The SCCD serves Spokane County

In November of 1973, the Spokane County Conservation District was formed by consolidating five conservation districts into a single entity. The boundaries of this new district included all the lands in Spokane County except land lying within the incorporated city limits of the Cities of Spokane, Deer Park and Millwood. Millwood was annexed into the District in 1994 and the City of Spokane joined the District in 2004.

The Physical Location

Spokane County lies in the eastern part of Washington State and is bordered by Pend Oreille and Stevens County to the north, the state of Idaho to the east, Whitman County to the south, and Lincoln County to the west.

An estimated 415,000 people (2000 census) live within the County’s boundaries. The topography varies from rolling wheat fields to snow-capped Mt Spokane; from forested areas to desert scablands: from wilderness to the streets of its two largest cities, Spokane and City of Spokane Valley. Watersheds and rivers run through the county with the Spokane River carvings its way through the very center of the region.

A 2000 survey identifies the District as having the following:

• Forestland – 345,000 acres approximately
• Cropland - 363,000 acres approximately
• Urban/industrial – 195,000 acres approximately
• Rangeland/Pasture – 152,000 acres approximately
• Watersheds (27) - 1,263,908 acres approximately
• The District has a total area of 1,781 square miles, 1,764 sq. miles of it is land and 17 sq. miles of it is water.
• The total area is 0.96% water.

The Climate

Spokane County enjoys four distinct seasons. Situated between the Rocky and Cascade mountain ranges, the District is protected from damp coastal weather as well as continental-type winters. The growing season extends from mid-April to mid-October.
Summer weather is warm during the day and cooling to pleasant evening and night temperatures. Winter weather includes occasional snowfalls of several inches.
Weather.com for current Spokane conditions

Soils

There are many different soil types in the District. An important new updated soil survey is being conducted by the SCCD and will be completed in 2007. Soil is the most important natural resource, producing food crops and cover for wildlife habitat.

Agriculture/Croplands

Agriculture in the region is mostly centered around growing cereal grains and hay with some limited production of canola and rape seed. Most of the orchards in the county are located in the Green Bluff area just north of the Spokane Valley and Peone Prairie. Specialty and row crops are mostly grown in the Spokane Valley.

Forest Lands

The majority of the forest lands are located in the portion of the county north of the cities of Spokane and the City of Spokane Valley. The most prevalent species of tree is the native Ponderosa Pine, followed closely by the Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine. Much of the commercial quality timber is on private lands of less than 40 acres making timber harvest not economically feasible for most land owners.

Water Resources

There are 27 watersheds in the District and three main water bodies consisting of the Spokane River, Little Spokane River and Hangman Creek. Water quality and quantity issues have become prevalent within many of the watersheds. The main source of ground water in the District is the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. Aquifer water flows of 100 feet per day make it one of the highest flow rates on earth.

Wildlife/Animal Resources

The wildlife population includes deer, elk, moose, bear, cougar, coyotes, beaver, otter, muskrats, marmots, mink, rabbit, waterfowl, several species of raptors, pheasant, grouse and numerous song birds. The district is also a major stop over for migrating waterfowl and neo-tropic songbirds. Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in the southern part of the district was created in 1937 for the protection and breeding of migratory waterfowl. Wetlands throughout the district provide critical habitat for the waterfowl and many other species of wildlife.

Rangeland/Pasture

The 152,000 acres of pastureland and rangeland are comprised of several kinds of vegetation types due to differences in climate and topography: natural rangeland, grazable woodland, meadows and pasture. The largest concentration of natural rangeland is found in the western/southwestern part of the district. These areas are commonly referred to as the “channeled scablands” and consist of vegetation and grassland buttes.

Urban Conservation

With a population of 415,000 people in the district, the impact on what were once prime agriculture lands, open range and forest lands is enormous. Storm water management, aquifer protection, animal waste management, water quality and quantity, air pollution and inadequate roads and transportation are the most pressing problems facing the urban/rural interface areas of the County.

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