Little Spokane River Phosphorous Reduction Project

The Spokane Conservation District (SCD), in cooperation with the Department of Ecology (DOE) and residents along the Little Spokane River, is developing a water quality improvement plan, also known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) that addresses water quality issues.

This plan estimates the amount of pollution reduction needed for the Little Spokane River and its tributaries. The federal Clean Water Act requires states to identify bodies of water that do not meet the set standards for water quality and suitability for uses, such as fish and wildlife habitat, agricultural water supplies and recreation. The DOE has identified the Little Spokane River as a water-quality-impaired river for fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature.

As part of the phosphorus-reduction grant, SCD conducted a study on erodible soils in the Little Spokane River watershed. This project systematically collected upland and stream sediments that have a high potential to be transported to a waterway in the Little Spokane River watershed during a moderate to severe rain event. The samples were analyzed for soil pH, total phosphorous and plant available phosphorous.

The impacts of sediment to Lake Spokane have not been thoroughly studied and both phosphorous and suspended sediment are known water quality issues for both the Spokane River and Lake Spokane. The project started in 2009 and is due to be complete by the end of 2011. For more information on this project, please contact Rick Noll.


Eloika Lake Aquatic Weed Management Plan

Eloika Lake is a 660-acre lake near Elk, Washington, in the northern most part of Spokane County. Due to historic land use practices and activities, the natural aging process has significantly accelerated. This process has started an unbalanced cycle that creates such problems as: reduced lake depth, excessive native and invasive plant growth and periodic algal blooms. Historic and recent surveys have documented the presence of five invasive species: Eurasian water-milfoil, curly-leafed pondweed, yellow flag iris, reed canary grass and purple loosestrife.

Public safety issues caused by these problems are of significant concern to those who enjoy the many beneficial opportunities provided by Eloika Lake. The opportunities that have been impacted include recreation, aesthetics, fishers/aquatic life, wildlife habitat, fire protection, and irrigation and property amenities.

In 2008 the SCD sponsored a grant from the Department of Ecology’s Aquatic Weeds Management Fund (AWMF) to support the development of an Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan for Eloika Lake. An advisory committee was formed with lake residents and partner agencies; the committee met regularly to develop the management plan, which was approved by the Department of Ecology in late 2009.

The biggest priority identified in the plan was to control the growth of Eurasian water-milfoil, which was found in 60 acres near the perimeter of the lake, making up approximately 10% of the lake’s total aquatic plant composition. SCD submitted another proposal to the AWMF for an Implementation Project, which was funded in early 2010. Lakeland Restoration Services was hired as the licensed herbicide application for the project.

The initial treatment of 60 acres was completed in July 2010 and early results indicate it was very successful. In addition to the current Implementation Project, many other efforts are being pursued to restore the beneficial uses of Eloika Lake and return the system to a more natural balance. Long-term strategies are identified in the management plan to address these and other concerns.

The project has been funded for five years with an aggressive approach planned for the first three years and spot treatments thereafter. A portion of the project also includes monitoring, mapping and public outreach/education components. To learn more about these strategies, view the management report; visit the Eloika Lake Association’s web site; or contact SCD water resource technician Dan Ross for current information about the project.