Via Pierce Prairie Post by Marianne Lincoln
Where did the water go?
That is a question a lot of us have been asking for years. It is the end of November. Clover Creek is still dry in From Brookdale Golf Course to Midland and Spanaway Loop Road. The Chambers Clover Creek Watershed is based on a Sole Source Aquifer. That sole source is rain.
According to Drought.gov, Pierce County’s precipitation for 2024 is less than 25% of normal. In addition, the County Zoning was changed to allow more multifamily high-density development than ever in the watershed. Urbanization and densification are taking more water.
Monday, November 19, 2024, was the Annual Meeting of the Spanaway Water Company. Terry Hurd, a former Frederickson Clover Creek Community Council President and Land Use Advisory Board member had this to say about the meeting:
"I went to the annual meeting and listened to the fiscal statement presentation and how fortunate they were *to get the extra water from Lakewood*, of course it costs more for all to use. 22% more next year for us all. *They* were concerned that a moratorium on building would be placed as our areas were approaching the limit of what could be drawn from the wells in use. They could not answer which of the aquifers they draw from. Said the water comes from the mountain and flows under us to the bays. They wanted to increase the draw from their wells, but the governing bodies decided to take the water from the closed paper mill and pump it thru a new pipeline to several water providers that were out of available water for densification in the areas served. I was nice when I mentioned infrastructure before development and over densification not in balance with Enviromental and social concern were not being addressed. They passed the buck to the county as they are only there for supplying water. I also brought up the surface water issue of Spanaway Lake that filters down to the water we drink. It is being polluted due to the county not putting sewers from Pacific Ave. to the lake from the Park south. Again, they said not their responsibility, but I countered that all water that is provided comes from the ground. I brought up my living in Parkland when the water many hundreds of feet down brought sewers to most areas. Hard to open the ears of apathy."
So, Spanaway Water made some misstatements. The water doesn’t come here from Mt. Rainier. It comes from rain. That is why the County started making developments dig be holes for runoff – to reinfiltrate it into the ground.
All of Parkland was forced on sewers in the mid 90’s because the shallowest layer of the aquifer was so contaminated. The aquitards are in layers, but they do, over time, eventually leak from one into another lower aquifer. Water companies draw from the lower aquifers. but that may not stop the problem.
The concerning part is the claim that they can just get water from Lakewood Water Company or the Green River watershed supply from Tacoma. There is a watershed mixing issue in water law. Lakewood draws from the same aquifer as Parkland and Spanaway. They don’t have more water, just still have a few water rights that are not tapped out yet. The State Department of Ecology stopped issuing permits to dig more wells here. Combine that with densification and drought and you have to ask, if we keep building, where is the water coming from?
County Surface Water Management drained the flooding areas, but at the same time, the clearing and grading for warehouses, parking lots, roads, and roofs, blocked the natural pathways for water to reenter the aquifer. All the new housing on sewers is flushing a lot of water out to sea, not back into the aquifer either.
To top it off, Renee Buck, President of the Chamber Clover Creek Watershed Council (CCWC) asked Tom Kantz of Pierce County Surface Water Management at a meeting on November 12 about how the County monitors ground water. His answer was, “We don’t.” A few intense moments followed between them and Al Schmauder, a 30-year creek advocate. Kantz punted to the Washington State Department of Ecology, but they only approve well applications. They do not quantify the water either. The USGS does do some groundwater modeling, but is it sufficient, frequent or local enough to solve our issues?
On November 20, 2024, the CWCC held its annual issues forum. Urbanization and water availability were topics there too. Speakers questioned temperatures, pollution, loss of water to sewers and more. This issue is not going away. If anything, it will be getting more and more attention.
Please do not waste your potable water. You may think it rains a lot here, but it really doesn’t. New York gets more annual rainfall than Western Washington. Obviously, if so many agencies are asking questions, there is definitely a problem brewing.
The question is, can we stop this dry spiral before it is out of control?
Click here to see pertinent slides from the watershed issues forum.
We lived in Parkland and had to get on the sewer system in 1986- We had to get it in before we moved to Parkland, it was not insured the 90’s. We are on a well where we live and have not been able to use our water for cooking or to drink! We are still required to pay for our monthly water intake, and are not getting reimbursed for all the water we must purchase to LIVE!! What’s going to happen with the water in the new building of THE VILLAGE? That water from the creek does few to Spanaway lake to Clover Creek, to Steilacoom Lk, to Chambers Creek and into the bay in Steilacoom- the Village should never been built- I sent several emails to Dammemeier, but he ignored them- he just wants to be the person who solved the homelessness- they will ruin that area, already have disrupted the soil & the environmentally protected land in that immediate area. Pierce County does not care about all the building that’s going on here- there’s NO INFRASTRUCTURE to support it all! Not enough water, streets crowded and now with Spanaway Loop closed, it takes 45 min. just to get to St. Claire Hospital from Spanaway! Accidents daily and frustrated drivers! This would never happen in Tacoma- we need help out here and we need people that care what happens to our area, that was rural in 1986, now no more fields, ranches or farms, just houses and apartments! Backed up traffic every single day! This is not a fun retirement, it’s pitiful! Thank you Marianne!
.
Nice summary Maryanne of the facts and uncertainties convenience water use, availability and management. Needless to say it’s complicated, and it’s worrisome that so many parts of the world are in much greater trouble. I’ll add that Dept of Ecology does have some responsibility for water source quantity, not just quality, however, their focus has generally been on resources east of the Cascades. But it’s ultimately a local problem to address, resting I believe with city and county councils who have authorities to approve and restrict development. Another reason to VOTE as your future depends on what they do and why.
Has anyone studied the amount of water thoes three water bottling companies above Fredrikson is having on the amount of water we get down stream? If not I think someone should.