The East Fork Lewis River June 5, 2019.
A draft plan for cutting down on pollution and reducing water temperatures in the East Fork Lewis River watershed debuted Aug. 27, detailing the need for more septic system inspections and vegetation planting efforts on the riverbank to return the river to a healthy state.
The East Fork Lewis River Water Cleanup Plan draft will be open to public comment until Sept. 17. During a webinar Washington State Department of Ecology Water Quality Implementation Specialist Devan Rostorfer went over the 122-page plan, developed by Ecology through the work of the East Fork Lewis River Partnership.
Launched in 2018, the partnership featured more than 50 participants from 30 different organizations who have taken part in multiple meetings to discuss water quality issue, Rostorfer said. Chief impacts identified included those from agriculture, septic systems and stormwater, as well as the need to restore riparian — or riverside — vegetation to maintain water temperatures allowing for healthy fish habitats.
Tree cover
Regarding water temperatures, Rostorfer said that a 2018 assessment showed no site sampled on the East Fork met temperature standards, generally increasing farther downriver. Shade deficits were greatest in the middle portion of the river, which on average were around 35 percent.
Rostorfer said that multiple projects to increase tree canopy cover in the watershed have been implemented, but there still needs to be more work to lower water temperatures. Both tree planting on publicly-owned land and outreach to private landowners to provide information on such projects’ benefits would be ways to increase that tree cover.
Rostorfer said that prior work did not identify shade deficits on the East Fork’s tributaries, though an assessment using the county geographic information system showed an estimated 20 to 30 river miles of tributaries that need riparian buffers — vegetation cover on the riverbanks. The plan sets a goal of having a formal tree cover assessment of the tributaries complete by 2025, as well as completion of a thermal assessment of the river.
Other impacts on fish populations were identified by analysis from the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board. The group’s analysis indicated that more than half of off-channel habitat for salmon in floodplain areas had been disconnected from the main stem due to diking, ditching and draining to protect agricultural, residential and mining activities.
The cleanup plan sets a goal to have restoration efforts and tree planting complete in priority areas by 2030.
Agriculture
Other than water temperatures, pollution — particularly in the form of bacteria — was the other chief area of concern for the watershed. Assessments conducted in 2005, 2006 and 2017 showed that significant reductions of bacteria were needed in McCormick and Brezee creeks, to the tune of up to 96 percent to achieve clean water, Rostorfer said.
McCormick Creek in Ridgefield has had quality issues with bacteria since 2005, which was likely a result of a large manure lagoon from an old dairy operation that lied on what is now a residential subdivision, Rostorfer said. In 2019 Ecology visited 18 properties in the creek’s watershed to identify issues, which has helped to address pollution alongside environmental complaints from the public.
Agricultural land’s impacts on the East Fork was chief among areas the plan addressed, with 14,827 acres of agricultural zoning including equestrian facilities, small farms, orchards, wineries and pasture identified in the watershed. Rostorfer said there were an estimated 322 farms in the watershed averaging 46 acres each.
This year Clark Conservation District was awarded $1.4 million to implement a new pollution identification and correction program with initial efforts focused on the East Fork to benefit agricultural landowners, Rostorfer noted. Site visits, technical assistance, conservation planning and implementation of livestock best management practices are needed to improve water quality, with the plan setting a goal that all aspects of addressing issues caused by agricultural operations were targeted to be in place by 2035.
Stormwater
Brezee Creek’s issues appeared to be mostly related to issues with stormwater infrastructure. Rostorfer noted that progress has already been made on stormwater impacts, explaining that multiple illicit connections of sanitary sewer infrastructure went to La Center stormwater infrastructure. Those connections were identified during routine maintenance after detecting an odor from a manhole.
La Center Public Works and Clark County Public Health worked together to address the issue, receiving technical assistance from Clark Regional Wastewater District. It was discovered that pipes used for development in a subdivision were hard to identify as to whether they were sewer or stormwater, Rostorfer explained. She said the city is planning to update its building code to require better identification of pipes, adding La Center will also require a more thorough inspection process.
Rostorfer said there was still work to be done to identify stormwater impacts on the East Fork from La Center, adding the development of a management plan by the city would work toward that end. She noted the city had adopted a stormwater utility in 2019 which she said was a “strong step forward” to generate funding for future investment to address issues.
Most stormwater planning, mapping and inventory should be completed by 2025, with implementation in priority areas by 2030.
Septic systems
Rostorfer said that 69 percent of tax lots in unincorporated Clark County in the watershed had septic systems, with about 6,000 systems in the watershed recorded in 2018. Thirty-two percent of those were due for inspections, which the county recommends on a three year basis.
She said it would cost about $233,000 to achieve an 100-percent inspection rate. To meet that goal, she said local authorities could develop a septic system rebate program.
Rostorfer said that the average cost of an inspection was about $120, while the average cost to repair a failing system was around $15,000, making routine maintenance and inspections a more cost-effective solution. Though recommended by Clark County, Rostorfer said inspections are not currently required.
An alternative to a septic system would be connection to sewer infrastructure, though there are only two wastewater treatment plants in the watershed — one in La Center and one at Larch Corrections Center, Rostorfer said. Clark Regional Wastewater District also provides some services to Ridgefield portions of the watershed. Rostorfer said that La Center and the wastewater district could develop outreach programs to help property owners connect to sewer where available.
The plan has a goal for 100-percent up-to-date septic system inspections as well as any potential connections of properties to sewer utilities by 2030, with failing systems’ issues addressed within six months of identification.
Outreach
Getting voluntary implementation of water quality best management practices on streamside properties was a priority, Rostorfer said. Outreach would be targeted to agricultural land owners, homeowners with septic systems that are past due for an inspection, and public and private landowners with properties identified with the greatest shade deficits.
Rostorfer noted numerous efforts already in place to take on that outreach. She mentioned Clark County Clean Water Division had created a stormwater management plan that featured a number of programs, with Rostorfer noting ones for dog owners’ management of pet waste, an interactive online map for residents to “Explore Your Watershed” and outreach to students in local schools specifically.
Washington State University Clark County Extension’s Small Acreage Program also benefits East Fork efforts, Rostorfer said, with workshops and other education including land and livestock management. The program has focused outreach efforts in the East Fork watershed since last year with direct mailings and workshops targeted on issues in that area.
Rostorfer noted that other organizations have their own outreach programs, including Clark Conservation District, the Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington, Clark Public Utilities, and the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership.
While plans are put in place Rostorfer said a number of agencies including Ecology would continue with ongoing monitoring of the watershed. She said that the partnership will continue to meet annually to provide program updates, adding Ecology will prepare an annual report highlighting implementation efforts.
