The Little Spokane River is an area asset and a critical element of the natural environment. Monitoring water quality is important to ensure a healthy ecosystem, to protect human, plant and animal health, and to foster an economically vibrant community. Latah Creek (also known as Hangman Creek) is a well-studied watershed suffering from anthropogenic disturbance. It is often described as one of the most degraded water bodies in eastern Washington State.

Despite growing recognition of the vital role local rivers play, the Little Spokane River has been identified by the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) as a water quality impaired river. The DOE has identified the main concerns as fecal coliform bacteria, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and ammonia. The Latah Creek basin's growth and continued poor land management has led to environmental stresses that have reduced its water quality. Latah Creek was identified on the 1998 303(d) DOE list for not achieving State water quality standards for fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature. Recent monitoring has identified several other water quality problems not acknowledged by the 303(d) list (sediment load, turbidity, ammonia, low flows, and total phosphorus).

To be effective stewards of these tributaries of the Spokane River, the community must work collaboratively to monitor water quality, remove pollutants, prevent further contamination, and establish protections ensuring the river's enjoyment for generations to come.

The Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD), in cooperation with the residents along the Little Spokane River, is facilitating a planning process to address these concerns and to improve the health of the Little Spokane River ecosystem. The Little Spokane River Water Quality Management Plan, which began in 2007, will address the water quality and quantity concerns on the river, while balancing the needs of the river with the needs of local landowners. In addition, the SCCD is also conducting a planning process to address water quality concerns in Latah Creek, called the Hangman (Latah) Creek Watershed Planning Project. The goals for this project are similar to those for the Little Spokane River. These plans are required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency when it deems that a water body is impaired and they are based on requirements listed by the DOE in Chapter 173-201A of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).

About the Water Quality Index (WQI): The WQI ranges from 1 to 100, with 100 representing excellent water quality. Based on components such as temperature, pH levels, fecal coliform bacteria, and dissolved oxygen, the index expresses results relative to levels required to maintain uses based on criteria specified in WAC 173-201A. For nutrient and sediment measures, where standards are not specific, results are expressed relative to expected conditions in a given eco-region. Multiple components are combined and results aggregated over time to produce a single score for each sample station.

This indicator measures the overall water quality of the Little Spokane River and Latah (Hangman) Creek. According to the Washington Department of Ecology, the measurement station at the mouth of the Little Spokane River is located “approximately 1.5 miles upstream from confluence with Long Lake on bridge crossing the Little Spokane River on Highway 291 at Old Fort Spokane Historical Site” and the measurement station located at the mouth of Hangman Creek is located at “Riverside Avenue bridge in Spokane.”

Why is this important?

Where are we?

Data Sources

Why is this important?

Where are we?

Data Sources