Spokane Falls to Flow Full Time: Agreement Provides for Power Generation and Year Round Flows Over Historic Waterfalls
After nearly a century of disrupted summer flows, water will once again flow year-round at a historic site in Spokane.
A settlement that the UW’s Environmental Law Clinic negotiated requires Avista Corp., an energy company based in Spokane, WA to maintain minimum water flows over Upper Spokane Falls. The agreement also requires additional flows below the Monroe Street Dam.
The Spokane Tribe once fished for salmon at the base of the falls, and the city of Spokane, founded in 1871, was originally known as Spokane Falls. In the late summer, however, the river often runs dry because Avista has diverted water headed for the falls water to generate electricity.
"This settlement wouldn't have happened without the Clinic," said Rachael Paschal Osborn, director of both the Sierra Club's Spokane River Project and the Center for Environmental Law & Policy. According to Paschal Osborn,“water will be restored to Spokane Falls twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and we are thrilled. . . . These waterfalls are important from every vantage: cultural, historic, economic and aesthetic. Spokane just took one big step nearer to nature, nearer to perfect."
Michael Robinson-Dorn, director of the clinic, and his students represented the Sierra Club and the Center for Environmental Law & Policy before the Washington State Pollution Control Board, challenging Washington State Department of Ecology’s certification that Avista’s hydro-electric relicensing assured that state water quality standards would be met. The agreement paves the way for the federal government to issue Avista a new license to generate hydropower at Spokane Falls and various places along the Spokane River.
"Even when business and environmental groups have been arguing hammer and tong, they can achieve a good settlement, where the interests of each party are met," said Robinson-Dorn. In addtion to the aesthetic, cultural and historic values protected, the agreement represents "tremendous economic value to Spokane,” as condominiums, restaurants and hotels line the river and take advantage of their proximity to the falls Robinson-Dorn said.