The Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed Council looks forward to the fall rains that will surely come as the weather cools and days shorten. However, many parts of the watershed struggle to recover from low rain years and diverted water across the watershed. For the past 5 years, parts of Clover Creek have run dry, adding to the stressors and pressures for clean and plentiful water. While rainfall varies across the county, totals have generally been higher in recent years since Clover Creek began to run dry.
| Year | Rainfall in inches |
| 2023 | 4.5 |
| 2022 | .22 |
| 2021 | 4.79 |
| 2020 | 4.29 |
| 2019 | 5.06 |
| 2018 | 2.37 |
| 2017 | 2.12 |
| 2016 | 2.94 |
| 2015 | 1.96 |
| 2014 | 2.76 |
Urbanization has positive and negative impacts on water quality and quantity through increased resource demand, perceptions of water as a renewable resource, and urban sprawl, resulting in expanded impervious surfaces. As the United States Environmental Protection Agency illustrated below, the more extensive the impervious surface, the less infiltration and, thus, greater runoff and potential flooding. This results in less stormwater recharging our sole source aquifer, which in part has resulted in seasonal or permanent low or no water flow in creeks and lakes.
As part of Pierce County’s Comprehensive Plan updates, a retraction of the Urban Growth Area is being considered with possible changes in zoning. Areas under consideration are primarily in unincorporated Pierce County, with rising development and transportation system needs that will increase impervious surfaces. The map below depicts possible changes that should be finalized this autumn.
https://www.piercecountywa.gov/8263/UGA-Retraction
See the county’s Comprehensive Plan website for details, the timeline for approvals, and how you can have input.
cloverchamberscreekwatershedcouncil.blog 
Rikki,
A very informative article. Good Job.
Al
LikeLike
If, as this article says, we have one primary aquafer, and urban runoff enters the sewer system where it is cleaned before being released into the Sound, why not pipe the cleaned water to open areas above the aquafer headwaters and release it there to replenish the aquafer instead of dumping it into the Sound. Even cleaned water isn’t perfectly cleaned, so it pollutes the Sound. Stop that process and allow the earth to further clean the water before it enters the aquafer headwaters.
LikeLike
Great point – getting people to invest and persist in changes that are proactive as well as reactive is challenging in this area. So many groups are working to improve the quality of water it is frustrating that action has been slow and not comprehensive. One challenge in the CCW is the cooperation and collaboration between the 7 municipalities that make up the watershed.
LikeLike
I missed reading about how urbanization has positive impacts on water quality and quantity.
LikeLike