SPOKANE — The scenic waterfalls over the Spokane River would roar even in late summer under guidelines issued Monday by the state Department of Ecology.
The agency has set conditions requiring that Avista Corp., the local power company, release water from its dams to go over the falls between 10 a.m. and 30 minutes after sunset in dry summer months.
“Downtown visitors and local residents value the history and social significance of Spokane Falls,” said Jani Gilbert of the Ecology Department.
The decision is related to Avista’s efforts to relicense four dams on the Spokane River, a process it must undergo every 30 to 50 years. This “401 certification” authorizes a state to impose mandatory conditions on a dam license in order to protect water quality.
Avista spokesman Hugh Imhof said the certification is a major step in getting relicensed, a process that has already taken six years.
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