Salmon by the thousands once spawned in the spokane river. The spokane river, edited by lindholdt, an ewu english professor, is an anthology on how the river has shaped the region and its people throughout history. The areas indigenous people settled there due to the fertile hunting grounds and abundance of salmon in the spokane river. Washington state polluted waters list spokane riverkeeper. The spokane aquifer is an unconfined aquifer consisting of coarse sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders deposited during several catastrophic glacial outburst floodsknown as the spokane floodsof pleistocene time. Tanks ready to prevent pollution city of spokane, washington.
A new book reveals the spokane rivers influence on the region. It has adopted a clean water plan and is adding more levels of treatment at its water treatment plant. A toxic past and present on the spokane river in eastern washington, a push to clean pcbs from its namesake river faces a dirty legacy and global pollution problem. Below are important pages to visit to learn more about water quality and the spokane river. No longer was the river a municipal dumping ground. Former mining and lead smelting operations there have contaminated the river with heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, zinc, and cadmium that cause health problems, including brain and nerve damage in children.
Ewu professor of history larry cebula is the editor of the project and is. The task forces comprehensive plan resulted from several years of studies that measured the extent of pcb pollution. From lake coeur dalene to its confluence with the columbia, the spokane river travels 111 miles of varied and often spectacular terrain. The spokane river faces a future of more pollution concentrated in less water as it moves through the metropolitan area, the report said. Your institution does not have access to this book on jstor. Spokane sues monsanto over spokane river contamination. Plenty of swimming opportunities and wildlife along the way. The little spokane river also fails state water quality standards for bacteria, temperature, and turbidity. A resource inventory for little spokane scenic river area.
Pages tagged with cleaner river faster city of spokane. The high country news story focuses on chemicals and toxics in the. Spokane, our early history tornado creek publications. The spokane river contains some of the highest concentrations of heavy metals of any river in the state, resulting from pollution coming from lake coeur dalene and traveling from the bunker hill mine and smelting complex superfund site. Rodgers pushes house bill targeting epa pollution standards in washington. Throughout, but especially in section two, readers learn about the rivers earliest geologic history and about tribal history of sustenance and salmon runs for the native spokane and other interior salish people, which was decimated by dam construction. Spokane river watershed nonpoint source phosphorus reduction plan page ii 3. Spokane still must content with such issues as suburban growth, urban decay, and river pollution. The river has been a trading and gathering place for indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Throughout, but especially in section two, readers learn about the river s earliest geologic history and about tribal history of sustenance and salmon runs for the native spokane and other interior salish people, which was decimated by dam construction. Current testing shows about 55% of pcbs enter the river through the city of spokane combined sewer overflow and storm water system, 25% at the idaho border. A comprehensive history of the wastewater department for. Sawdust and raw sewage burst on the scene as the first major pollution issues of the area. Plan provides a historical perspective of nonpoint source phosphorus issues and documents the extensive efforts of.
The riverkeepers this week on the water voice podcast, kevin kunz discusses with the spokane riverkeepers jerry white and carrie. Riverfront park history city of spokane, washington. Community citizen scientists from spokane falls trout unlimited and the spokane riverkeeper will sample and monitor water clarity turbidity in the spokane river and hangman creek. The area has some of the nations most stringent pcb pollution. People started to view the river for its environmental benefits. For time immemorial, the spokane s have lived along the. Additional causes of high ph includes sediment pollution from soil eroding into streams due to timber harvest, poor farming practices, and suburban development. Spokane lies along the spokane river with a series of falls in its middle, embraced.
Pacific northwest history, nature and environment, literature bibliographic information. Today, seven dams on the spokane river generate power and control river flows, and there are several larger dischargers with pipes in the river. Informs readers on the deep history of the river and the impact its had on all. Jan 04, 2021 spokane county, wash a life of service was cut short on new years day. Virtual h20 breakfast available on youtube spokane river forum. Sep 02, 2020 the spokane river defines our city and, with improved access, more and more of us are looking to the river for fun and serenity.
Unfortunately, human activities are leading to phosphorus pollution in the little spokane river. In the late 1800s, pioneers settled here and started the city of spokane. The spokane river samuel and althea stroum books xx lindholdt, paul on. Spokane historical is a studentdriven public history project from the history department at eastern washington university. A toxic past and present on the spokane river high country.
Landscapes without enough vegetation can lead to spring rainfall runoff scenes like this on the little spokane river. Sep 29, 2006 chamokane creek on the east, the south bank of the spokane river on the south, and the west bank of the columbia river on the west. A toxic past and present on the spokane river high country news. A new book reveals the spokane rivers influence on the. Tanks ready to prevent pollution september 2, 2020 at 1. The spokane tribe and visitors from the coeur dalene, nez perce and palouse country gathered at the spokane falls to trap, dry and store many thousands of pounds of salmon. American whitewater is the primary advocate for the preservation and protection of whitewater rivers throughout the united states. Set limits on how much pollution cities and industry can release into the river and still maintain good water quality. My story comes from fishing many rivers throughout my life, most recently the s. In the new book the spokane river edited by paul lindholdt, 26 essays and three poems provide an intriguing, indepth biography of the river, as lindholdt refers to the book in his introduction. Spokane historical is powered by the omeka and curatescape platforms. Spokane river by sewage treatment and industrial plants including the spokane and liberty lake sewage treatment plants, kaiser, and inland empire paper.
