Meeting Notes Little Spokane River Management Plan Meeting 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Riverside Fire Station Meeting Room 3818 E Deer Park Milan Chattaroy, WA 99003 Chair: Shallan Dawson, Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD) Present: Lindell Haggin Ruth Rasmussen Stan Grant Dale Gill Rico Reed Mary Sterling Bill Gilmour, Spokane County Bart Haggin Walt Edelen, SCCD Ann Zaren Russ Fletcher, POCD Meeting was called to order at 10:10am, followed by self-introductions. A meeting agenda with copies of the January 4, 2005 meeting minutes had been distributed. Anne motioned to approve the minutes with changes, Bart Haggin seconded the motion, Motion Carried. Walt discussed the completion of the draft shorelines inventory and assessment report, and asked if there were people from this group that would like to review the document and respond with comments by the 16th of February. Walt will send a CD copy to Stan, Rico, Ruth, Dale, Russ and Kathleen, and a hard copy to Mary and Lindell. Dale passed around a copy of the WRIA 55/57 storage report. Bart asked for clarification of the link between WRIA 54 and this group. They will both be addressing water quality, and WRIA 54 includes the outlet and downstream of the Little Spokane River. Rico provided email addresses and phone numbers for legislators, and discussed current bills going through the House. He suggested sending a letter to representatives concerning the use of phosphates in detergents. The group asked him to draft a letter and send it by e-mail to the LSR group and members can send out the letter if they choose. The nomination list for the conservation futures program is not currently available. Spokane County will be taking those nominations later this year. To be prepared to nominate land, members of this group agreed to bring a list of possible properties they would like to nominate for discussion at the next meeting. Schedule Shallan presented a draft schedule for the next few months outlining issues to be addressed by the audit matrix, and outreach activities. The group discussed outreach events, and made a few changes to the schedule. Ann added the Newport Rodeo and will bring information about dates, set up times and entry procedures. Lindell also mentioned the Backyard Bird Fair, and will provide information at the next meeting. The group agreed that the display needs to be fun, possibly wildlife identification, track identification, with good visuals, and possibly before and after photos of riparian restoration. The group will bring ideas for a main theme to the next meeting for discussion and to start developing the display. The group also decided to begin the meetings earlier (9:00 a.m.) as the schedule will be full for the next several months. Issues for Audit Sheets The group continued identifying issues for the audit sheets. De-Icer was tabled as the group felt they did not have enough information to discuss this issue. Another issue to be added to the audit sheets is the use of sand on roads. The first issue discussed was improperly functioning septic systems. The desired behavior to maintain septic systems so they are properly functioning. The competing behavior was identified as leaving septics regardless of proper or improper functioning. Benefits and motivations to maintaining septic systems were identified as: No backup into home Less odor Less need for maintenance Protecting well Protect instream water/environmental quality (Biodegradable detergents was discussed as an additional method to reducing nutrients from septic discharge) Costs or barriers to maintaining septic systems was identified as: Ignorance of system operation by using too much water, or flushing more than recommended wastes System not sized correctly Benefits or motivations for leaving septics alone was identified as: Don’t know any better Associated costs of maintenance Grand-fathered in Costs or barriers for leaving septics alone was identified as: Ignorance of system operation by using too much water, or flushing more than recommended wastes Contaminating surface waterways and wells The second issue discussed was nutrients contributed from high density septic systems. The desired behavior was identified as encouraging, requiring or enforcing the sewer system development and hookup. The competing or current behavior was identified as continuing private septics. The benefits or motivations to sewer system development was identified as: No need for percolation test Protects well/drinking water Protect water /environmental quality Property values will increase Don’t have to deal with maintaining septic Homeowner does not need the property for a drain field The costs or barriers to sewer system development was identified as: Cost of city sewer, central treatment system Monthly bill for sewer Overflow, direct discharge Cost of facility, land acquisition Sewer pipe maintenance required The benefits or motivations to leaving private septics were identified as: Discourage high density Can lose opportunity of individual well The barriers or costs to leaving private septics were identified as: Inability to develop sub-divisions The third issue discussed was nutrients contributed from disposing yard waste into the stream. The desired behavior was identified as Mulching or Composting. The competing or current behavior was identified as allowing stream to flush yard waste. The benefits or motivations for mulching or composing was identified as: Recycle nutrients, self-sustaining Reduce need to burn waste Conserve water Sales, economic value The costs or barriers to composting or mulching was identified as: Time consuming Ignorance of process The benefits or motivations for allowing the stream to flush yard waste was identified as: Less work, hassle, always been done that way Cheaper than waste facility Convenience The costs or barriers to allowing the stream to flush yard waste was identified as: Contaminates stream Increase CBOD, phosphate loading Spreads weeds Pesticide/herbicide in stream Homework The group will review the next audit sheets, bring list of possible conservation futures properties, and information and ideas for outreach for the next meeting. Next Meeting The next meeting will be March 1, 2005 at the Riverside Fire Station, starting at 9:00 am. The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.February 1, 2005
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