Stormwater Recommendations Will Be Discussed Officials Will Offer Proposals For Dealing With Runoff

In/Around: Moran Prairie, Glenrose Prairie, Browne Mountain, Central Park.

The last in a series of public meetings on stormwater problems in southeast Spokane is scheduled for Wednesday.

Spokane County utility officials will talk about their recommendations for channeling stormwater on Moran Prairie, Glenrose Prairie, Browne Mountain and Central Park.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the Chase Middle School cafeteria.

Residents who want to be briefed on the background leading up to Wednesday’s meeting are encouraged to arrive at 6:40 p.m.

In October, the county and its consultant unveiled a series of proposals for capturing and controlling storm runoff throughout the drainage areas.

The cost of building a system in the Glenrose Watershed, which includes Moran Prairie and Browne Mountain, is estimated at $19 million to $26 million.

The meeting will also include discussion of stormwater solutions in the Central Park Watershed to the east of Glenrose Prairie.

A separate Central Park Watershed stormwater system would cost between $6 million and $9 million.

All of the proposals would send peak runoff to an infiltration pond at Eighth and Carnahan.

The lower-cost plans call for putting retention ponds in the upper portions of the watersheds to slow runoff and reduce the amount of costly storm pipe that would have to be laid.

A mile of stormwater pipe costs about $1 million.

The Boise consultant recommended purchasing drainage ways and turning them into grassy natural areas to hold storm overflows and provide open space for the public.

Without stormwater systems, southeast Spokane can expect periodic flooding of basements, parking lots, lawns and even public streets, utility officials said.

The problem will worsen as development continues, they said.

Already, the city and county have adopted tighter rules for managing storm runoff in new developments. The rules prohibit the use of grassy depressions as infiltration ponds.

The rules would remain in effect until the city and county develop a plan for building the stormwater system.

, DataTimes