Jim Coleman from the Benton-Franklin Public Health District will talk to the Richland City Council about toxic algae blooms along the Richland shoreline at the council’s Feb. 27 workshop meeting. After that discussion the council will move on to the downtown transportation plan which was on hold but is now proceeding after the city received a grant.
Toxic algae
The Observer met with Coleman last year to discuss the algae blooms in the Columbia River. He explained how the health district collected and evaluated samples taken twice a month from 12 locations in boating and other recreational areas along the Columbia shoreline and posted warnings when algae became a danger. More information is available on the health district website.
Coleman said that he was unaware of any humans dying from toxic algae, but it can make humans and particularly children sick if ingested. It can be lethal for dogs or other animals that drink the contaminated water or lick it off their fur.
The city takes extra caution with the water supply, collecting samples out of the river above the treatment plant intake at Snyder Street.
It’s probably no accident that the city’s proposed Leslie Grove Park development plan, that has been shelved for the time being, included few changes upstream of the drinking water intake.
Nutrients, heat, and slow-moving water create toxic algae conditions. The city of Richland regularly fertilizes grass in the parks, sometimes in areas that go very close to the shoreline where there is no vegetative buffer to absorb the nutrients. In addition to absorbing the leaching nutrients, the buffers also shade the shoreline and cool the water.
The proposed Leslie Grove plan included destruction of buffers to create more “viewing areas.” The city has also responded to homeowners with frontage on the park and cut areas of wetland buffer that those residents said could encourage homeless campers.
Coleman told the Observer, that the toxic algae frequently concentrates around the docks at Howard Amon Park. The docks are in an area that has no buffers along the river and grass that is fertilized to the water line.
“Determining the causes is beyond us. It’s not our scope,” Coleman told the Observer when asked about how the city could help prevent the toxic algae.
New grant revives Richland’s downtown plan
The Richland two-part downtown plan includes one-way streets in downtown Richland and improvements to south George Washington Way (GWay) that would move traffic faster on to Washington State Route 240 and Interstate Highway 182.
The downtown plan would make Jadwin one way going south and GWay one way going north for several blocks in the city center. Each would have three lanes, on street parking, and improved bike and pedestrian access.
In July, the Tri-City Herald reported that residents along south George Washington Way suddenly learned from surveyors that the additional two lanes of roadway and the pedestrian bridge could take their front yard or their home. On Nov. 7, Richland Finance Director Brandon Allen announced that $10 million for the project had been removed from the 2024 budget.
A recently obtained grant appears to have revived it.
Replacement for the pedestrian bridge
At the Jan. 2 council meeting, Councilmember Kurt Maier asked what would replace the pedestrian bridge over GWay at Adams Street which the council eliminated from the project last year.
According to the Jan. 2 council meeting minutes, Public Works Director Pete Rogalsky responded, “City Council will be asked to approve a future construction contract for the intersection improvements when the project is successfully bid, but does not otherwise play a role in designing the street improvements.”
Rogalsky tried to convince the council, during a workshop last year, that the bridge would help traffic move faster as it would take a long time for pedestrians to cross eight lanes of traffic.
Councilmember Theresa Richardson, who lives near Badger Mt., said at the time that she didn’t see many people crossing at the intersection.
Councilmember Whitten said that when he lived in that neighborhood, he might have walked to Applebee’s if he hadn’t had to cross GWay.
The meeting Tuesday starts at 6 pm at Richland City Hall. It will be broadcast live on Cable Channel 192 and streamed on Richland City View.
I’m an avid walker of Richland’s streets and that intersection is daunting. Disappointed but not surprised the city council changed its position on the bridge for pedestrians/cyclists.
Hi Eric, I appreciate your comment. The changes in downtown Richland are supposed to encourage walking and biking, while just down the road a bit, a plan for 8 lanes of whizzing vehicles!! It really makes no sense. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
Determining the causes is beyond us. It’s not our scope,” Coleman told the Observer when asked about how the city could help prevent the toxic algae.
Wow. Having recently streamed FOR ALL MANKIND, I was reminded of this attitude in the words of Tom Lehrer’s song WERNHER VON BRAUN, “Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That’s not my department, said Wernher bon Braun.”
Hi Peggy, I appreciate your comment and the reference. I share your frustration. As long as people aren’t dropping over from the algae toxins, we are unlikely to see anything but a warning system. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
memo to Teresa Richardson: Maybe you don’t see pedestrians at the intersection because:
(1) You don’t spend enough time in that neighborhood; and/or
(2) Would-be pedestrians are dissuaded from walking because the intersection is just too scary!
Hi j, I appreciate your comment. I thought the same thing when she said it. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy