Clark County unveils 'Salmon Creek Solutions' stormwater plan and seeks public input

At an open house hosted by Clark County Public Works, staff introduced Salmon Creek Solutions — the Lower Salmon Creek Stormwater Management Action Plan (SMAP) — and asked residents for feedback on where to place stormwater treatment infrastructure and how to prioritize maintenance and pollution-prevention work.

The plan is required under Clark County's Phase 1 municipal stormwater permit and focuses on sediment reduction in Lower Salmon Creek, county staff said. "The watershed is 89 square miles," Eric Lambert, Clean Water Outreach Manager, said during the presentation. He added that Salmon Creek is 26 miles long and that the plan area covers about 16% of the watershed where much of the population lives.

Why it matters: Salmon Creek contains threatened fish species and has recurring problems with turbidity, high temperature and bacteria, all of which can harm salmonids. "Salmon Creek is one of the few creeks where coho salmon are actually starting to make a recovery," Lambert said, framing the ecological stakes behind the SMAP.

What the SMAP will do: County presenters laid out four primary objectives. First, identify locations in urbanized Mill Creek and Upper Curtain Creek for stormwater treatment infrastructure such as filter vaults, rain gardens, permeable pavement and, where space allows, bioswales or ponds. Second, enhance pollution-prevention and land-management activities for county-owned properties and commercial sites. Third, improve infrastructure-management practices including a street‑sweeping plan and inspection program for underground pipe and stormwater assets. Fourth, compile those findings into the SMAP document with community involvement and insert up to four proposed infrastructure projects into the county's annual six‑year stormwater capital plan.

Staff described technical steps the county will use: land‑suitability analysis, hydrologic modeling to size projects and a site‑prioritization process. Presenters also said the SMAP will propose a mix of short‑ and long‑term projects and recommended operational changes such as more proactive maintenance. Lambert told attendees the plan development timeline extends into 2027 and cited a date given in the presentation as "03/31/2027." He invited residents to use an online survey open through Oct. 26 and to place pins on a watershed map at the open house to identify local problem areas.

Public engagement and programs: Staff described existing county programs the SMAP will build on, including monitoring at legacy sites, technical assistance to businesses, the "Adopt a Drain" volunteer program and partnerships with the Clark Conservation District and WSU Extension for outreach to landowners. County presenters said street sweeping is used to reduce sediment, noting residential streets are swept about three to four times a year while major arterials are swept monthly; staff also told attendees they plan to publish a GIS map showing sweeping schedules and project areas.

Technical and regulatory context: Presenters traced the SMAP requirement to the federal Clean Water Act and Clark County's Phase 1 municipal stormwater permit, saying the SMAP is the county's mechanism to identify where to install and maintain stormwater treatment to meet permit obligations. Staff noted many existing assets — more than 500 miles of underground pipe, more than 2,000 county-owned stormwater facilities and "over 13,000 storm drains" — require inspection and maintenance.

Questions and concerns from attendees focused on street‑sweeping frequency, permeable pavement durability, construction erosion control, coordination with solid‑waste leaf‑drop programs and how residents can help on private property (for example, planting native shade vegetation to cool streams). Staff encouraged residents to report urgent erosion or pollution issues through the county's report-a-concern page and said enforcement of construction stormwater is handled by code enforcement and the state Department of Ecology when appropriate.

Next steps: Staff said consultants are completing land suitability analysis and modeling, the county will prioritize candidate sites, and selected proposals will be added to the stormwater capital plan for funding consideration. The county plans additional surveys in 2026 on infrastructure management and street sweeping and intends to publish a draft SMAP for public review in 2027. Lambert closed by urging community participation: "Don't make decisions about us without us," he said, asking residents to complete surveys and mark problem areas at the open house.