i.e., mouth to Nine Mile Falls, Nine Mile Falls to Spokane
and Spokane to the Idaho border (U. S. Department of Army,
Corps of Engineers, 1976).
The stretch of the Spokane River from its mouth to Nine
Mile Falls is characterized by stands of ponderosa pine
alternating with grass and steppe vegetation. Grass and
steppe species of perennial forbs and annuals are the under-
story of the pine stands, with bitterbrush dominating the
shrub layer. This area has been logged extensively in the
past and timber harvests continue. Some timbered areas have
been replaced by orchards.
Between Nine Mile Falls and Spokane, stands of ponderosa
pine up to 150 years old can be found. Thin soils favor a
blue bunch wheatgrass understory. Douglas fir is found
occasionally on pockets of silty loam soils.
For many years, the area along the Spokane River east
of the city and extending to the Idaho border has been
cleared for agriculture. With this agricultural clearing
and the current conversion to urban development, few stands
of ponderosa pine remain.
Fauna. Mule deer, white-tail deer and bear are the
principal big game species of the Spokane River area. Mule
deer frequent the open western ranges. The white-tail deer,
which are part of the Coeur d'Alene herd, are restricted to
lower elevations by their mule deer competitors. Bear occur
throughout the Spokane River area.
Fur bearers such as muskrat, mink, beaver, racoon, otter,
and bobcat are found within the Spokane River watershed.
Muskrat, mink, beaver and racoon are relatively abundant and
occur throughout the area; otter and bobcat are rare within
the area.
Greater food supply and better weather caused a westward
shift of the migratory path of waterfowl away from Spokane.
Long Lake is a principal resting place for the remaining 10
percent of the former migratory population. Mallards and
Canada geese are the most common waterfowl of the Spokane
area.
207
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Ruffed grouse are the most abundant members of the
upland game bird population within the Spokane region. Ring-
necked pheasant and Hungarian partridge populations have been
reduced and restricted by the conversion of suitable habitat
to agricultural purposes. Concentrations of California quail
can be found near the Spokane River.
Fifty-six observers participating in the 1977 Audubon
Christmas bird count for the Spokane area reported 78 species
of birds (about 10,699 individuals) (Heilbrun, 1977). Of the
waterfowl, raptors, perching birds, etc. sighted, two
endangered species were noted. The northern bald eagle and
merlin are considered endangered by the Washington State
Department of Game (Saletti, pers. comm.).
Aquatic Flora and Fauna
Flora. The phytoplankton of Long Lake have been the
object of careful study since the early 1970's. During 1975,
4] genera and 45 species of phytoplankton were identified in
samples collected from the lake's euphotic zone. Noxious
blooms of the alga Anabaena flos-aquae have occurred in the
lake.
The rooted aquatic macrophyte yellow floating heart
(Nymphoides peltatum) fills the quiet backwaters of Long
Lake during the spring and summer.
Fauna. The fishery resources of the Spokane River from
-ts mouth to the Idaho border are reviewed in Appendix E of
the Water Resource Study prepared by Kennedy-Tudor Consulting
Engineers for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (1976).
Table 6-4 is extracted from Table 1 in Section 315.51 of the
Corps report.
Unique Environmental Features
The Washington State Department of Game maintains a
Current Survey Listing and Ratings of Unique Environmental
Features'! This listing describes areas of Spokane County
outside the City of Spokane. The lower Little Spokane River
ecosystem, the Spokane River ecosystem (downstream from the
Hangman Creek and upstream from Millwood) and the Long Lake
ecosystem are ranked among the top ten unique features within
Spokane County. These features, along with the Hangman Creek
ecosystem (ranked 16th), are within the current study area.
208
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Table 6-4
SUMMARY OF FISH
FROM LONG LAKE 1
Location
Spokane River in
Long Lake Reservoir
Spokane River, Bowl
and Pitcher to Falls
Spokane River,
Millwood to Idaho Line
Little Spokane River,
mouth to branches
Hangman Creek
mouth to Tensed
SPECIES OCCURRENCE
'0 THE IDAHO BORDER
Species
Perch, black and yellow bullhead,
large mouth bass, crappies,
bluegill, pumpkinseed, green
sunfish, carp, tench, chisle
mouth, peamouth, chubs
Brown trout
Rainbow trout
Carp, squawfish, bridgelip
suckers
Speckled dace, chislemouth,
redside shiner, squawfish,
bridgelip suckers, longscale
suckers, torrant sculpin, brown
bullhead
SOURCE: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1976; Appendix E.
209
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Aesthetics
The major view sites in Spokane are generally associated
with the steep sloping valley walls of the Spokane River and
Hangman Creek. The downriver environment is characterized
by fast water, steep bluffs and undisturbed flora and fauna.
Portions remain in a natural state with basalt rimrock cliffs
and narrow valleys.
The upriver environment is that of pastoral stream with
shallow banks and some urban development. Industrial and
commercial development reduce aesthetic values in the segment.
The central river environment is typified by falls, rapids,
and an intensive urban fringe. Riverfront Park is a major
aesthetic attraction in the central portion. Hangman Creek
retains a rural open space setting with its meandering creek
through agricultural lands. Other scenic qualities within
the city are associated with the many parks, the attractive
residential neighborhoods, and the architectural interest of
the older homes and commercial and public buildings in the
central area. Major views and vistas identified in a recent
environmental inventory include the large west Spokane open
space in areas such as Indian Canyon, Palisades Park, High
Drive Parkway, High Bridge Park, Summit Boulevard, Downriver
Park, and Bowl and Pitcher; the area around Glover Field and
Washington Water Power Dam, Upriver Drive, Minnehaha Park,
and Lincoln Park (Spokane City Plan Commission, 1976a).
Social Environment
Population
After a period of very rapid population growth in Spokane
between 1900 to 1910, population increased very slowly until
the boom period kindled by World War II and the creation of
nearby military bases. Growth continued through the 1950's
and then began a numerical decline in the period 1960 to
1970. The population has shown a very modest increase in
the current decade and this is expected to continue in the
future. The northwest and northeastern portions of Spokane
are currently the most heavily populated, with the greatest
population density in the central area of the city. Sub-
stantial population growth is anticipated in both the north-
west and southeast portions of the city (Spokane City Plan
Commission, 1975). The city is expected to decline as a
percent of the county population, while the county is expected
to increase slightly as a percent of the state population.
The officially adopted mean population forecast to the year
2000 for the City and County of Spokane is shown in Table 6-5.
210
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Table 6-5
CURRENT AND PROJECTED POPULATION
CITY AND COUNTY OF SPOKANE
NJ
1970 1977 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
City of Spokane 170,516 174,500 182,000 188,000 194,700 200,400 205,800
% Increase 2.3 6.7 3.3 3.6 2.9 2.7
County of Spokane 287,487 299,000 318,000 334,000 338,000 352,000 386,000
% Increase 4.0 6.3 5.0 5.4 4.1 4.6
SOURCE: Projection by Spokane City Plan Commission (1975).
-------
The mean age of the population has been steadily
declining in both the city and county as shown in Table 6-6.
Due to the declining birth rates since the 1960 decade, the
age of the population is expected to increase over the next
decades. In 1970, an estimated 14 percent of the city
population was 65 years and over.
Table 6-6
MEAN AGE OF POPULATION
Year
1960
1970
2000 est.
Spokane
31.6
30.4
33.98
Spokane County
29.6
28.06
33.29
SOURCE: City Plan Commission Estimates, 1974
In 1970 there were an estimated 2.82 persons per house-
hold, and this number is expected to decrease in the future.
According to the 1970 Federal Census, males constituted
47 percent of the population and females 53 percent of the
total population. Minorities constitute 3 percent of the
total population with Blacks representing the largest minority
group.
Per capita effective buying income (all income minus
taxes) in 1976 was estimated at $4,504 (below the United
States average of $5,003) while household income was estimated
at $13,774 (above the United States average of $12,824;
Sales Management, 1977). The higher income areas are to the
southeast and northwest, where a great deal of the newer
housing has been constructed. The 1970 U. S. Census
indicated that 18.4 percent of the population had incomes
less than the poverty level. The lowest income areas include
the east side of the CBD and the Peaceful Valley section.
These areas have a high number of elderly and disabled
persons who live on fixed incomes. Black families have the
lowest median family income in the city.
Regional and Local Economies
Spokane is the economic and major distributing center
for the 36-County Inland Empire which encompasses eastern
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Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana. A portion
of Canada is also within the Spokane trade area. The Spokane
economy has a diversified base and has shown particularly
strong growth in recent years. The central area of Spokane
serves as the business, financial, and retail center for the
city, as well as the Inland Empire. EXPO "74" provided
tremendous economic stimulus to the downtown area and resulted
in a major renewal and building expansion program. Due
largely to EXPO "74", Spokane has become a popular visitor-
convention center with estimated 1978 revenue of $16.3
million (Spokane Area Development Council, 1978). In July
1976, there were 2,563 employee units dealing in services
and 3,261 in trade with a combined annual payroll of about
$354,500,000 within Spokane County (Spokane Area Development
Council, 1976).
As shown in Table 6-7, total retail sales and employment
show rapid growth in both the city and county, with the
greatest increases occurring in the newer trade areas in the
county's outlying urbanizing areas.
Spokane also experiences a significant impact from its
manufacturing base. Industries not based on the area's
natural resources have shown the strongest growth potential.
Among the resource based industries, primary metal production
is the largest employer with 4,300 currently. Food and
kindred products manufacturing has remained about constant
throughout the 1970's, with lumber and wood products showing
a decline. The manufacturing of machinery and fabricated
metal products has shown steady increases. Multinational
corporations with Spokane branches are primarily service and
trade industries with the major exceptions of Kaiser Aluminum
and Chemical Corp. The estimated 433 manufacturing employers
in the county showed a gross income of $594 million in 197 6
and a gross payroll of $162.1 million in 197 5 (Spokane Area
Development Council, 1977a).
Employment in contract construction has remained very
strong since 1975 due to consistent residential, commercial,
and industrial construction demand. Overall unemployment
has decreased dramatically from the 8.1 percent in 1977 to
an estimated 6.1 percent in February 1978 (Spokane Area
Development Council, 1978a). Employment statistics are
shown in Table 6-8.
Crab Creek Area
Crab Creek is an extremely long stream with its head-
waters in the rolling Columbia plateau scablands 25 miles
west of Spokane and its mouth into the Columbia River near
213
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Table 6-7
TAXABLE RETAIL SALES
1974 - 1977
to
I—1
Year Spokane City
1974 $992,556,520
1975 993,242,854
1976 1,091,827,619
1977 1,288,456,302
Prior Year
+ 20. 0
+ .07
+9.9
+ 18.0
Spokane County
$1,358,429,924
1,348,200,306
1,522,653,564
1,835,745,798
Prior Year
+ 25.0
-.75
+12.9
+ 20. 6
SOURCE: Spokane Area Development Council, 1977.
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I
Table 6-8
LABOR FORCE (ANNUAL AVERAGE)
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT SPOKANE COUNTY
(IN THOUSANDS)
INDUSTRY
'j9Tr__
1976
1975
1974
1973
1 1972
1971
Civilian Labor Force
13i. 2
130.8
122.9
129.9
123.4
118.0
115.
Workers in Labor-Management1
.0
.0
.1
.1
.0
.
Disputes
Unemployment^
10.6
10.2
11.8
10.5
8.5
8.4
7.
Percent of Labor Force
8.1
7.8
9 .6
8.1
6.9
7.1
6.
[rnpl oynient
120,6
1 20.7
111 .1
119.4
114.9
109.6
107.
Agricultural
2.43
2.
Nonagricultural
111 .23
103.
Employer, own account
12.
Unpaid & domestic
12.83
Wage & Salary Workers - Nonag.
111 .9
108.2
101 .6
104.8
98.3
94.7
91 .
Manufacturi ng
15.5
14.6
13.3
14.4
14.1
12.8
12.
Food and Kindred Products
1 .8
1 .7
1.7
1.7
1 .6
1.7
1 .
Lumber & Wood Products
1.2
(except furniture)
1 l
1 .0
1.1
1.2
r.i
1 .
Primary Metal Industries
3.9'
4.0
3.5
4.1
3.8
3.5
3.
Fab. Metal Prod. & Kach.
3.0
2.6
2.2
2.2
2.0
1.6
1 .
Other Manufacturing
5,6
5.2
4.9
5.3
5.5
4.9
4.
rionmr.nufacturing
96,4
93.6
88.3
90.4
84.2
81 .9
79.
Contract Construction
5.9 .
5.9
5.1
5.4
5.8
5.5
4.
Transp. Comm & Utilities
7.5
7.3
7.2
7.7
7.5
7.4
7.
Wholesale ft Retail Trade
31. 2
30.0
23.0
28.6
26.2
25.1
23.
Finance, Insurance & Real
Estate
7.2
6.9
6.1
6.0
5.9
5.6
5.
Services
24. 7
23.8
22.5
23.5
20.4
19.8
IS.
Government
19.5
19.3
13.0
18.8
18.1
18.2
18.
Mining & Forestry
.4
.4
.4
.4
.3
.3
•
1. Preliminary
2. Figures prior to 1972 are not strictly comparable with later figures because of a
methodology change.
3. Estimates
Source: Washington Employment Security Department
215
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the Wanapum Dam over 160 miles southwest of Spokane (Figure
4-5). The portion of the creek studied in this report
includes the upper reaches from the headwaters to the area
around Odessa and Wilson Creek. This stretch of the creek
wanders through rolling agricultural lands used primarily
for growing wheat and pasturing beef cattle. Flows in the
creek through this stretch are relatively small, but subject
to considerable fluctuation. The stream is perennial in its
headwaters where flows are not monitored. In the vicinity
of Odessa, Crab Creek often dries up, flowing only in the
subsurface during late summer and fall. The U. S, Geological
Survey gauging station at Irby has recorded annual average
flows of 79 cfs.
The Washington Department of Ecology has classified Crab
Creek as a Class B stream. This indicates that it should
be of sufficient quality to support most beneficial uses
except domestic water supply and body contact recreation.
Currently its uses include stock watering, minor amounts
of crop irrigation and occasional recreation (primarily
fishing, aesthetic enjoyment). The stream's quality has been
infrequently monitored, but is generally quite good with
total dissolved solids averaging about 230 rag/1 and dissolved
oxygen levels averaging around 11 mg/1 (Stevens, Thompson
and Runyan, Inc., 1975).
As mentioned above, land use in the Crab Creek drainage
is primarily agricultural. Land immediately adjacent to the
stream is typically used for rangeland, while the rolling
hills back from the stream are dry farmed for wheat. Scattered
acreages of irrigated crops are found in the basin, especially
around Odessa and Wilson Creek. The creek flows through both
Odessa and Wilson Creek, causing periodic flood damage, in
these small communities.
Air Quality
Because of its topographical and geographical orientation,
the metropolitan Spokane area is frequently subject to stable
atmospheric conditions. These stable atmospheric conditions
lead to poor ventilation and subsequently poor dispersion
of air-borne pollutants. Because of both poor dispersion of
pollutants and significant human activities, ambient con-
centrations of suspended particulates, carbon monoxide, and
photochemical oxidants exceed Washington and federal standards
in certain areas of Spokane County. Due to the low frequency
of violations of the standard, photochemical oxidants are not
considered to be a major problem. Suspended particulates
and carbon monoxide, however, are a significant problem.
216
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Under provisions of the National Clean Air Act, areas
exceeding the national standards after July 1976 were
designated nonattainment areas, and those so-designated
areas must develop a comprehensive plan to meet standards
by 1982 (an extension to 1987 is possible under certain
circumstances). A study to better define Spokane's air
quality problem was initiated jointly by the State of Washington
Department of Ecology (DOE) and the Spokane County Air
Pollution Authority (SCAPCA). On the local level, the city
and county will individually identify, analyze the effects,
and select the strategies for implementation into a plan to
meet federal standards. These plans will be submitted to
the Spokane Regional Planning Conference (SRPC). Subsequently,
joint SRPC-DOE public hearings will be conducted to review,
revise and adopt an air quality plan.
The largest single source of suspended particulates is
unpaved roads (SCAPCA, 1977). As part of the strategies to
meet federal standards, city and county officials have
initiated a program to pave dirt roads and parking lots.
Road oil will also be used on unpaved commercial storage
areas to mitigate the suspended particulate problem.
Automobiles account for over 90 percent of carbon
monoxide emissions in Spokane County (SCAPCA, 1977). The
federal standard for carbon monoxide is consistently exceeded
within the Spokane central business district and along north
Monroe and north Division Streets. The carbon monoxide
problem is clearly within the city limits. Despite the
addition of emission control devices on new automobiles, no
discernible decrease in ambient carbon monoxide concentrations
has occurred in the last 6 years (SCAPCA, 1977). Increasing
vehicle traffic and congestion is apparently offsetting any
decrease in emissions due to control devices on new auto-
mobiles. Numerous strategies, including improved public
transportation and new bicycle trails, have been initiated
by city and county officials to meet the 1982 deadline for
attaining federal standards.
217
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Lincoln County Conservation District. 1978. Lincoln County
Conservation District long-range resource program.
Luzier, J. E. and J. W. Bingham, R. J. Burt, R. A. Bake. 1968.
Groundwater survey, Odessa-Lind area, Washington. Prepared
by U. S. Geological Survey; Wash. State Dept. of Water
Resources Water Supply Bull. No. 36.
McBride, Deborah. 1978. Farm family criticizes basin irrigation
project. Article in Spokane Spokesman-Review, August 27,
1978.
Merriam, W. B. 1974. Spokane: Background to Expo '74, Pullman,
Washington.
Miotke v. City of Spokane. June 27, 1978. No. 228268, Superior
Court, Spokane, Washington (deposition of Wm. W. Main).
Panhandle Area Council. 1978. Preliminary water quality manage-
ment plan, Rathdrum aquifer. Prepared in cooperation with
Panhandle Health Dist. and Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare.
Phillips, R. A., et al., 1962. Spokane Valley groundwater
pollution study. Wash. State Univ. Research Rept. 6219-123.
Randall, A. D. 1970. Movement of bacteria from a river to
a municipal well: A case history. Am. Water Works Assoc.
Jour. 62(11): 717-720.
220
-------
Ray, V. F. 1936. Native villages and groupings of the Columbia
Basin. Pacific Northwest Quarterly, vol. 27.
Ruby, R. H. and J. A. Brown. 1970. The Spokane Indians:
Children of the Sun. Univ. of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK.
Sales Management. 1977. Survey of buying power.
Soltero, R. A., A. F. Gasperino and W. G. Graham. 1973.
An investigation of the cause and effect of eutrophication
in Long Lake, Washington. OWRR Project 143-34-10E-3996-5501,
Final Progress Report, 86 pp.
1974. Further investigation as to the cause and
effect of eutrophication in Long Lake, Washington. DOW
Project No. 74-025A, Project Completion Report, 85 pp.
Soltero, R. A., et al., 1975. Response of the Spokane River
periphyton community to primary sewage effluent and continued
investigation of Long Lake. DOW Project 74-144, Completion
Report, 117 pp.
1976. Continued investigation of eutrophication in
Long Lake: Verification data for the Long Lake model.
DOE Project WF-6-75-081, Completion Report, 64 pp.
