County wins grant for Clear Creek project

Wahkiakum County has received a $123,500 grant from the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board to design a replacement for a failing culvert on the Elochoman Valley Road.

Commissioners on Tuesday signed the contract with the fish recovery board and authorized Public Works Director Pete Ringer to begin the design work.

The project will design a bridge to replace a fish-blocking culvert and plant the banks of Clear Creek, a tributary of the Elochoman at the Elochoman Salmon Hatchery.

The bridge will replace an undersized steel culvert that carries Clear Creek under the road, Ringen said. In addition, the county will plan to plant native trees in the area to provide shade and other habitat benefits.

The county also has received grants to realign the road approaches to the bridge to make them safer for motorists.

The county will match the grant with a contribution of $6,500.

"Stream survey work carried out by local high school students confirmed the habitat quality of Clear Creek," Ringen said. "Their work was instrumental in the success of obtaining grant funds."