The spokane river by paul lindholdt, paperback barnes. In this episode, i had the opportunity to sit down with my friend, spokane city council member betsy wilkerson to speak about her work on the city council, black history month, and heart health month. General problems noted by the committee included the pollution of the spokane river and the lack of shade trees at proposed development sites. As phosphorus enters a waterbody, it fertilizes the aquatic system, fueling excess plant and algae growth. Business interests along the spokane river, including the. Perhaps a river might seem like just a river a waterway connecting a lake to another river. Novel coronavirus covid19 preparedness update learn more about local. Genoway to the point that if septic tanks are not built then spokane should enjoin cda from doing this project.
It is the countys duty to contribute to this discussion and to be a responsible steward of the river. Following best management practices can prevent sediment pollution. River of kings in years past, the spokane river was home to. Readers learn about the history of pollution in the river. People with interest in the spokane river, or in humanriverine interactions anywhere, are fortunate to have this compendium, a rich, compelling, and humane exploration of the spokane river s long history of intertwinement with human communities. The six washington dams are runofthe river flowthrough types except for long lake dam, which creates lake spokane. The main source of nutrients particularly phosphorus was the city of spokane s primary sewage treatment facility. With the river as the main character, the anthology is organized into.
Idaho dischargers, including the cities of hayden, coeur dalene, and post falls, contribute significant pollution to the spokane river. Dischargers say the long history of pcb use in the region and the more. Dec 16, 2012 spokane industries have contributed to the pollution in the spokane river and aquifer. Within the four decades of spokane s early history covered in this book, the scraggly little settlement emerged into a vibrant, beautiful city of nearly 100,000. The final insult to the spokane river is toxic pollution flowing from the area around lake coeur dalene. Spokane falls and the surrounding land has long been a gathering place for people. A nonprofit news magazine covering the western united states has published an investigation on chemicals and toxics in the spokane river. The zags historic season came to an abrupt end monday. Workshop on pcb variances for spokane river dischargers.
Honoring spokane businesses, american whitewater for river. Thank you to the historic preservation office for their fantastic work on this website. Many different native americans and first nations peoples have a historical and. Snow on lindholdt, the spokane river henvironment hnet. And is all of this history just water under the bridge. The city of spokane recently issued its environmental report card, which highlights an ongoing menu of ecofriendly efforts to support and encourage environmental sustainability through financially stable means, says catherine olsen, the citys environmental and sustainability manager. The little city took water to drink, power to build and cast light, and a river to wash away their waste. Tug of war over name keeps discussion of local history alive. Workshop on pcb variances for spokane river dischargers november 14, 2019 9.
Mar 29, 2018 the spokane river, edited by lindholdt, an ewu english professor, is an anthology on how the river has shaped the region and its people throughout history. Wondering on the spokane river and its history out there. Thats why wed like to stop and take a closer look at the spokane river and why we all need to step up. Additionally, judge rothstein expressed interest in the threats posed to members of the spokane tribe, who consume fish from the spokane river. Pollution of the coeur dalene river and adjacent waters by mine wastes. Jul 11, 2018 a few hundred people gathered to hear an avid sportsman, authors and a tribal representative share their contributions to anthology documenting the conflicted and polluted history of the spokane. Spokane industries have contributed to the pollution in the spokane river and aquifer. Listen as we discuss spokane river history, pollution, and even a bit of spirituality. The spokane river flows out of lake coeur dalene in idaho, passes over. The spokane river begins in idaho and flows into washington state. Spokane s sewage treatment facilities empty their outflow into the spokane river.
The spokane river samuel and althea stroum books xx by paul lindholdt. Jul 24, 2014 the judge also noted the absence of pcb limits in pollution permits, which normally operate to control toxic discharges from treatment plant pipes. The second part is called culture, history, society, and its based in the social sciences. The spokane indians are part of the interior salish group which has inhabited northeastern washington, northern idaho, and western montana for centuries. Spokane is a city with a river running through it, one where fly fishing and. Spokane river washington state department of ecology.
Spokane s historic palatial mansions and impressive commercial buildings, many of which are featured in the book, rival those of cities many times its size. Riverfront park occupies 100 acres of land and water with a rich and varied history. It was only after an earlyfebruary covid outbreak that shut the team down for a. The spokane river was home to a main channel of spawning chinook called the june hogs because of their massive size, sometimes they weighed more than 100 pounds. The aquifer is one of the most productive in the united states, and, as the only significant source of goodquality water supply in the spokane valley, it has been designated as a. Sawdust and raw sewage burst on the scene as the first real pollution issues for the spokane river. Spokane river sediment study spokane falls trout unlimited. Aug 03, 2015 spokane faces a 2017 federal deadline to stop pollution from entering the river. Volunteer information and registration for the dec 2020 july 2021 season project summary. Upper columbia river basin, above grand coulee dam. A history of backyard bunkers, basement hideaways, and public fallout shelters of the cold war the ruins of modern civilization series by lee oconnor 4.