Spokane. Area Development Council. 1976. Spokane and the
inland empire economic highlights.
1977. Taxable retail sales.
1977a. Manufacturing industrial growth.
1978. Spokane business conditions.
Spokane. City of. 1977. Annual financial report.
Spokane. City Dept. of Public Works, n.d. Special supplemental
to standard specifications. Prepared by the Engineering Div.,
Public works.
1977. Facilities planning report for sewer over-
flow abatement. Five vols, (text, exhibits, back-up data,
appendices, supplement).
Spokane. City Parks Board. 1977. Annual report.
Spokane. City Plan Commission. 1968. Land use plan.
1974. Community profile.
1975. Population 1880 to 2000.
221
-------
1976. Shoreline master program - City of Spokane.
1976a. Inventory of the environment for a land
carrying capacity.
Spokane. City Traffic Engineering Department. 1966. Arterial
street plan, Spokane, Washington. A part of the compre-
hensive plan.
Spokane. County Air Pollution Control Authority. 1977. Spokane
County ambient air profile. 21 pp.
Spokane. Regional Planning Conference. 1976. A summary of and
excerpts from the report: Employment, population, income
and other projections for Spokane County, 1975-2020.
Spokane. School District #81. 1977. Building capacity.
1977a. School enrollment.
Stevens, Thompson and Runyan, Inc. 1975. Water quality manage-
ment plan, Lincoln County, Washington and sewer facilities
plan - Washington drainage basins 43 and 53.
Stover, Carl W. 1977. Seismicity map of the coterminous United
States and adjacent areas 1965-1974. U. S. Geological
Survey Misc. Field Studies Map MF-812.
URS Company. 1978. Memorandum to Ray Card of Spokane County
Engineers regarding Tasks 4.22 and 4.23 of the County 208
Plan.
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service.
1968. Soil survey of Spokane County, Washington. Prepared
by Norman C. Donaldson and Laurence D. Giese in cooperation
with Wash. Agri. Exper. Station.
1975. Environmental assessment for Crab Creek
(Marlin to Brook Lake), Grant County Washington. Prepared
in cooperation with Wash. State Dept. of Game.
1978. Important farmlands, Spokane County,
Washington; 1:100,000 scale map.
U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers. 1976. Metro-
politan Spokane regional water resources study: Summary
report, technical report and 11 appendices. Prepared
by Kennedy-Tudor Consulting Engineers.
U. S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. 1976. Local climatological data, annual
summary with comparative data - 1975; Spokane, Washington.
222
-------
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. Noise from
construction equipment and operations, building equipment
and home appliances.
1975. National interim primary drinking water
regulations. Federal Register 40(248): 59566-59588.
1977. National secondary drinking water regulations:
proposed regulations. Federal Register 42(62): 17143-17146.
1977a. Urban stormwater management and technology -
update and user's guide. EPA-600/8-77-014. Prepared by
Metcalf & Eddy, Inc.
U. S. Geological Survey. 1977. Water report WA-76-2, water
resources data for Washington, water year 1976; vol. 2 -
eastern Washington.
U. S. Public Health Service. 1952. Report on water pollution
control - Spokane River basin. Water Poll. Series No. 37,
Pacific Northwest Drainage Basins office.
1962. Drinking water standards 1962. Service
Publ. 956, 61 pp.
Washington. Department of Ecology. 1972. Advanced waste
treatment policy.
1976. Proposed guidelines for land disposal of
treated domestic sewage effluent in Washington State.
1976a. Water quality management plan, water resource
inventory areas 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62 -
Spokane and northeast basins.
1977. Washington State water quality standards.
1977a. National pollutant discharge elimination
system waste discharge permit No. WA-002447-3, City of
Spokane municipal sewage treatment plant.
n.d. Noise, the audible pollution - something can
be done, Olympia, Washington.
Washington. State Pollution Control Commission. 1954. The
status of the industrial waste problem within the city
limits of Spokane, 1954. By Duane Blunt and John Hogan.
223
-------
Personal Communications
Anderson, Robert. December 1978. Washington Water Power Company.
Becher, E. T. 1978. Local historian.
Burns, J. July 31, 1978. Former president of the Inland Empire
Bass Club, Spokane, WA.
Card, R. 1978. Spokane County Engineers.
Delfeld, D. September 30, 1978. Fredrickson, Maxey, Bell and
Stiley of Spokane, WA.
Dellwo, R. August 1, 1978. Attorney with Dellwo, Rudolf and
Schroeder, P. S. representing the Spokane Indian Tribe.
Dompier, L. August 31, 1978. U. S. Dept. of Agric., Soil
Conservation Service, Davenport, WA.
Dunmire, W. July 31, 1978. Superintendent of the Coulee Dam
National Recreation Area, Coulee Dam, WA.
Fahey, J. 1978. Historian.
Fearn, W. 1978. Director, City of Spokane Parks and Recreation
Department.
Forten, P. 1978. Auditor, City of Spokane Department of Finance.
Garrett, P. 1978. Historian.
Gellner, T. 1978. Engineer, Spokane City Dept. of Public Works.
Gifford, M. 1978. Statistician for the Washington Employment
Security Department.
Hagen, M. August 1, 1978. Spokane Chapters of the Audubon
Society and Sierra Club.
Heiser, D. Letter dated August 11, 1978. Chief of Environ-
mental Coordination, Washington State Parks and Recreation
Commission, Olympia, WA.
October 1978, telephone conversation.
Hess, M. 1973. Spokane City Planning Department.
James, R. 1978. Director of Utilities, City of Spokane.
Korff, E. 1978. Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department.
224
-------
McBride, J. 1978. Spokane County Assessor's Office.
McCalgen, J. August 30, 1978. Warden for Spokane area,
Wash. State Dept. of Game.
McCullough, J. July 29, 1978. Owner of Sunset Bay Restaurant
on Long Lake, WA.
Miotke, L. July 29, 1978. Resident of Long Lake, WA and former
owner of Sportsman's Paradise.
O'Kelley, A. August 2, 1978. Lawyer for the Wash. Water Power
Company, Spokane.
Parrish, H. July 31, 1978. President of the Wash. State Fed.
of Bass Clubs, Spokane, WA.
Phillips, M., et al., July 29, 1978. Residents of Long Lake, WA
and members of the Lake Spokane Environmental Association.
Pickett, E. 1978. Spokane County Health District Officer.
Prather, G. September 8, 1978. Spokane County Environmental
Health District.
Saletti, M. September 12, 1978. Washington State Dept. of
Game, Spokane, WA.
Saunders, D. July 19, 1978. Washington State Dept. of Ecology,
Olympia, WA.
Soltero, R. 1978. Dept. of Biology, Eastern Wash. Univ., Cheney,
unpublished data from 1978 report.
Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority. July 26, 1978.
Unpublished table.
Staves, D. August 1, 1978. President of Spokane River Expeditions.
Sterling, R. 1978. Washington State Dept. of Ecology.
Thorn, L. July 29, 1978. Owner of Willow Bay Resort on Long
Lake, WA.
Vaughn, T. August 1978. Environmental section of Washington
Water Power, Spokane.
Washington Department of Ecology. 1978. Unpublished water
quality monitoring data sheets obtained in Spokane regional
office, November 1978.
225
-------
Washington Department of Game. August 1978. Section of
unpublished report.
Williams, P. December 8, 1977. Letter from DOE to Mr. Paul
Baltay of EPA commenting on the draft copy of "An Analysis
of Planning for Advanced Wastewater Treatment".
Wilson, W. August 1, 1978. Spokane Scuba School.
226
-------
INDIVIDUALS AND AGENCIES CONTACTED DURING
PREPARATION OF THE EIS
Federal Government
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service
Davenport, Wa. - L. Dompier
Spokane, Wa. - W. Weller
U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers
Seattle, Wa. - N. Cimino, W. Sperlock
U. S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
Boise, Id. - D. Hudson, R. Robison
Ephrata, Wa.
U. S. Department of Interior, National Park Service
Coulee Dam National Recreation Area - W. Dunmire
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D. C. (Headquarters) - M. Tiemens
Bellevue, Wa. - A. Ewing
Olympia, Wa. - C. Carroll, K. Lauzen, D. Robinson
Seattle, Wa. - R. Burd, R. Ellerman, G. Vasconcelos,
D. Curl, R. Mochnick, J. Scevo, K. Brooks
U. S. Federal Insurance Administration
Seattle, Wa. - W. Edens
State Government
Washington Archeoloqical Research Center
Pullman, Wa. - L. McGuff
227
-------
Washington Department of Ecology
Olympia, Wa. - D. Saunders, J. Spencer
Spokane, Wa. - J. Arnquist, J. Baumer, L. Peterson,
R. Sterling,„P. Williams
Tumwater, Wa. - R. James
Washington Department of Game
Spokane, Wa. - M. Atwood, R. Duff, J. McCalgen,
G. Palmer, M. Saletti
Washington Department of Social and Health Services
Olympia, Wa. - K. Merry
Washington Employment Security Department
Spokane, Wa. - M. Gifford
Washington Parks and Recreation Commission
Olympia, Wa. - D. Heiser
Local Government
City of Spokane
Attorney - J. Sloane
City Managers Office - T. Novak, G. Yake
Department of Finance - P. Forten
Department of Public Works - B. Blegen, T. Gellner,
G. Schrope, T. Shoup
Mayor - R. Bair
Parks and Recreation Department - R. Abernathy, W. Fearn
Planning Department - D. Coble, M. Hess, T. Clegg,
G. Zeigweid, C. Dotson
Utilities Department - R. James, A. Reisdorph, A. Shobe
Spokane County
Air Pollution Control Authority - R. Edgar, F. Shiasaki
Assessors Office - Britain, J. McBride
County Commissioners Office
Engineers - W. Dobratz, J. Leggett, J. Haynes, R. Turner, R. Card
Environmental Health District - G. Prather, E. Pickett
Parks and Recreation Department - S. Angove, E. Korff
Planning Department - T. Mosher, S. Horobioski
228
-------
Lincoln County
Agricultural Extension Service, Ritzville - B. Davis,
R. Hintze
Environmental Health Department, Davenport - M. Guhlke
Planning Department, Davenport - J. Goodman
Others
Spokane Area Development Council - D. Walsh
Spokane Public Schools - R. Martinson
Spokane Regional Planning Conference - J. Borgan, J. Urcia
Liberty Lake Sewer District
Panhandle Area Council, Coeur d' Alene, la. - G. Ream
Educational Institutions
Eastern Washington University - Cheney
Biology Department - Dr. R. Soltero
University of California, Berkeley
R. Cooper
Individuals and Private Groups
Audubon Society and Sierra Club - M. Hagen
Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories - T. Gasperino
Becher, E.
