Wednesday, August 20, 2008

ONGOING SERIES: SPOKANE RIVER DIALOGUES

The Spokane River begins at the outlet of Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho and ends 111 miles later at its confluence with the Columbia River in Washington. The river has never been under as much pressure to be all things to all people. A source of energy. A place of recreation. A carrier of wastewater. A scenic view out the window. Because of these pressures, however, we have more information than ever before on the river and dozens of people who possess deep knowledge and understanding of the Spokane River.

Mary Kunkel, a massage therapist, is founder of a local small grassroots organization called the River Sisters. Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Everything comes back to the water

About the series In this yearlong Spokane River Dialogues series, the editorial board of The Spokesman-Review will be talking monthly with experts from a spectrum of river issues, experts who combine their knowledge of the river with passion and a concern for the future of the river and those who live, work and play upon it. Multimedia Staff videographer Colin Mulvany is producing a video piece for each installment of the series. This month: Mary Kunkel Previous Mary Verner Steve Faust and Rick Hastings Doug Krapas Rachael Paschal Osborn Sid Frederickson Dave Peeler Stan Miller and Ken Lustig Robert Matt Bruce Rawls Vic and Robbi Castleberry Bruce Howard View all video » Other resources » Upper Columbia United Tribes » State Department of Ecology's Spokane River page » Spokane County proposed wastewater treatment plant » Spokane River TMDL Collaboration » Spokane Canoe & Kayak Club » Conserving river property » Dam relicensing applications, supporting documents and correspondence with Spokane River stakeholders, go to www.avistacorp.com and click on "Spokane River."

"From the earliest times, everything so far back comes back to the water that flows into our lives, the water that is in our bodies. Everything comes back to water and in Spokane, for us, that water is the river and the aquifer."

Mary Kunkel, River Sisters (Full story » )

Tribal experience brings respect of Spokane River

Mary Verner, 49, is executive director of Upper Columbia United Tribes and a member of the Spokane City Council. She has two offices, two e-mail addresses, three work phone numbers and yet, in the middle of all the busyness, she maintains an amazing calm. (Full story » )

Refuge in the heart of the city

Friends of the Falls is working to implement a modern version of that Olmsted vision. Rick Hastings, 46, is a founding member of Friends of the Falls, and Steve Faust, 49, is the group's executive director. (Full story » )

Compliance engineer thinks globally

Doug Krapas is an environmental compliance engineer for Inland Empire Paper Company. He's been part of the Spokane River TMDL Collaboration, a group working together to implement a cleanup plan for the river. Krapas, 44, also oversaw several pilot studies designed to reduce the discharge of phosphorous into the river. (Full story » )

Environmental lawyer a 'voice of the wilderness'

Rachael Paschal Osborn, 49, is director of the Columbia Institute for Water Policy, also teaches environmental and water law at Gonzaga University. Wherever people gather to discuss the Spokane River, you'll often see Osborn there, armed with case law. (Full story » )

When it comes to wastewater, Fredrickson tells it like it is

Sid Frederickson, wastewater superintendent for the city of Coeur d'Alene, has been involved for almost a year in the Spokane River TMDL — a Washington state Department of Ecology process to implement the best water quality cleanup plan for the river. (Full story » )

Navigating a complex collaboration

Dave Peeler, 54, is water quality program manager for Washington state's Department of Ecology. He traveled between Olympia and Spokane throughout 2005 overseeing the Spokane River TMDL Collaboration, a unique effort to brainstorm the best cleanup plan for the river. (Full story » )

Godfathers of the aquifer

For almost 30 years, Stan Miller, former water resources program manager for Spokane County, and Ken Lustig, former director of environmental health for North Idaho's Panhandle Health District, have explored, researched and cared passionately about the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. (Full story » )

Preserving the past

Robert Matt, administrative director for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, returned to the reservation for work after receiving a college degree in wildlife and fisheries management. He's 32 now, and Matt has worked on water quality issues for the tribe for more than a decade. He was the tribe's point person in discussions with Avista Utilities during its recent dam relicensing process, an ongoing concern for the tribe. (Full story » )

Bruce Rawls watches balance between wastewater and river

Bruce Rawls, utilities director for Spokane County, is a civil engineer in training, profession, manner and speech. Yet he possesses both passion and expertise about the ways in which our community's wastewater interacts with the Spokane River. (Full story » )

Revering the river

The wise elders in families and communities help the younger ones connect past, present and future. They provide perspective and advice. Vic and Robbi Castleberry are wise elders for the Spokane River. The Castleberrys are in their early 70s. They have canoed the Spokane River for almost 40 years. They also work on river education, safety and cleanup. ( Full story » )

Life with the river can often be like life on the rapids

Forget about the war. Look past the brutality and the indifference to life that are on display in Iraq. Consider that turbulent area instead for its heralded role in human history. ( Full story » )

Finding the right balance

"We need to move ahead . . . and implement practical, continued efforts to protect the river." --Bruce Howard

Bruce Howard, Spokane River license manager for Avista Utilities, is the point person for the company's dam relicensing process. On July 28, Avista filed two applications with the federal government, one for the relicensing of Avista-operated dams along the Spokane River in Washington and a second application for the relicensing of the Post Falls Dam in Idaho. (Full story » )