TagPollution Control Hearings Board(1531)

In July 2000, the Port of Seattle submitted an Implementation Plan to the Washington Department of Ecology outlining a proposed flow augmentation facility for Des Moines Creek, located near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The plan described using water from a Port-owned well to increase stream flow to one cubic foot per second and reduce water temperatures to 16 degrees Celsius during summer low-flow periods, with the goal of improving water quality and aquatic habitat. The facility would involve reconfigured well pumps, an 800-foot pipeline, a stilling basin, and an automated monitoring station to regulate flow and temperature in the creek.

This document contains reference data for the Seatac Groundwater Study, compiled by Associated Earth Sciences, Inc. The dataset, totaling 10.4 MB across 17 files, includes flat-file format tables covering bore holes, water levels, geology, hydraulic parameters, and well segments related to groundwater conditions in the Sea-Tac area. The materials were submitted as a legal exhibit and are part of the broader environmental record associated with Sea-Tac Airport.

In July 2000, the Port of Seattle submitted an Implementation Plan to the Washington Department of Ecology outlining a proposed Des Moines Creek Flow Augmentation Facility near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The plan describes using water from a Port-owned well — currently used for golf course irrigation — to boost creek streamflow to at least one cubic foot per second and lower water temperatures to 16°C during summer low-flow periods. An automated monitoring station downstream would control pump operations, with a backup option to draw from the Port's municipal water distribution system if well water became unavailable.

Email chain (AR 018453) among Erik Stockdale, Tom Luster (Ecology, tlus461@ecy.wa.gov), and Michelle Avolio (FAA, Michelle.Avolio@faa.gov) regarding the proposed SeaTac TRACON project. Avolio’s April 17, 2000 email to Luster describes FAA planning for an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Biological Assessment (BA) for DOE review and comment, contact with NMFS regarding EA/BA section contents, and discussions

A fisheries biologist hired by the Airport Communities Coalition reviewed a Washington State Department of Ecology hydrologic study of the Sea-Tac runway fill project, concluding that the study significantly underestimated impacts on local fish and wetland habitats in Miller, Walker, and Des Moines Creeks. The reviewer found that the study failed to accurately document fish species present, overlooked key wetlands supporting salmon and cutthroat trout, and inadequately assessed the consequences of relocating nearly 1,000 feet of Miller Creek to accommodate runway expansion. The letter argues that the Ecology department accepted the Port's claims of habitat improvement without requiring a thorough analysis of the substantial fish and invertebrate communities that would be destroyed.

This 2000 hydrogeologic study, prepared by Associated Earth Sciences, Inc. for the Port of Seattle, examines groundwater conditions beneath the Industrial Waste System (IWS) plant and lagoons at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The report assesses soil geology, groundwater flow direction, and water quality — including levels of volatile organic compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons, and ethylene glycol — near three wastewater lagoons on airport property. It concludes with findings and recommendations related to potential contaminant releases and ongoing groundwater monitoring needs.

In June 2000, the Port of Seattle submitted a formal application to the Washington Department of Ecology to add a new use to an existing groundwater right for a well located on Port property near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The well, originally drilled in the late 1940s and previously used to irrigate the Tyee Valley Golf Course, was proposed to also provide flow augmentation and temperature control for Des Moines Creek as part of a jointly funded basin restoration plan. The application addressed the well's ownership history, its continuous use for golf course irrigation since the mid-1960s, and the Port's agreement with Highline Water District confirming the Port's title to the associated water right (Certificate No. 2369).

Sea-Tac Runway Fill Hydrologic Studies Report (AR 045023, project JE9907) prepared by Pacific Groundwater Group, Ecology and Environment, and Earth Tech Inc. for Washington State Department of Ecology Northwest Regional Office, dated June 19, 2000. Report covers hydrologic and hydrogeologic characterization of the Sea-Tac Airport third runway embankment fill area, including Miller Creek and Walker

This June 2000 report by Pacific Groundwater Group examines the hydrological impacts of proposed runway fill construction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It covers groundwater conditions, surface water management, effects on local wetlands and fish habitat in Miller and Walker Creeks, and reviews stormwater control proposals. The study was prepared for the Washington State Department of Ecology to assess how the Third Runway embankment fill would affect the surrounding hydrologic environment.

The Port of Seattle filed an Application for Change/Transfer of Water Right with the Washington State Department of Ecology in June 2000, seeking to add flow augmentation for Des Moines Creek as a purpose of use to an existing well water right (No. 2369) originally used for domestic supply, golf course irrigation, and related uses at Tyee Valley Golf Course in SeaTac. The proposed change would extend the water right beyond 2000 to support creek flow augmentation alongside continued domestic supply and golf course irrigation, covering the Des Moines Creek corridor from the airport property to the creek's mouth at Puget Sound. This application reflects the Port's efforts to manage water resources in connection with environmental and operational responsibilities related to Sea-Tac Airport.