Private boat launch in Spokane Valley raises concerns

This picture shows a private boat launch being constructed on the Spokane River at South Riverway in Spokane Valley. Located on the south side of the river just upstream of the City of Millwood, it’s a great deal for people owning one of the 110 private land parcels that would be allowed to access this ramp. For the environment and other people, the benefits are less clear and the project comes with community concerns. Said Jerry White with Spokane Riverkeeper, “People from Millwood and other parts of that area have called us with safety, environmental, noise and other concerns if motorized traffic increases.”

One of the issues is that the permit for this project addresses isolated impacts and not cumulative impacts to the river and the public.  The impact of this project on the small parcel at Riverway Street may not be dramatic, but the impacts to the river and the river-using public may be fairly profound.  Unfortunately, the permitting process does not account for these larger, potential cumulative impacts that projects like this launch will likely have on public-use and the environment.

The permit approving the project states the private launch will “greatly reduce unauthorized launching issues and associated habitat damage.” Unstated is that the launch supports unfettered access for power boats of various sizes. There-in lies the tale of what future problems may look like.

Currently, the county ordinance provides for a no-wake zone (less than 5 miles an hour) within 100 feet of the shore and the boat operator needs to keep the boat speed under 5 mph if the river is narrower than 200 feet wide.  The photo above shows how narrow the river typically is, roughly 250 feet wide.  This means that to water ski or run a boat over 5 mph, a boater has to be in the dead center slot of the river making motorized use fairly restricted.  Downstream near Upriver Dam, more open water becomes available, but it is still a fairly narrow slot in the center of the river.

Community members report an absence of Spokane County law enforcement presence and thus enforcement of the ordinance. This has not been a huge problem with just a few boats using the river. But it is creating concern for a future where potentially many more motor boats will share this narrow river with kayakers and stand up paddleboards.

Another concern is that increased motorized boat traffic will erode away river shorelines and people’s riverside property.  Wakes are very destructive erosional forces, with the possible consequence that the private ramp may increase speed boat use with wakes that cause far more damage to shoreline areas then anything contemplated by the permit for this project. Further, as more and more people use this area for non-motorized boats (canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards), safety issues and user conflicts are likely to become more prominent.

Historically, use of power boats in these waters was mitigated by the City of Spokane only allowing one-time access into the water at their Upriver Dam facility at the beginning of each summer, and one-time access out of the water at the end of the summer. The City had previously committed to only continuing to offer this service for homeowners with a history of this use, meaning as homes sell to new owners the same service is not provided. Over time, use of power boats would decrease not increase.

This new ramp has the opposite effect. The Forum is hopeful that the City of Spokane Valley, Millwood, City of Spokane and Spokane County have a well facilitated conversation about this future growth. Safety, environmental and user concerns need to be thoughtfully balanced. Will, for instance, the sheriff’s office put resources into strongly enforcing the no-wake zone?  The best way to avoid troubled waters for people and the environment is early, proactive leadership.