It is part of seattle and spokane, although todays buildings and highways seem to mask the natural environment and the role it played in the history of both cities. For over 50 years kaiser trentwoods plant has polluted hundreds of acres of their land which is very close to the spokane river. It drains 673 square miles 1,740 km 2 in parts of benewah and kootenai counties in idaho, spokane county and a small portion of whitman. This route is our most exciting on the spokane river. Hangman creek cleanup essential to spokane river health. Thats one reason why, three years ago, construction started on cso 26. The spokane river centennial trail guadalupe flores 116. Spokane s city attorney is uncertain how to proceed. Laden with chemicals that can cause cancer and developmental disabilities, the subsurface. East of spokane, was hington, the ghost of decadesold industrial pollution still haunts the groundwater. Spokane was built by wealth extracted from the regions mines, forests, and the mighty spokane river, and, of. November 23, 1906 the mayors of spokane and cda meet to discuss the issue. Lake spokane also known as long lake is the 24 mile section of the spokane river between nine mile dam and long lake dam.
Spokane, of course, has the spokane river, which is getting its due in a. Water resources bibliography spokane conservation district. Videos about the spokane riverkeeper and the spokane river. Check out this incredible, easytonavigate website for a journey through the history of life along the spokane river and the development of the city. This book showcases the citys growth through words and photographs.
People with interest in the spokane river, or in humanriverine interactions anywhere, are fortunate to have this compendium, a rich, compelling, and humane exploration of the spokane river s long history. A fisherman in spokane s early days angels for salmon at the foot of lower falls. The history of spokane, washington in the northwestern united states developed because spokane falls and its surroundings were a gathering place for numerous cultures for thousands of years. Feb 26, 2020 the upper columbia river group is also honoring thomas okeefe of american whitewater, for his central role in protecting the spokane river. Ewu professor of history larry cebula is the editor of the project and is best contacted at larrycebula at gmail dot com. Environmental history, volume 25, issue 2, april 2020, pages 421422. Rivers, streams, and lakes found to have critical levels of pollution are listed in what is termed the 303d list of impaired and threatened waters. Spokane county commissioner mary kuney home facebook. Long lake has experienced massive algal blooms and everexpanding stands of macrophytes. This book tells the story of how the infrastructure, the. The clean water act, which is a federal law, requires all states to assess pollution in their waters every two years.
Longtime activist on the spokane reservation, 66yearold deb abrahamson, died after battling cancer for half a decade. Nps pollution contributes significantly to water quality. As part of the project, spokane river and lake spokane long lake pollutant loading assessment for protecting dissolved oxygen, the washington state department of ecology compiled historical data and conducted a series of water quality surveys in 1999 and 2000. Spokane was built by wealth extracted from the regions mines, forests, and the mighty spokane river, and, of course, land sales. John, were here today to give you the facts on burlington northerns proposed refueling depot. South of the canadaus border, the colville, spokane, coeur. The streamflow and water quality of the spokane river, which are related to the flow and quality of water in the spokane aquifer, indicate that, during the period 19 to 1978 inclusive, the river at post falls, idaho, had an average annual discharge of 6,307 cubic feet per second, a maximum discharge of 50,100 cubic feet per second, and a. Parents didnt want their children playing on the spokane rivers polluted banks.
Writers and readers explore the history of the spokane river. The spokane expo was a platform for the discussion of environmental issues, including local topics such as the protection of the spokane river with its rapids and waterfalls. Developed by the environmental history students of gonzaga university and dr. This edited volume comprises a biography of the spokane river, a major tributary of. Learn more about its history, health, and opportunities for fun. But in matters of racefrom the first migration of black settlers to spokane, through the politics of the cold war and the civil rights movement, to the successes of the 1970s and 80smack shows that spokane has a story to tell, one that this book at long last incorporates into the larger history of twentiethcentury america. The columbia river is the largest river in the pacific northwest region of north america. For sale by the books and openfile reports section, u. Spokane sues monsanto over spokane river contamination the. The city of spokanes environmental report card spokane. This began to change with expo 74 which drew international attention to the city and the river. Sewage from the half million residents in both states flows to sewage treatment plants that dump to the spokane river. Virtual h20 breakfast available on youtube spokane river. Section 2, culture, history, and society, provides a variety of takes on the.
River of kings in years past, the spokane river was home. The collections diverse viewpoints make it a valuable starting point for further research. Features covid19 climate public lands indigenous affairs water immigration books photos. Nature comes into the city in the form of the produce in local farmers markets, fish that line grocery stalls, or lumber stacked behind hardware stores. The spokane river samuel and althea stroum books xx. The spokane river regional toxics task force leads efforts to identify and reduce sources of pcbs to the river. Topics in the environmental history of seattle and.
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