REGIONAL STORMWATER FACILITIES

A New Day for Stormwater Management in Spokane County

Regional stormwater facilities serve large drainage areas and are intended to supplement the overall stormwater system in a defined area.  These facilities typically capture, control and filter stormwater before it percolates back into the ground.  In the Spokane County area this can mean filtering back into the Spokane Valley  Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.

In the early days of Spokane County's Stormwater Utility, the Citizen's Committee on Stormwater Management ("CCSM") reviewed how the county was handling stormwater concerns and determined that the process needed refinement.  The CCSM concluded that the county needed a comprehensive stormwater program to plan, construct and maintain regional stormwater systems.  Since formation of the program, in 1992, studies have been conducted, priority areas identified and additional work has taken place to acquire sites that are appropriate for regional use.  The top two areas identified were the Glenrose Watershed, in particular the Browne Mtn. area, and the Five Mile area in North Spokane.

In 2008, construction began and was completed for two state-of-the-art regional facilities known as the Browne Mtn. Regional Stormwater Facility and the Price and Wall Regional Stormwater Facility, the first of their kind in the Spokane County area.

Browne Mtn. Regional Stormwater Facility

This project transformed a former sewage lagoon site into a functional stormwater facility in a park- like setting for the neighboring community to enjoy.   Native trees and shrubs were chosen to encourage wildlife to make this area their home.   As a multi-faceted filtering and treatment system, the hope is the amount of suspended solids, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals and phosphorus that have the potential to reach the aquifer will be reduced.   The project also incorporates best management practices for erosion control and flood control management.

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Price and Wall Regional Stormwater Facility       

This multi-use facility supports stormwater management within the Five Mile Watershed, as well as providing wildlife habitat enhancement, wetland protection and natural walking trails.

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