Hi all,
I have the opportunity to purchase 11 acres in Colville, WA and am looking for advice. The land is sloped with benches in different areas the steepest slope is 17%. The property has mostly ponderosa pine with shrubs and grasses. The annual rainfall is about 20 inches making water retention a key aspect of development of the site. I am looking to do an off grid homestead building gardens and structures over a long period as money and time allows. I’m wondering do you think this is a good investment? Land in Washington state in general with in my price range is scare so this seemed like a great oppurtunity. There is no well on site but a small stream runs through the property. No building restrictions on ponds or structures(first structure does not require permit). Thanks for any advice. I can give more info if needed.
When we were looking for property in the Washington/Idaho area, one of the criteria was past and current mining near the property. One house we considered off of Highway 20 near Colville had a uranium water filter listed in the sellers disclosure for the house. After checking into this, the realtor said that the water in the area was contaminated from old uranium mining activities. We decided to look elsewhere. Stevens County has over 1,000 mines listed so I would look into nearby mining, current and abandoned as well as water quality, especially during the spring runoff.
It is a beautiful area but this was a show stopper for us. Below is a map of uranium levels in wells near Colville.
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