Bovay Engineers, Inc. - D. Neal
Chronicle
Dellwo, Rudolf & Schroeder, P. S. - R. Dellwo
Esvelt Engineering - L. Esvelt
Fahey, J.
Fredrickson, Maxey, Bell & Stiley - D. Delfeld
Garrett, P.
Inland Empire Bass Club - J. Burns
J & D's Cafe - J. Doherty
J. C. Penney
Michael A. Kennedy Engineers - W. Gunlach, M. Kennedy
Long Lake Environmental Association - M. Phillips, J. Schasre
'lain, W.
McCarthy Management Corporation - 0. Barnes
Radio Stations - KJRB, KGA, KREM, KXLY, KSPS, KHQ & KSPO
Spokane River Expeditions - D. Staves
229
-------
Spokane Scuba School - W. Wilson
Spokane Unlimited, Inc. - D. Peterson
Spokesman Review
Sportsman's Paradise, Long Lake - L. Miotke
Sunset Bay Restaurant - J. McCullough
Washington State Federation of Bass Clubs - H. Parrish
Washington Water Power Company - A. O'Kelley, T. Vaughn,
R. Anderson
We the People - J. Klicker
Willow Bay Restaurant - L. Thorn
230
-------
LIST OF PREPARERS
Jones and Stokes Associates, Inc.
Dr. Charles Hazel
Michael Rushton
James Darling
Meredith Stephens
Jeffrey Civian
Culp/Wesner/Culp
Dr. Robert Gumerman, P. E.
Oregon State University
Glen Hartman
William Robbins
Dr. Thomas Hogg
231
-------
APPENDIX A
CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS SUMMARY TABLES
233
-------
FIGURE A-l
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
CENSUS TRACTS
-LEGEND-
42 1970 CENSUS TRACT
1970 CITY LIMITS
1970 CENSUS TRACT
BOUNDARY
234
-------
Table A-l
ALTERNATIVE 1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
RESIDENTIAL IMPACT SUMMARY
Housing Types
2 or More
Census Tract (CT)*
Sinqle-Family Units
in
Northwest Spokane
9
X
7
X
6
X
5
X
10
X
(Storage Basin Sites 13B and 14B)
11
X
X
12
X
X
13
X
X
10
X
11
X
12
X
X
13
X
X
21
X
19
X
X
23
X
X
24
X
Severity of
Impacts
Significant
Significant
Minor
Minor
Significant
Significant
Minor
Minor
Moderate
Minor
Minor
Moderate
Minor
Minor
Minor
Minor
Northeast Spokane
4 XX Significant
3 XX Minor
2 XX Significant
14 xx Significant
15 XX Significant
16 XX Moderate
17 X Significant
(Storage Basin Site 2B)
18 XX Moderate
Southwest Spokane
37 XX Significant
(Storage Basin Site 8B)
35 X Minor
40 XX Moderate
32 XX Minor
41 XX Moderate
42 XX Significant
43 X Moderate
Southeast Spokane
26 XX Significant
(Storage Basin
Site 3B)
28
X
Minor
31
X
X
Significant
30
X
X
Moderate
29
X
Moderate
45
X
X
Significant
46
X
X
Moderate
44
X
Minor
47
X
X
Moderate
*0nly those census tracts with impacts are listed in this and following tables.
235
-------
Table A-2
ALTERNATIVE 1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
COMMERCIAL IMPACT SUMMARY
CT
9
7
7
6
5
10
11
11
13
13
19
4
14
14
14
14
15
35
&
34
(Central
Business
Distnct-
CBD)
40
41
33
27
28
122
30
45
44
Commercial
TyPe
LB'
LB
LB
LB
CB2
Tourist
CB
LB
CB
CB
CB
CB
CB
LB
LB
LB
LB
CI 1
CI
CI
LB
CI
CB
CB
CI
LB
LB
CB
Location
Northwest Spokane
Driscoll and
Rowen
Alberta and
Rowen
Ash and Wellesley
Ash and Rowen
Division
Downriver Club-
house
Alberta and
Wellesley
(Shadle Center)
Oak and Garland
Post and Garland
to Howard and
Garland
Division
Division
Northeast Spokane
Division
Division
Nevada and
Wellesley
Nevada and
Kiernen
Nevada and
Bridgeport
Crestline and
Bridgeport
Southwest Spokane
Cedar
2nd
Division
Maple and
10th
Grand and
13th
Southeast Spokane
2nd
Sprague and
Crestline
Havana and
Sprague
(Eastown Center)
Surro and South
Riverton
(Storage Basin IB)
Altamont
5th
Grand-16th
thru 18th
Grand and
31st
(Manito Center)
Severity of
Impact
Minor
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Significant
Significant
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Footnotes.
1 LB - Local Business - smaller neighborhood shopping
facilities consisting of retail and service establish-
ments.
2 CB - Community Business - varied retail, service, and
office establishments serving wide selection of goods
to several neighborhoods.
1 CI - Commercial Zone - variety of businesses, warehouses,
and light industrial uses in commercial park developments.
* CBD - Central Business District/Zone - stores, offices,
service establishments, hotels, government and cultural
centers at central focal point of city's artoiials
236
-------
Table A-3
ALTERNATIVE 1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
INDUSTRIAL IMPACT SUMMARY
Industrial Severity of
CT Type Location Impacts
Northwest Spokane
No known impacts in northwest Spokane.
Northeast Spokane
14
LI1
Nevada and
Moderate
Jackson
16
LI
Regal and
Moderate
Garland
18
LI
Crestline and
Moderate
Grace
Southwest Spokane
No known
impacts
in southwest Spokane.
Southeast Spokane
27
HI2
Erie and Trent
Moderate
to Napa and Trent
27
HI
Erie and Front
Moderate
to Madelia and Front
27
LI
Madelia and Main
Moderate
to Magnolia and Main
27
LI
Magnolia and Riverside
Moderate
to Crestline and Riverside
Footnotes:
1 LI - Light Industrial - Industrial uses primarily in industrial
park development which do not create noise, odors, smoke and other
nuisances to the extent of those in heavy industry classification.
2 HI - Heavy Industrial - Manufacturing with few restrictions.
237
-------
CT
5
10
11
19
24
4
3
2
15
25
37
35
42
42
43
31
31
30
Table A-4
ALTERNATIVE 1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
PARK IMPACT SUMMARY
Name
Franklin Park
Downriver
Golf Course
Downriver
Park
Shadle Park
Corbm Park
Riverfront Park
Nevada Field
Rochester
Heights
Harmon Field
Hays Park
Mission Park
High Bridge Park
Glover Field
Cannon Hill Park
Manito Park
Comstock Park
Liberty Park
Grant Park
Underhill
Location
Whitehouse
and
Nebraska
Riverview
Drive
Downriver
Drive
Belt and
Wellesley
Wall and
Park
Washington
Street
Nevada and
Central
Magnolia and
Everett
Regal and
Bismark
Pittsburg
and Gordon
Perry and
Mission
Hangman
Creek
Cedar and
Main
Lincoln
and 18th
Grand
and 17th
Lincoln and
29th
Pittsburg
and 3rd
Ivory
and 9th
Fiske and
Hartson
Type Park
Activities
Northwest Spokane
Community
Golf
course
Community
Community
Neigh-
borhood
Major
Field sports,
tennis,
picnicking
Golf
Hiking, nature
study
Field sports,
tennis,
swimming,
picnicking
Field sports,
tennis,
picnicking
General
entertainment
Street Access or
Area Affected
Division
Columbia Circle
(Storage Basin 13B)
Meenach Drive
(Storage Basin 12B)
Wellesley
Northeast Spokane
Neigh-
borhood
Neigh-
borhood
Neigh-
borhood
Neigh-
borhood
Neigh-
borhood
Field sports
Field sports,
wading pool,
picnicking
Field sports,
tennis, tot
lot
Field sports,
picnicking
Field sports,
tennis,
swimming,
picnicking
Southwest Spokane
Major
Neigh-
borhood
Neigh-
borhood
Major
Community
Picnicking,
fishing,
swimming
Field sports
Field sports,
winter pond,
picnicking
Field sports,
tennis,
picnicking,
gardens
Field sports,
tennis,
swimming,
picnicking
Southeast Spokane
Community
Neigh-
borhood
Community
238
Washington
Riverfront
Park recreation
areas (Storage
Basin 6B)
Nevada
Everett
Regal
Bismark
Crestline
Parking Lot
Mission Park
(Storage Basin 4B)
Adjacent to
river
(Storage Basin 10B)
Maple Bridge area
(Storage Basin 8B)
Lincoln
Grand, 25th,
Park Drive
Wall
Field sports,
tennis,
swimming,
picnicking,
tot lot
Field sports,
wading pool,
tennis
Field sports,
wading pool,
tennis,
picnicking
Denver, portion of
park interior
9th, Ivory
Hartson
-------
Table A-5
CT
ALTERNATIVE 1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
PUBLIC/SEMIPUBLIC FACILITIES
IMPACT SUMMARY
Facility Type/
Name
Location
Street Access
Af fected
Severity of
Impact
Northwest Spokane
9
10
10
11
24
24
Westview School
Downriver Clubhouse
Rivercrest Convalescent
Hospital
Garland School
North Central High School
Continuation High School
Moore and
Decatur
Columbia
Circle
Downriver Dr.
near Down-
river Golf
Course
Belt and
Garland
Howard and
Augusta
Calispel and
Mission
Bismark
Columbia Circle
and Parking Lot
(Storage Basin 13B)
Downriver Drive
Garland
(main access)
Washington
Augusta and
Calispel
Moderate
Significant
Significant
Significant
Minor
Significant
Northeast Spokane
4
4
4
3
2
14
16
Holy Family Hospital
Lidgerwood School
Continuation School
Whitman School
Spokane Branch Library
Longfellow School
Shaw Junior High
Lidgerwood
and Columbia
Lidgerwood
and Rowan
Standard and
Wellesley
Pittsburq
and Everett
Haven
Nevada and
Cincinnati
Cook and
Regal
Rowan
Rowan
(main access)
Addison
Addison
Rowan
Haven
Nevada
Regal
Rich
Moderate
Minor
Minor
Significant.
