SPOKANE, Wash. — The recent wet weather caused part of Spokane’s Cochran Basin stormwater system to wash away, raising concerns about the health of the Spokane River for a local non-profit.
According to the city, a breach in an overflow catch at Downriver Park caused a built-up earth wall to give way. That stormwater is now being diverted into the sunken channels that run along the Spokane River.
The Cochran Basin is the largest stormwater collection area in the city, collecting runoff from over 5,000 acres of residential, commercial, and industrial properties in North Spokane.
Spokane Riverkeeper, a non-profit that aims to protect, restore and preserve the Spokane River, said in a Facebook post it is concerned about what this kind of breach could mean for water quality and aquatic life.
“Stormwater management is critical to protecting our river from pollution and ensuring the health of our watershed,” the Facebook post said. “We are saddened and disappointed to see this project struggle with the current rainfall, as this new infrastructure should be capable of withstanding storms of this size.”
The city said crews are actively monitoring the area to make sure the sediment does not reach the river. Spokane Riverkeeper said its team already observed some of the sediment going into the river.
Programming and testing of the stormwater system began on Nov. 1. The functions that would have diverted the water to other systems were not up and running when the breach happened.
“Had the system been fully installed and operational, it would have been able to divert the water to other stormwater system paths such as the new Whitewater Disc Golf Course swales,” communications manager Kristin Davis wrote on the City of Spokane’s website.
Spokane Riverkeeper is hoping the city will stop the sediment flow, repair the damage and do what it can to prevent this from happening in the future.
The city said once the rain lets up, crews will finish installing and programming the pump system and repair the damaged wall. In the meantime, people are asked to avoid the area.
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