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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Boating speed limit set for Pend Oreille


Helen Wilkerson, an employee of The Outpost Resort near Cusick, Wash., stands near the Pend Oreille River on Friday at the resort's campground.
 (Jed Conklin / The Spokesman-Review)

High water on the Pend Oreille River has triggered a boating speed limit that is pitting the tourism industry against riverfront homeowners concerned about the safety of their homes.

A Pend Oreille County ordinance calls for a no-wake zone to take effect when the river level rises about 2,041 feet above sea level. The no-wake zone limits boat speed to 5 mph. On Friday, the river level reached 2,041.27 feet, according to the county’s Office of Emergency Management.

That has Helen Wilkerson worried.

Wilkerson, an employee of The Outpost Resort 13 miles north of Cusick, said if the no-wake zone stays in effect, it could mean the loss of up to $3,000 next weekend for the struggling seasonal business.

On June 3-4, the resort’s cabins, campsites and recreational vehicle hookups are booked solid for the Inland Empire Bass Club’s invitational tournament. The timed tournament hinges, in part, on speedy boats that zip the fishermen to choice fishing holes along many miles of river. A speed limit could hinder the tournament, Wilkerson said.

“If they pull out, oh man, I see dollar signs walking out the door,” Wilkerson said. “One weekend could kill us, literally.”

JoAnn Boggs, director of the Office of Emergency Management, understands those concerns. But she said she’s also fielding calls from riverfront homeowners concerned about flooding and high water eroding their banks. The homeowners say boat wakes contribute to that problem, Boggs said.

“It’s not only about flooding,” she said. “It’s a safety issue too. There’s all kinds of things floating in that river.”

However, Boggs said, the river level is checked regularly, and when the river drops below 2,041 feet, the no-wake zone will be pulled.

Though the steady rainfall isn’t helping the situation, it appears Mother Nature could back off in time. Water is flowing out of the Albeni Falls Dam at a rate of 89,000 cubic feet per second, said Karl Kanbergs, a hydrologist with the Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dam.

But by Wednesday, flows are expected to drop to 70,000 cfs, Kanbergs said. By the weekend of the bass fishing tournament, flows are predicted to drop into the 60,000 cfs range, he said.

Record high temperatures last week accelerated the spring thaw of mountain snowpack and boosted river flows, the Pend Oreille County Public Utility District said in a news release. At flows above 80,000 cfs, the Box Canyon Dam, 50 miles downstream from Albeni Falls, can’t generate power, the release said. All the spill gates are opened to help the high water pass through the dam.

“We’re doing all we can,” said Scott Kleinhuizen, operator of the Box Canyon Dam. “We’re at free flow.”

Pend Oreille County Commissioner Mitch Brown said he’s working to develop a river commission to address issues such as river flows and flood control. However, the group, which includes citizens, the public utility district, the county and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, is just getting started, he said.

As for the ordinance that calls for the no-wake zone and limits boat speed, he said, “There’s no reason to call (commissioners) because it’s going to kick in when it kicks in. It’s too bad this is happening,” Brown said. But, he added, “There’s not much we can do about it.”