Moderate
Moderate
Southwest Spokane
35 and 34
(Central Busi-
ness District)
32
32
Fire Station
PNB Telephone Building
Rockwood Park Clinic
Sacred Heart Hospital
Cedar and
Sprague -
Stevens and
2nd
Bernard and
8 th
8 th
Cedar
Stevens
Bernard and
8 th
McClellan
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Southeast Spokane
31
46
Grant School
Lincoln Heights School
Ivory and
10th
Ray and
21st
Arthur and
9 th
Ray
Moderate
Moderate
239
-------
CT
9
7
6
5
10
11
12
13
21
20
19
23
24
4
3
2
14
15
16
17
18
25
38
35
34
40
32
41
42
43
33
26
27
28
31
30
29
45
46
44
47
Table A-6
ALTERNATIVE 3 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
RESIDENTIAL IMPACT SUMMARY
Housing Types
2 or More Severity of
Single-Family Unita in Structure Impact
Northwest Spokane
x x Significant
x Moderate
x Minor
x x Moderate
x Significant
x Significant
x x Significant
x x Significant
x x Significant
x x Significant
x x Minor
x x Moderate
x x Significant
Northeast Spokane
x x Significant
x x Moderate
x x Significant
x x Moderate
x x Moderate
x x Moderate
x Minor
x x Significant
x x Moderate
Southwest Spokane
x x Moderate to
Significant
x Minor
x Minor
x x Significant
x Significant
x x Significant
x Significant
x Significant
Southeast Spokane
Minimal
x x Significant
x Minimal
x Minimal
x x Significant
x x Moderate
x Significant
x x Significant
x x Significant
x Moderate
x x Minor
240
-------
Table A-7
ALTERNATIVE 3 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
COMMERCIAL IMPACT SUMMARY
Commercial Severity of
CT Type Location Impact
Northwest Spokane
9
LB
Driscoll and
Rowan
Minor
9
LB
Fothenngham
and Central
Moderate
7
LB
Alberta and
Rowan
Moderate
7
LB
Ash and
Wellesley
Moderate
6
LB
Ash and
Rowan
Moderate
10
Tourist
Downriver Golf
Course Pro Shop
Significant
11
CB2
Alberta and
Wellesley
(Shadle Center)
Significant
11
LB
Oak and Garland
Moderate
ind 13
CB
Jefferson and
Garland to
Howard and Garland
Significant
13
LB
Division and
Gray Court
Moderate
21
CB
Northwest and
Jackson
Minor
20
CB
Ash and Mansfield
to Ash and Shannon
Moderate
20
CB
Ash and Sinto to
Cedar and Sharp
Moderate
19
CB
Howard and Shannon
Moderate
to Division and Shannon
19
CB
Monroe and Dalton to
Monroe and Frederick
Moderate
23
LB
Cochran and Boone
Moderate
23
LB
Hollis and Gardner
Moderate
23
LB
Cochran and
Broadway
Moderate
23
LB
Nettleton and
Minor
23
Broadway
CB
Elm and Broadway
Minor
23
CI
Ash and Bridge
Modera te
24
CB
Walnut and Boone
Moderate
CB
Maple and Dean
to Cedar and Dean
Moderate
24
CBD
Monroe and Boone to
Lincoln and Boone
Moderate
24
CBD
Howard and Dean to
Howard and Catoldo
Moderate
24
CB
Washington and Boone
to Washington and
Catoldo
24
CBD
Monroe and MaiIon to
Post and Mallon
Moderate
24
CBD
Monroe and Broadway
to Post and Broadway
Moderate
Northeast Spokane
4
2
14
CB
CB
LB
LB
Division and
Wellesley
(Northtown Center)
Perry and
Decatur
Haven and Broad
Nevada
Minor
Minor
Moderate
Signi£icant
Southwest Spokane
38
38
3 5 and 3 4
(Central Business
District 1CBD])
LB
LB
CBD
CBD
"A" and 3rd to
"A" and 5th
(High Bridge Park)
"A" and Hartson
Spokane Falls Blvd.
(Riverside to
Division)
Main (Stevens to
Division)
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Signifleant
241
-------
Table A-7 con't.
CT
Commercial
Type
Location
35
CBD
Lincoln (Spokane
&
Falls Blvd. to
34
Riverside)
CBD
Riverside (Cedar
"
to Howard
n
CBD
Riverside (Bernard
to Division)
CBD
Monroe (Main
to 1st)
«
CBD
Sprague (Adams to
Mall)
n
CBD
Sprague (Stevens
to Washington)
Sprague (Bernard
to Division)
CBD
1st (Cedar to
Adams)
M
CBD
1st (Monroe to
Howard)
1st (Stevens to
Washington
Adams (Sprague to
1st)
Jefferson (Sprague
to 1st)
41
LB
Grand and 13th
40
LB
Adams and 14th
7
LB
Lincoln and 14th
32
CB
Washington and
6th
Southeast Spokane
33
CI
Sprague, Pacific,
2nd St., 3rd St.,
Hatch
26
LB
Napa and Mission
CB
Regal and Mission
27
CB
Napa and 1st
Riverside and 1st
27
Cl
Hogan and Riverside
Napa and Riverside
27
CI
Lee and Sprague to
Regal and Sprague
27
Cl
Perry and 1st to
Regal and 1st
27
Cl
Madelia and 2nd to
Regal and 2nd
28
CB
Havana and Sprague
(Eastown Center)
31
CB
7th and Perry to
12th and Perry
31
LB
Southeast Blvd. and
10th
31
LB
Helena and 16th
31
LB
Altamont and 5th
31
LB
Haven and 5th
45
LB
Grand and 16th to
Grand and 17th
LB
Grand and 24th
44
CB
Grand and 29th
Grand and 31st
(Manito Center)
Severity of
Impact
Significant
Significant
Significant
Significant
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Signifleant
Footnotes:
LB - Local Business - smaller neighborhood shopping
facilities consisting of retail and service establish-
ments .
CB - Community Business - varied retail, service, and
office establishments serving wide selection of goods
to several neighborhoods.
CI - Commercial Zone - variety of businesses, warehouses,
and light industrial uses in commercial park developments.
CBD - Central Business District/Zone - stores, offices,
service establishments, hotels, government and cultural
centers at central focal point of city's arterials
and transportation systems.
242
-------
Table A-8
ALTERNATIVE 3 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
INDUSTRIAL IMPACT SUMMARY
CT
21
20
24
Industrial
TyPe
14
15
16
18
25
35
&
34
(Central
Business
District)
33
33
33
33
33
LI '
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
LI
Location
Northwest Spokane
Elm to Maxwell
to Ash and
Maxwell
Adams and Sharp
adjacent to
U. P. Railroad
Lincoln and
Mallon
Lincoln and
Broadway
Howard and
Catoldo to
Washington
and Catoldo
Atlantic and
Catoldo
Northeast Spokane
Vicinity of
GN Railroad
tracks
Vicinity of
GN Railroad
tracks
Vicinity of
GN Railroad
tracks
Vicinity of
GN Railroad
tracks
Vicinity of
GN Railroad
tracks
Southwest Spokane
Madison and
Sprague
Cedar and
Burlington
Northern
tracks
Spokane Falls
Boulevard
Browne and
Riverside
Washington
and 1st
Browne and
Pacific
Washington
and 3rd
Southeast Spokane
Division
and Trent
to Sherman
and Trent
Division
and Sprague
to Arthur
and Sprague
Spokane and
Pacific to
Sherman and
Pacific
Division and
2nd to Sherman
and 2nd
Division and
3rd to Sherman
and 3rd
Severity o£
Impact
Minor
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Minor
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Minor
Minor
Minor
Minor
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
243
-------
CT
27
27
27
27
27
27
28
28
28
28
28
28
28
28
Industrial
IZEe
LI
LI
LI
HI
LI
HI
HI
LI
HI
HI
HI
HI
HI
HI
Location
Nelson and 1st
Hogan and
Riverside
to Magnolia
and Riverside
Lee and Main
to Altamont
and Main
Division and
Trent to
Freya and
Trent
(includes
Hanson Indus-
trial Park)
Helena and
Springfield
to Napa and
Springfield
Haven and Boone,
Ralph and
Syndicate
Syndicate and Alki
to Springfield
and Thor
Haven and Ferry
to Ralph and
Ferry
Haven and Olive
to Haven and
Riverside
Sycamore and
Alki to
Sycamore and
Riverside
Haven and Riverside
to Havana and
Riverside
Havana - Alki and
Havana to Sprague
and Havana
(includes Trumark
Industrial Park)
Severity of
Impact
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Footnotes:
1 LI - Light Industrial - Industrial uses primarily in industrial
park development which do not create noise, odors, smoke and other
nuisances to the extent oE those in heavy industry classification.
