Nelson Creek project generates debate

Local officials and landowners will closely monitor water levels and flood drainage this winter on land lying along SR 4 and across the road from the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge for the Columbia White-tailed Deer.

Columbia Land Trust has purchased the land, known as the Oller Farm, and has started work to restore wetland habitat.

Last week, Maurice Mooers, a member of the board of commissioners of Diking District No. 3, which includes the property, told county commissioners he and neighboring land owners hadn't been informed of the project, and he had concerns that it would lead to flooding of the highway and the game refuge.

Commissioners contacted the land trust, which halted its work, and scheduled a meeting for Tuesday to go over the plans with Mooers and the landowners.

Land Trust Project Lead Dan Friesz told the group that the land trust this year is concentrating on turning ditches into swales, creating a body of water, and commercial hybrid poplar trees with native trees and shrubs. Drainage shouldn't be affected, he said.

Mooers disagreed. He commented that by storing water in the wetland marsh or pond, the land trust would reduce the total amount of water the area could hold before it floods because the water already would be there at a higher level.

"We have been able to handle water from the sky but not the river," Mooers said. "Now, I'm afraid we won't be able to handle storms."

"Who pays for our damages if it floods?" asked property owner Joel Moore.

"This is our property; we have to live behind our decisions," Friesz said.

Friesz added that future plans could include breaching the Nelson Creek Dike in some form increase water flow in the project area and provide access to juvenile fish.

"I would be very leery of breaching Nelson Creek Dike," said county Public Works Director Pete Ringen, who is also on the diking district board of commissioners. "We would need a very high level of study."

Friesz said the proposal is being evaluated and that there are several scenarios that could occur. However, he wants drainage to continue on the land, he said, and the projects will have to have permit review, so citizens should be able to comment on them.