State addresses North Creek cleanup needs

Published 8:10 am Monday, February 25, 2008

BOTHELL — A plan to clean up North Creek was unveiled at an open house meeting here on Wednesday, June 10, after the Enterprise went to press.

North Creek, which flows from Everett, though Mill Creek to Bothell, where it enters the Sammamish River, contains levels of bacteria that are higher than the state Department of Ecology’s acceptable levels.

The plan focuses on maintaining septic tanks, cleaning up after pets and livestock, and preventing excess storm water runoff.

“We all share in causing this pollution and each of us can help control it,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, of the Ecology Department’s water-quality program. “Government has a role, but we need everyone who lives and works in the watershed to get involved in making North Creek safe for people.”

The biggest contributor of bacteria in the creek is storm water, which is entering the creek more easily than ever, said Ralph Svrjcek, an Ecology Department watershed planner.

The development of the area and extremely efficient storm water drainage systems are placing a greater burden on the creeks, Svrjcek said. With so much development in the area, and across the country, south Snohomish County isn’t alone in its plight with polluted waterways.

“What I ask people to think about is, ‘Is your street a stream?’” Svrjcek said. “When it rains, water travels quickly off the road into a catch basin … and sometimes ends up in a creek. So, any number of things you might find spilling into your streets you might find in your creeks.”

A long-term goal of the clean-up plan is to rethink the way land is developed and possibly allow for more water to be absorbed into the ground, rather than washed off through precise engineering processes, Svrjcek said.

But the immediate part of the plan calls for simple solutions like posting pet-waste collection stations at or near parks, trails and apartment buildings where people typically take dogs out for walks.

Local health districts will also try to educate and provide technical assistance to people using septic tanks, ensuring they are not leaking.

While North Creek typically isn’t deep enough to allow for swimming, Svrjcek said the biggest threat is to children who simply play in the water.

“Whenever there’s more bacteria in there, you’re just increasing the risk of eyes, nose or stomach infections,” he said.

Victor Balta is a reporter for The Herald in Everett.