Ok To ‘Bend Law’ For Creek Repairs, Harris Says County Wants To Streamline Process For Silt Removal From Chester Creek

The county would like to remove a foot or two of silt left in the stream bed from erosion upstream, he said.

Spokane County commissioners on Tuesday told staff to come up with a plan to prevent flooding along Chester Creek, and to do it quickly.

The order probably means digging brush and silt out of the creek, which flows along the Dishman-Mica Road. That process normally requires state permits, studies and opportunities for appeals from people who oppose the destruction of wildlife habitat.

It was unclear Tuesday whether the county can use authority granted under a recent declaration of emergency to avoid some of the paperwork and appeals.

Commissioner Phil Harris told engineers to “bend the law” if necessary to get approval from the state Departments of Wildlife and Ecology, which controls work in stream beds and flood plains.

“I think it’s terrible when we have some kind of state agency telling us we can’t take care of our citizens,” Harris said. “Perhaps it’s time to meet the intent of the law rather than the letter of the law.”

With Commissioner John Roskelley urging caution, Harris and Commissioner Kate McCaslin said they want staff to come up with a plan within a couple of weeks.

Chester Creek starts near Mica and flows a few miles before seeping the ground east of the Dishman Hills Natural Area. In summer, it is a trickle.

The creek was one of the streams that flooded after Christmas snows melted under New Year’s sun. In fact, Chester Creek spills over its banks nearly every year during spring run-off, inundating roads, the Painted Hills Golf Course, and sometimes homes.

The commissioners’ orders came after emotional testimony from Sylvia Riddle, a life-long resident of the Chester area.

Riddle complained that county employees warned residents not to clean out the creek bed without proper permits, and said more money has been spent on watershed studies than on improvements.

“We’re not a bunch of rebels but we are impatient,” said Riddle, a member of the Chester Creek Watershed Committee, which is studying long-term plans for flood control.

“We will continue working through the committee process, but we really wish something would be done now.”

Riddle said that since commissioners approved the construction of houses along the creek, it now must protect those houses from floods.

Public Works Director Dennis Scott said cleaning out the stream will leave it sterile-looking, at least until the vegetation grows back. The county would like to remove a foot or two of silt left in the stream bed from erosion upstream, he said.

“Your initial reaction is going to be that we just stripped everything,” Scott said.

Scott said he’ll probably suggest holding off on the work until summer, when there’s little water in the stream.

“They (commissioners) may say ‘Let’s start next week,”’ he said.

, DataTimes