Time for sandbags

Wahkiakum County is working with the US Army Corps of Engineers to have dredge spoil sand deposited this year on eroding East Sunny Sands.

Erosion in the area of the Nina Lou Watson residence has spread, however, and a sandbagging event will be held January 26, 8 a.m., at the Watson residence.

Wahkiakum High School student Ebony Cothren is organizing the project. On Tuesday she asked county commissioners if they could provide materials such as the sand and sand bags, which are placed at fire stations around the county during the winter for use in flooding.

Cothren said any and all volunteers from the community will be welcome at the event.

Commissioners said they would see what they could do, and they'd talk with contractors about providing some materials and machinery.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen said he would volunteer in his off duty time to make sure the project didn't violate permit requirements.

The area was sandbagged four years ago in a similar effort to protect Watson's house from erosion.

Now, she said Tuesday, the erosion has spread downstream.