Moses Lake water quality discussed by agencies
Concerns voiced over vegetation, sediment
MOSES LAKE - Representatives from several Columbia Basin government entities discussed water issues facing Moses Lake Wednesday afternoon.
The city of Moses Lake is trying to develop into a water-sports destination where people can come to operate water craft and engage in water-sport activities. The effort is to increase tourism and business traffic for the city, Moses Lake Mayor Ron Covey said.
To help achieve the goal, the lake must be cleaned and maintained, Covey added.
Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District (MLIRD) representative Richard Teals said the lake is still facing water quality problems despite the overall quality having improved.
"A person could walk across the lake without getting wet," he joked.
In the past the lake had an over abundance of algae, Teals said. A significant amount was removed several years ago. The removal allowed for more sunlight to enter the water, causing weeds to grow.
"We're not going to ever remove all those weeds," he said.
Some of the overpopulated weeds in the lake include duck weed, milfoil and pond weed. Teals said there are many weeds causing problems.
Sedimentation buildup is another issue facing the lake, Teals said.
"It's filling in the lake," he said. "We see the lake as an incredible resource and we'll do all we can to improve it and make it better."
Accumulated sedimentation decreased the depth of the lake by as much as eight feet, he said. A foot and a half of sedimentation accumulated on top of a layer of Mount St. Helens ash in some areas.
"It's increasing, it's moving and it's a problem," Teals said.
Sedimentation continues to build partly due to a water feed route by the federal Bureau of Reclamation.
Moses Lake Clinic Administrator David Olson asked if dredging the lake was an option.
"We are going ahead," Teals said. "I'm quite certain it will happen sooner rather than later."
State Department of Ecology representative Doug Pineo works with the Shoreline Management Act. He said the City of Moses Lake must update their shoreline master plan to work with ecology on the cleaning process.
He said the master plan must include the goals of the city to become a water-sport destination and their plans to dredge the lake. The plan should be updated every three years but Moses Lake failed to change their plans in the last few years.
A restoration plan should be included to indicate how the lake will be cleaned and maintained, how the water quality issues will be resolved and where environmental designations should be created, Pineo said. The existing habitat and vegetation should be conserved.
He said Grant County must coordinate with the plan because portions of the lake are outside city limits.
Teals said there are several other entities to work with to gain permission to dredge the lake including the Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency and other state and federal agencies.
It takes time and money to hire consultants to complete work and create relationships with the agencies, he said.
Teals said it is probable the irrigation district will purchase a dredging machine to remove the sediment. The irrigation district taxing district is approximately 11,000 acres. Taxes will fund the project.
Covey asked if there were other funding sources available to dredge the lake.
Pineo said there are no funds available from ecology. There could be funds from state agencies working on the Columbia River initiative or the Bureau of Reclamation. He said reclamation should be responsible for some of the dredging because they are causing part of the sediment buildup.
Reclamation is in the process of modifying the water feed route, Teals said. The alternative water feed route could bring more sediment to the lake.
Pineo offered a few suggestions for citizens who want to help the dredging process move forward.
He said citizens can voice their opinion at council meetings and ask the city and county to maintain their shorelines appropriately.