2 HI - Heavy Industrial - Manufacturing with few restrictions.
244
-------
Table A-9
ALTERNATIVE 3 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
PARK IMPACT SUNMARY
NJ
¦C*
Ul
CT
Name
Location
Type Park
Major
Activities
Street Access
Affected
Northwest Spokane
9 Riverside State Park
5 Franklin Park
10 Downriver Golf Course
11 Shadle Park
11
13
21
19
24
Drumneler Springs
Clark Playground
A. M. Cannon
Carbin Park
Riverfront Park
Northeast Spokane
4 Nevada Field
3 Rochester Heights
2 Harmon Field
2 Hillyard Pool
14 Glass Park
14
15
16
25
Byrne Park
Hays Park
Courtland
Mission Park
Downriver Drive
Whitehouse and
Nebraska
Riverview Drive
Belt and
Wellesley
Ash and Euclid
Norrrandie and
Lacrosse
Belt and Mission
Wall and Park
North Side
Nevada and
Central
Magnolia and
Everett
Regal and
Bisnark
Havana and
Columbia
Standard and
Meroy
Lidgervrocd and
Walton
Pittsburg and
Gordon
Stone and Glass
Perry and
Mission
Major State
Park
Carmunity
Golf Course
Cannunity
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Major
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Swinming Pool
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
(See Table A-4)
(See Table A-4)
(See Table A-4)
Hiking, Biking
Field Sports,
Picnicking
Field Sports,
Tennis, Swiimung
(See Table A-4)
(See Table A-4)
(See Table A-4)
(See Table A-4)
(See Table A-4)
Field Sports,
Wading Pool,
Picnicking
Picnic
(See Table A-4)
Field Sports
(See Table A-4)
Northwest Blvd.
Nebraska, White-
house, Uueen
Riverview, Alice,
Euclid
Fairview,
Cleveland,
Wellesley,
Longfellow
Euclid
Lacrosse, Walton,
Garland
Mission, Belt,
Maxwell
Wall and Stevens
Howard, Washing-
ton, Broadway
Nevada
Everett
Regal and Haven
Havana and
Joseph
Standard and
Meroy
Lidgerwood
Pittsburgh
Stone and
Bridgeport
Mission and
Superior
Severity of
Impact
Minor
Significant
Significant
Significant
Minor
Significant
Significant
Significant
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Minor
Moderate
Significant
-------
CT Name
Location
Southvasst Spokane
37
£
38 High Bridge Park
38 Indian Canyon
Golf Course
35 Riverfront Park
35 Lincoln Plaza
32 Pioneer Park
42 Cannon Hill Park
42 Mam to Park
43 Hart Field
M 43 Ccnistock Park
Ov
Southeast Spokane
26 Chief Gary Park
31 Grant Park
31 Liberty Park
30 Underhj.ll
46 Lincoln Park
Junction of
Hangjnan Creek
and Spokane
River
West Drive
Spokane Falls
Blvd.
Lincoln and
Riverside
Stevens and 7th
Lincoln and 8th
Grand and 17th
Grand and 33rd
Lincoln and 29th
Cook and Mission
Ivory and 9th
Pittsburg and
3rd
Fiske and
Hartson
Southeast Blvd.
and 17th
47
Lincoln Heights
Park
Hamblen Park
Ray and 25th
Napa aid 37th
Table A-9 con't.
Major
Street Access
Severity of
Type Park
Activities
Affected
Impact
Major
(See Table A-4)
Government Way,
Significant
"A" St., 5th St.
Golf Course
Golf
West Drive
Minor
Major
General
Spokane Falls
Significant
Enter tairroent
Blvd.
Park Plaza
Urban Rest Area
Lincoln and
Significant
Riverside
Neighborhood
Arts and Crafts,
7th St.
Minor
Passive Rec.
Neighborhood
(See Table A-4)
Lincoln, 18th,
Significant
Shoshone, Stevens
Major
(See Table A-4)
18th, Manito,
Significant
Grand, 25th, 21st.
Baseball
Division and
Moderate
37th
Ccmnunity
(See Table A-4)
Lincoln, Post,
Significant
Mall, Howard, 33rd
Neighborhood
Field Sports,
Mission and Sin to
Significant
Picknicking
Neighborhood
(See Table A-4)
Ivory and Arthur
Moderate
CCrmunity
Park and Pool
Swinmng, Field
Perry and
Moderate
Sports, Tennis,
3rd Avenue
Picknicking
Ccmnunity
(See Table A-4)
Hartson and
Significant
Fiske
Gaiuiunity
Wading Pool,
17th
Moderate
Picknicking,
Scenic Drive
Unknown
Unkrcwn
Ray and Regal
Significant
Ccmnunity
Field Sports,
37th, Napa,
Significant
Tennis, Piclc-
Crestline
nicking
-------
Table A-10
ALTERNATIVE 3 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
PUBLIC/SEMI PUBLIC FACILITIES IWACT SUMMARY
Facility Type/
Street Access
Severity of
CT
Name
Location
Affected
Impacts
Northwest Spokane
9
Westview
Moore and
Bismark
Moderate
School
Decatur
5
Madison
Whitehouse
Nebraska (main
Significant
School
and
access),
Nebraska
Whitehouse
10
Down River
Columbia
Columbia Circle,
Significant
Clubhouse
Circle
Alice, Euclid,
Fairview,
Cleveland,
Riverview
11
Glover Park
Alberta
Longfellow
Minor
Junior High
and
Longfellow
11
Shadle Park
Princeton
Longfellow,
Moderate
High School
and Oak
Heroy,
Princeton
11
Garland School
Belt and
Garland (main
Significant
Garland
access), Belt
13
Willard
Wall and
Longfellow (main
Significant
School
Longfellow
access), Heroy
21
Audubon
Elm and
Elm (main
Significant
School
Carlisle
access), Cannon
20
Bancroft
Madison and
Spofford (main
Significant
School
Spofford
access), Madison
23
Shriners
Summit
"A"
Significant
Hospital
Boulevard
for
Crippled
Children
23
Holmes
Cochran
Cochran (main
Significant
School
and Sharp
access)
24
North Central
Howard and
Augusta (main
Significant
High School
Augusta
access), Howard
24
Continuation
Calispel
Mission and
Significant
High School
and Mission
Calispel
(main access)
24
Bryant
Ash and
Ash (main access)
Significart
School
Broadway
24
KXLY-KXLY-
Washington
Boone
Minor
TV
and Boone
24
County
Cedar and
Dean
Moderate
Shops
Dean
24
Spokane
Adams and
Boone, Adams,
Significant
Transit
Boone
Gardner
System
24
County
Madison and
Broadway
Minor
Courthouse
Ma lion
24
County
Broadway
Broadway and
Moderate
Courthouse
College
Complex
24
Coliseum
Howard and
Howard and
Significant
Boone
Boone
24
YWCA
Lincoln and
Broadway
Moderate
Broadway
24
Civic
Dean and .
Howard
Significant
Theater
Howard
247
-------
<1
4
4
3
2
14
15
15
16
25
25
25
25
35
&
34
(Central
Business
District)
Facility Type/
Name
Holy Family
Hospital
Lidgerwood
School
Continuation
School
Whitman School
Spokane Branch
Library
Longfellow
School
John Rogers
High School
Gon2aga Prep
School
Regal School
Shaw Junior
High
Bemiss School
St. Joseph's
Home
Gonzaga Law
School
Gonzaga
University
Holy Name
Academy
Location
Street Access
Affected
Northeast Spokane
Lidgerwood
and
Columbia
Lidgerwood
and Rowen
Standard and
Wellesley
Pittsburg
and Everett
Haven
Street
Nevada and
Providence
Perry and
Wellesley
Perry and
Euclid
Regal and
Heroy
Cook and
Walton
Stone and
Bridgeport
Dakota and
Mission
Standard and
Sharp
Astor and
Boone
Superior
and Sharp
Columbia and
Lidgerwood
Lidgerwood
(mam access
not affected)
Standard (mam
access not
affected)
Everett and
Pittsburg
Haven Street
Nevada and
Cincinnati
(main access
not affected)
Perry, Hogan
and Pittsburg
Nevada and
Perry
Regal (main
access)
Cook and
Regal
Bridgeport
(main access),
Stone
Standard
Standard
Boone
Superior
Severity of
Impact
Significant
Minor
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Moderate
Significant
Minor
Moderate
Moderate
Significant
Southwest Spokane
Federal
Monroe and
Monroe, Main,
Significant
Building
Main
Lincoln
City Hall
Wall and
Spokane Falls
Moderate
Spokane
Blvd.
Falls
Blvd.
Fire Station
Adams and
Adams and
Significant
1st
1st
Elk's
Riverside
Riverside
Moderate
Temple
Masonic
Riverside
Riverside
Moderate
Temple
Chamber of
Riverside
Riverside
Moderate
Commerce
Spokane Club
Riverside
Riverside
Moderate
Red Cross
Riverside
Riverside,
Significant
and
Sprague
Jefferson
Our Lady of
Madison and
Riverside
Significant
Lourdes
Riverside
and Sprague
Cathedral and
Academy
Chancery Bldg.
