Cities, county must clean creek

Swamp Creek is in desperate need of a cleansing.

The 14-mile-long stream, which stretches from Everett to the Sammamish River, is severely polluted — to the point that state officials say it's no longer safe for wading, swimming or fishing.

The state officials say they will change that, but only with the help of Snohomish County and the communities of the Swamp Creek basin — Bothell, Kenmore, Everett, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Brier.

For years, Swamp Creek has failed state standards for bacterial pollution. Specifically, the stream has fecal-coliform levels three to six times higher than what are considered safe. If ingested, fecal coliform can cause serious stomach ailments and illnesses.

Levels are high year-round, said Ralph Svrjcek, a state water-quality specialist, but summer is of most concern because that's when children play in the stream.

"Creeks and wetlands are where kids go to play, even in urban watersheds," Svrjcek said. "If they have a lot of contact with that [polluted] water, then there is an increased risk of illness."

The state's cleanup plan includes a list of directives. Snohomish County and municipalities through which Swamp Creek meanders will be charged with continuing to measure pollution levels at points along the stream and educating the public on ways to reduce pollutants.

Information

Copies of the report on the creek are available at libraries in Bothell, Brier, Kenmore, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Everett, and online at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/tmdl/watershed/tmdl_info-nwro.html.

Efforts should bring enough improvement, Svrjcek said, that by 2012, Swamp Creek could again meet state standards for water recreation.

To be sure of progress, however, the cleanup plans will be tied to municipal stormwater-discharge permits, a new level of permitting required under the federal Clean Water Act. Though parties such as the Snohomish Health District are invited to participate in cleanup plans for Swamp Creek, municipalities have no choice.

"Swamp Creek requirements basically become an appendix to our general stormwater-pollution permit," said Kathy Thornburgh, a Snohomish County water-quality specialist. "The county will be required to take a number of actions, such as knowing where county pollution comes from and how to remediate it."

The county is working to limit the three typical categories of pollution: failing septic systems, pet waste and runoff from paved surfaces. The health district also is dedicating staff time to locating failing septic systems, then educating owners on how to fix them.

Funding for individual projects will come from a number of sources, Svrjcek said, including the state.

"People may have been doing some work already on this stream, but now it will be more rigorous," he said. "In a couple of years, we'll see where we are in terms of pollution levels and determine what to do next."

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com