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CITY OF DES MOINES SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM

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Des Moines Shoreline Inventory and Characterization<br />

Streams<br />

The DMMC (18.04.587) defines a “Stream” as:<br />

an area where surface waters flow sufficiently to produce a defined channel or bed. A<br />

defined channel or bed is indicated by hydraulically sorted sediments or the removal<br />

of vegetative litter or loosely rooted vegetation by the action of moving water. Stream<br />

channels or beds show clear evidence of the passage of water and include, but are not<br />

limited to, bedrock channels, gravel beds, sand and silt beds, and defined channel<br />

swales. The channel or bed need not contain water year-round. This definition is not<br />

meant to include irrigation ditches, canals, storm or surface water runoff devices, or<br />

other entirely artificial watercourses unless they are used by salmonids or used to<br />

convey streams naturally occurring prior to construction. Swales, which are shallow<br />

drainage conveyances with relatively gentle side slopes and generally with flow<br />

depths less than one foot, shall be considered streams when hydrologic and hydraulic<br />

analyses done pursuant to a development proposal predict formation of a defined<br />

channel after development.<br />

Streams provide valuable wildlife corridors, a source of fluvial sediments to the marine shoreline<br />

(moved along the shoreline by currents), and support a range of fish species. The City of Des<br />

Moines is located in Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 9, the Duwamish-Green River and<br />

Central Puget Sound Watershed. Information on stream conditions was drawn in particular from<br />

the following documents: Habitat Limiting Factors and Reconnaissance Assessment Report,<br />

Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watersheds (WRIA 9 and Vashon Island) (Kerwin<br />

and Nelson, 2000), A Catalog of Washington Streams and Salmon Utilization - Volume I, Puget<br />

Sound Region (Williams et al., 1975). Shoreline Segment B does not contain streams. Des<br />

Moines Creek, which originates from groundwater seeps near the Sea–Tac International Airport,<br />

discharges to Puget Sound in Segment A. Massey Creek and an unnamed creek discharge to<br />

Puget Sound and are located within Segment C. McSorley Creek discharges to Puget Sound and<br />

is located within Segment D. Woodmont Creek discharges to Puget Sound and is located within<br />

Segment E. Redondo Creek discharges to Puget Sound and is located within Segment F. Cold<br />

Creek discharges to Puget Sound and is located within Segment G. Streams are depicted on<br />

Figures 5 and 13.<br />

Three of the streams are currently listed on the state Department of Ecology’s 1998 and proposed<br />

2002 303(d) list, which lists streams that do not meet water quality standards for one or more<br />

parameters (Ecology Website, 2004). These include McSorley (previously known as Cold<br />

Springs Creek) in Segment E, Des Moines Creek in Segment A, and Redondo Creek in Segment<br />

F. All three streams currently do not meet water quality standards for fecal coliform and a Total<br />

Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) analysis is required for each stream.<br />

Hydrology of Des Moines Creek, Massey Creek, and McSorely Creek (North Fork) is<br />

characterized in the Five-Year Project Report, City of Des Moines Water Quality Monitoring<br />

Program (Herrera, 2001). Base and storm flow data on other streams is not available. The<br />

report documents sampling results over a five-year period, from 1994-1999. Discharge rates for<br />

base flow sampled events ranged from less than 0.1 cfs (Massey Creek) during summer to 9 cfs<br />

(Des Moines Creek) during spring. There were no substantial differences between monitoring<br />

years in discharge rates observed for base flow sampling (Herrera, 2001).<br />

Page 26 March 2005

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