Madison and
Riverside,
Significant
Riverside
and Sprague
Greyhound Bus
Jefferson
Jefferson
Significant
Depot
and Sprague
and Sprague
Spokane Daily
Monroe and
Monroe, Sprague
Significant
Chronicle
Sprague
Riverside
B.O.F. Club
Monroe and
3rd
Moderate
3rd
Carousel
Riverfront
Spokane Falls
Significant
Park
Opera House
Riverfront
Spokane Falls
Significant
Park
Convention
Riverfront
Spokane Falls
Significant
Center
Park
Burlington
Bernard and
Sprague
Significant
Northern
Sprague
Lewis and Clark
Wall and
4th (main
Significant
School
4th
access), 5th
248
-------
Facility Type/
Street Access
Severity of
CT
Name
Location
Affected
Impact
32
Deaconess
5th
5th (main
Significant
Hospital
access)
32
Rockwood
Bernard
Bernard
Significant
Park Clinic
and 8th
32
Sacred Heart
8th
McClellan
Moderate
Hospital
and 9th
32
St. Lukes
Cowley
Cowley
Moderate
Hospital
42
Wilson School
Monroe
25th
Significant
and 25th
(main access),
Monroe,
Lincoln
43
Sacajawea
Lamonte
Grand
Minor
Junior High
and 3 3rd
Jefferson
Grand and
Grand (main
Significant
School
37th
access)
Southeast Spokane
26
Stevens
Pittsburg
Sinto (main
Significant
School
and Sinto
access),
Mission,
Pittsburg
27
Libby Junior
Regal
1st (main access),
Significant
High
and Pacific
Pacific
Playfair Race
Regal
Regal and
Significant
Track
Sprague
31
Grant School
Ivory and
Ivory
Moderate
10th
29
Sheridan School
Freya and
Freya
Moderate
5th
45
Hutton School
Arthur and
Plateau
Moderate
24th
Road
46
Franklin School
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
Moderate
and 17th
Lincoln Heights
Ray and
21st (main
Significant
School
21st
access), Ray,
Thor
249
-------
APPENDIX B
WATER QUALITY SUPPORT DATA
251
-------
NJ
(-n
to
LEGEND
JAN-FEB-WAR MEAN
APR-MAY-JUNE MEAN
JULY-AUG-SEPT MEAN
OCT-NOV-DEC MEAN
INTERMEDIATE DATA POINT
NOT AVAILABLE.
NOTES
LONG LAKE DATA ARE FOR SURFACE LAYER
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED AND ARE P-CTTED AT
APPROXIMATE MIDLENGTH OF LAKE VlDDLE
LAYER DATA INDICATED (Ml. BOTTOM LAYER
INDICATED (B)
50 60
RIVER MILES
Figure B-l
SPOKANE RIVER QUALITY PROFILES
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Ron
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Appendix A
-------
SOURCt: V. i. Department of Arr^y, Corps cf Engineers, 197 6, Appendix A
-------
1.4
l\j
<_n
E
z
08
Ld
O
o
>. \
^ ^
\r
/
i
1 ! 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 ! i'l
i 1111111111111111111111
1 l 11 1II l 1 l
f—j>-
1111
'1
V
M 111111ll1111II111II1111
k
111
20
30
40 50 60
FIVER MILES
70
80
90
flow
100
• LEGEND
JAN-FEB-MAR WEAN
APR-MAY-JUNE MEAN
JULY-AUG-SEPT VEAM
OCT-NOV-DEC MFAM
INTERMEDIATE DATA POINT
NOT AVAILABLE.
NOTES
LONG LAKE DATA ARE FOR SUuFACE LA"E°
UNLESS OThER.VSE NOTED A\3 ARE (>S"ZZ AT
APPROXIMATE M'Ol-ENGTH OF LAKE V ^-E
LAYER DATA INDICATED (M), BOTTOM i_A*ER
INDICATED (B)
Figure B-3
SPOKANE RIVER OUALITY PROFILES
EXISTING CONDITIONS
TOTAL . NJTBOoEM
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1978, Appendix A
-------
2500
Z100
to
Ln
(_n
2
IX
o
o
o
h-
o
1500
tooc
500
50 60
RIVER MILES
LEGEND
JAN -FEB -WAR MEAN
APR - MAY - JUNE MEAN
JULY-AUG-SEPT WEAN
OCT-NOV-DEC MEAN
INTERMEDIATE DATA POINT
NOT AVAILABLE
NOTES
LONG LAKE OATA ARE FOR SURFAGE LAYE°
UNLESS OTHERWISE MOTEO A'O ARE P_1"E0 AT
APPROXIMATE MiDlEN'GTh OF LA^E V.jV.E
LAYER DATA INDICATED IM), BOTTOM i.Ay£R
INDICATED (B)
Figure B-4
SPOKANE RIVER QUALITY PROFILES
EXISTING CONDITIONS
TOTAL COLIFORM
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 197 6, Appendix A
-------
Table B-l
COMPARISON OF TYPICAL URBAN RUNOFF WATER QUALITY
AND RECOMMENDED WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Typical
Freshwater Biota
Marine
Biota
Concentrations
Average
Hazard to
Threshold of
Pollutant
in Urban Runoff1
Upper Limit
Concentration
Marine Life
Minimal Risk
Aluminum
0.1
1.5
0.2
Ammonia (unionizedH)
0.02
0.05 x LC505
0.4
0.01
(as nitrogen)
0.3-1.2
Arsenic
0.05
0.01
Cadmium5 (hard water6)"
}0.004-0.005
\0.03 ®/0.003 9
}0.01
}0.0002
(soft water7)
0.004°/0.0004'
Chlorine (free)
0.003 (0.05)
10
0.01
Chromium
0.036-0.18
0.05
0.1
0.005
Copper8
0.046-0.33
0.1 x LC50
0.05
0.01
Cyanide
0.005
0.05 x LC50
0.01
0.005
Fluoride
1.5
0.5
Iron
0.3
0.05
Lead
0.044-0.93
0.03
0.05
0.01
Manganese (total)
0.1
0.02
Mercury
0.0005-0.12
0.0002
0.00005
0.0001
Nickel
0.032-0.08
0.02 x LC50
0.1
0.002
Silver
0.005
0.001
Sulfides"
0.002
0.01
0.001
Zinc5
•H
H
1
0
0.005 x LC5Q
0.1
0.02
Pthalate esters
0.0003
Polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCB)
0.0018
0.000002
Linear alkyl
sulfnate (LAS ^
0.2
0.05 x I.C50
Phenolics
0.1
0.05 x LC50
Oil and grease
13
Organic nitrogen
0.8-3.5
Nitrate nigrogen
0.4-2.9
Total phosphate
0.2-4.3
Dissolved phosphate
0.14-0.57
Suspended solids
74-380
Volatixe solids
298
Biochemical
oxygen demand
(BOD)
4.3-160
Chemical oxygen
NOTES AND SOURCES:
All concentrations given as mg/1.
1 Bailed on values reported in Sartor and Boyd (1972); Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (1973);
Ioehr (1974); Rryan (1974); Whipple, Hunter and Yu (1974); and Kiuesener and Lee (1974).
1 Fran National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, 1972.
® IC50 = 96-houi IC50 for the most sensitive important species in the local area. IC50 = the concentration of a
substance v.hich pioduces a 50 percent rrortality rate during the indicated time period.
* Ibxicity is due largely to unionized amnoma. The ionization reaction is directly proportional to pH. Thus,
toxicity of dissolved amnorua increase with tug her pH cue to the greater proportion of unionized atmoma.
5 Caiibinations of cadmium, ccp:^cr and zinc are knewn to have synergistic effects wiien cooper or zinc are present in
concentrations of 1 nrj/1 or rrore. Other combinations of heavy metals may interact to produce synergistic or
antagonistic effects.
' Hardness >100 ng/1 CaC03.
7 Ibtxlners ^100 ng/1 C0CO3.
' tlor.t aquatic life.
' Crustaceans artf eggs or larvae of salmon.
10 Value jn parentheses should not be exceeded for more than 30 minutes in any 24-hour period.
" "toxicity is largely duo to H25 rather thir the :onira"l HS". The ionization reaction is inversely proportioivil to pit
At a pll of C.0, about 92 percent of total sulfide will be present as H2S; at a pH of 7.0, about 50 percent will be
112S; at a p!l of 8.0, about 9 percent will to II2S. Iraryamc sulfides are also highly toxic.
256
-------
Table B-2
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
STATELINE
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
4.2
9.8
19.4
8.5
Dissolved oxygen
mg/1
12.6
11.1
9.0
10.2
B.O.D.
mg/1
1.4
3.3
1.3
1.0
Total phosphorus -P
mg/1
0.013
0.011
0.008
0.010
Ammonia -N
mg/1
0.066
0.108
0.088
0.029
Total N
mg/1
0.279
0.143
0.326
0.192
Total conforms
No./lOO ml
868
177
2002
986
Zinc
yU g/1
241
248
168
261
*Less than 5 data points.
Table B-3
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
SPOKANE RIVER ABOVE HANGMAN CREEK
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
4.2
13.2*
14.2
6.8
Dissolved oxygen
mg/1
13.2
11.7*
9.7
11.4
B.O.D.
mg/1
0.6*
-
1.0
1.2
Total phosphorus -P
mg/1
0.020*
-
0.017
0.026
Ammonia -N
mg/1
0.050*
-
0.044*
0.073
Total N
mg/1
0.335*
-
0.150*
0.449
Total coliforms
No./lOO ml
-
-
1068
-
Zinc
^
-------
Table B-4
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
HANGMAN CREEK AT MOUTH
Parameter
Temperature
Dissolved oxygen
B.O.D.
