Meeting Summary Hangman Creek Water Quality Improvement Planning Meeting Chair: Rick Noll, Spokane County Conservation District Present: Elaine Snouwaert, Department of Ecology Reanette Boese, Spokane County Charlie Johnson Pat Kane Gary Ostheller Bill Rickard, City of Spokane William Sayres David Tysz Joe Joy, Ecology Mike VanSlyke, Town of Fairfield Dennis Fuller, Century West Engineering Laylie Merritt, Century West Engineering Walt Edelen, SCCD Rich Weatherly, Mayor, Town of Tekoa Introductions The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. Introductions were done. Review of Temperature TMDL and load allocation modeling Joe Joy with the Department of Ecology gave a power point presentation on the temperature TMDL recently completed by Ecology for Hangman Creek. Ecology used the existing temperature data collected in 2002 by the conservations district and consultants that completed an instream flow study for Hangman Creek. Additional shade and canopy cover data were collected in 2006 for the TMDL. The results show that many reaches of Hangman Creek would not meet the 18°C limit even with full shade. The maximum potential that could be reached for temperature reduction would require an increase of approximately 30 to 40 percent in shade along the creek. Waste water treatment facilities that discharge into the creek would need a load allocation assigned to them. Review of WARMF model for sediment and nutrient load allocation modeling Joe Joy with the Department of Ecology gave a power point presentation on the Watershed analysis and Risk Management Framework (WARMF) model recently completed for Ecology by a consulting firm. The model evaluates multiple sub-watershed loads individually and then links them together to form a steam course network. The model simulates stream channel and overland erosion, along with water quality features such as nutrients, using a daily time-step. Joe discussed some data gaps identified by the consulting firm, and these include: current and future land use in the watershed, better meteorological data, more water quality monitoring for the tributaries, basic information on phosphorus assimilation, and more data from the WWTPs. Ecology is in the process of checking the model coefficients, running monthly load summaries to compare to the Spokane River TMDL allocations, and developing load allocations and wasteload allocations. Joe suggested several possible scenarios for the model, and requested any additional ones be submitted to him. The possible scenarios discussed included: reference condition or ‘natural condition’, point source controls or alternative treatment, agriculture BMP implementation, land use conversions, and Stateline action/non-action. Ecology’s schedule is to completer the technical portion of the report for fecal coliform, temperature, turbidity, and total phosphorus targets by March. Public meetings will be scheduled for April and May. Review of SCCD projects Old business Rick opened the floor for public comment. The dam in Tekoa was discussed. That project involves removing a fish passage barrier. The results of a current thalweg survey show that even with the barrier removed, the water would still be backwatered through that reach. NEXT MEETING The next meeting was scheduled for February 15 to discuss possible scenarios and the natural or reference condition we want Joe to use in the model. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.January 18, 2007