Leave the Spokane River alone

The Spokane River stinks, literally, and will until area cities solve the problem of combined sewer outflows in Peaceful Valley. I have seen fecal matter float out of these. Does the Boise River stink?

The Spokane River generates megawatts of electricity on several dams. Isn’t this “putting it to use”?

Anyone who wants to can kayak that river, even though some are trying to convince us that it needs a bunch of concrete to make a “play area.” I have heard kayakers in public meetings disrespect tubers and fishermen. Do they also disrespect the osprey who will swoop down in August to catch food for their fledglings? Do they disrespect Avista, which needs to control the flow for the work of generating electricity? Do they disrespect canoeists, beaver, deer, muskrats, who benefit from living so close to nature in a downtown neighborhood?

I know they play on public fears (somewhat warranted) about transients, but the middle-class disc golf players in High Bridge and People’s Park seem comfortable trashing the parks, too.

Leave the river alone to make its own biological recovery. That will be the long-range benefit to Spokane.

Barbara Morrissey

Spokane