Total phosphorus -P
Ammonia -N
Total N
Total coliforms
Zinc
Units
°C
mg/l
mg/l
mg/l
mg/1
mg/1
No./lOO ml
^
-------
Table B-6
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
SPOKANE RIVER AT BOWL & PITCHER
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
4.9
13.8
15.1*
6.9
Dissolved oxygen
mg/1
12.5
10.6
9.9*
11.5
B.O.D.
mg/1
2.3*
0.6*
3.8*
2.6
Total phosphorus -P
mg/1
0.080*
0.027*
0.198*
0.168
Ammonia -N
mg/1
0.230*
0.028*
0.180*
0.447
Total N
mg/1
1.336*
0.195*
-
0.964
Total coliforms
No./100 ml
-
2343*
20*
-
Zinc
^-Jg/1
235*
240*
127*
172
*Less than 5 data points
Table B-7
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER NEAR MOUTH
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
5.2
12.4
13.5
7.0
Dissolved oxygen
mg/1
10.5
8.9
8.8
10.5
B.O.D.
mg/1
1.1*
0.8*
0.5*
-
Total phosphorus
-P mg/1
0.086
0.084
0.039
0.030
Ammonia -N
mg/1
0.077
0.042
0.064
0.042
Total N
mg/i
1.300
1.105
1.530
1.206
Total coliforms
No./lOO ml
1802
1012
1776
880*
Zinc
g/1
42
43*
4
15
*Less than 5 data points
259
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Appendix A
-------
Table B-8
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
LONG LAKE
SURFACE LAYER (1.0 M DEPTH)
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
-
17.5
21.2
13.2
Dissolved oxygen
rag/1
-
11.2
10.7
9.4
B.O.D.
rag/1
-
-
1.2*
-
Total phosphorus -P
rag/1
-
-
0.046
-
Ammonia -N
rag/1
-
-
0.019*
-
Total N
rag/1
-
-
0.263*
-
Total coliforms
No./100 ml
-
-
385
-
Zinc
y«g/l
20*
—
MIDDLE
LAYER (15.0 M DEPTH)
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
-
14.6
16.8
6.5
Dissolved oxygen
rag/1
-
12.2
3.0
4.8
B.O.D.
rag/1
-
-
0.5*
-
Total phosphorus -P
mg/1
-
-
0.097
-
Ammonia -N
rag/1
-
-
0.116*
-
Total N
mg/1
-
-
0.28*
-
Total coliforms
No./100 ml
-
-
600*
-
Id i nc
/Ug/1
"
BOTTOM
LAYER (24.0
M DEPTH)
MEAN VALUES
4>
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
-
13.2
14.2
11.6
Dissolveu oxy£<_n
r^/1
-
4.1
2.2
4.4
B.O.D.
mg/1
-
-
3.1*
-
Total phosphorus -P
rag/1
-
-
0.378*
-
Ammonia -N
mg/1
-
-
1.130*
-
Total N
mg/1
-
-
1.30*
-
Total coliforms
No./100 ml
-
-
—
—
Zinc
yfg/l
-
—
—
—
*Lr-ss than 5 data points.
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, 1976, Appendix A
260
-------
Table B-9
SURFACE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
SPOKANE RIVER BELOW LONG LAKE
MEAN VALUES
Parameter
Units
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
Temperature
°C
3.7
11.1
18.2
8.3
Dissolved oxygen
mg/1
12.9
12.3
5.8
7.7
B.O.D.
mg/1
-
-
1.4*
-
Total phosphorus -P
mg/1
0.100
0.083
0.073
0.059
Ammonia -N
mg/1
0.183
0.082
0.124
0.249
Total N
mg/1
0.656
0.416
0.765
0.861
Total coliforms
No./lOO inl
418
831
954
488
Zinc
/
-------
Table B-10
WATER QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF CITY DISCHARGES
TO THE SPOKANE RIVER
(in milligrams per liter)
Quality Parameters
BOD
SS
TN
TP
(mg/1)
(mg/1)
(mg/1)
(mg/1)
ave.
ave.
ave.
ave.
Waste Flows
range
range
range
range
AWT plant effluent1
17.8
19.8
11.72
1.24
8-25
9-27
.31-2.72
Stormwater plant overflows3
31.9
83
8
1.3
3.9-14.9
.86-1.71
Combined sewer overflows'*
115
150
9
1.4
20-210
76-220
4. 3-16.65
.95-1.9
Stormwater runoff6
19
172
3.3
.47
13-25
138-207
.82-5.8®
.44-.51
Satellite plant effluent7
40
37
9
1.3
7-73.5
19-55
4.3-16.6
.86-1.71
1 From records of the Spokane wastewater treatment plant compiled January-June
1978.
7 Estimated from treatment plant effluent data on nitrate + ammonia and suspended
solids; 26 percent of suspended solids considered to be organic matter and
JL.3 percent of organic matter considered to be nitrogen.
3 BOD and SS from Spokane wastewater treatment plant data compiled September 197 7
to June 1978; TN and TP ranges calculated from CSO quality data assuming 10
percent removal by primary treatment; TN and TP averages estimated from ranges.
u Range from Spokane City Department of Public Works, 1977, text; average
estimated from ranges.
5 Range from U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1977a; average estimated
from ranges.
6 Ranges from lab analyses of Spokane stormwater flows prepared by Spokane
wastewater treatment plant staff; averages estimated from ranges.
7 Ranges calculated from CSO quality data assuming 75 percent SS removal, 65
percent BOD removal, 10 percent TP removal and 0 percent TN removal;
averages estimated from ranges.
262
-------
Table B-ii
SOURCES AND AVERAGE VOLUMES OF WASTE FLOWS TO THE SPOKANE RIVER
UNDER THE PROPOSED CSO ABATEMENT ALTERNATIVES
Alternative
Alternative 1
1 yr. storage
25 yr. storage
Alternative 2
tSJ
-------
Table B-12
PROJECTED TONS PER YEAR OF PRESENT CITY LOAD
(SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT EFFLUENT
DISCHARGE PLUS STORMWATER PLANT DISCHARGE PLUS
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS) REMOVED BY EACH ALTERNATIVE
Alternative BOD5 SS TN TP
Alternative 1
1 year storage
25 year storage
0.21xl03
0.22xl03
0.3xl03
0.3x10s
-0.07xl02 *
-0.07xl02*
0.04x10
0.05.10
Alternative 2
0.17xl03
0.27xl03
0
0.03x10
Alternative 3
0.22xl03
-2.8xl03 *
1.64xl02
1.68x10
Klicker Plan
0.22xl03
0.3x103
-0.07xl02*
0.05x10
Latenser Plan
1.39xl03
1.72xl03
7.34xl02
7.99x10
Combination Concept
0.24xl03
-0.26xl03*
0.25xl02
0.42x10
Proposed Action (1st phase)
0.21x103
-0.26xl03 *
0.24xl02
0.39x10
* Added to present city load, which is as follows:
BOD5 = 1.39x103 tons/year
SS = 1.72xl03 tons/year
TN = 7.34xl02 tons/year
TP = 7.99x10* tons/year
-------
APPENDIX C
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SUPPORT DATA
265
-------
Table C-l
ALTERNATIVE 3
STORM
SEWERS
- ANNUAL COST
AND PRIORITY
RANKING
FOR
IMPLEMENTATION
R
0
•H
CP 4J
w
C ID
c
•H +J
o
0
a: g
¦P
o
i—i
C d)
^ 0)
o
T3
rH T3
id s
a) o
rH
a)
nj a)
a a!
£ u
1
¦p n
O 4->
rH
s *
0J
3
to a) m
Itf
>1 a
o
W H
0 C c a)
o C
•p e
<—t a
nJ
rH
0 -H >H
O -H
-H H
m 2
B 3
ihh e
o e
M
u 0
n c
HH -3 ^
v -H
0 M
a> m
0 c
a>
(0 H o
•p <
> O W fc
\ w
M «H
o
cn
o
v>
On
1
24,290
30
810
14
2
37,450
510
73
11
3
58,710
1,890
31
5
4
44,550
340
131
12
5
1,519,360
23,420
65
8
6
251,430
5, 620
45
6
7
99,130
4,560
22
4
8
1,472,170
24,750
59
7
9
180,320
280
644
13
10
119,470
1,760
68
9
11
75,920
7,300
10
2
12 & 15
2,653,730
469,970
6
1
13
48,610
2,760
18
3
14
221,320
3,910
57
10
$6 , 806,510 per yr.
*See Figure 2-7 for location of overflow group.
266
-------
Table C-2
COMBINATION ALTERNATIVE - ANNUAL COSTS AND
PRIORITY RANKING FOR IMPLEMENTATION
-P
(0
CO G
(U
O -H
c
>
O g
¦p
•H +J
•H
O -rH
U 01
CO (0
¦P
* i—I
H
M-l 3
e s
(0 3
1 Si
«4-l
H O
u c
^ G
-P O
^ H ^
ai m
0 c
O G
co a)
0) (0 o
¦p <
-p <
O Eh
>o ft
O
w
w
U
o
CO
G
O
i—I
c
o
H
tP-P
G (0
¦H +J
^ G
c a)
fO g
« a>
i—I
>1 cu
+J g
•H H
o n
o
M m
1
24,290
31,600
Sewer
30
810
14
2
37,450
40,700
Sewer
510
73
11
3
58,710
89,680
Sewer
1,890
31
5
4
44,550
47,250
Sewer
340
131
12
5
1,519,360
1,104,640
Storage
23,420
47
9
6
251,480
232,920
Storage
5, 620
42
6
7
99,130
99,280
Sewer
4,560
22
4
8
1,472,170
1,063,960
Storage
24,750
43
7
9
180,320
197,880
Sewer
280
644
13
10
119,470
93,540
Storage
1,760
53
10
11
75,920
92,420
Sewer
7,300
10
2
12 & 15
2,653,730
2,555,810
Storage
469,970
5
1
13
48,610
52,300
Sewer
2,760
18
3
14
221,320
176,790
Storage
3,910
45
8
547,100
*See Figure 2-7 for location of overflow groups.
267
------- |