Setback dike work to finish this year

Work on the Steamboat Slough Road dike and wetland habitat construction should be completed this year, officials from the US Army Corps of Engineers and US Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday.

Officials from the Corps and Fish and Wildlife Service requested a meeting with the Wahkiakum County Board of Commissioners to discuss the project's progress.

Last year, a contractor accomplished the major parts of the job--building a new dike set back from the eroding Steamboat Slough Road dike and creating a new wetland connected to the Columbia by breeches in the old dike.

"We've observed some problems that need repair," said Kevin Bryce, deputy regional director for the Corps. These include some sluffing and erosion of the setback dike.

The Corps will also have a contractor repair the surface of Steamboat Slough Road, which was damaged by heavy construction equipment. Officials had expected the road damage, and Corps personnel and county Public Works Director Pete Ringen had surveyed the road last fall to identify the problems.

"We'll finish it up this summer," Bryce said.

The county will close the road completely from April 1 through May 31 to allow contractors to do the repairs on the dike and the road.

When the project is finished, the setback dike will be open to hikers and bicycles, said Richard Hannon, Fish and wildlife regional deputy director. The dike has a gravel surface and will be available for emergency vehicle use under certain conditions.

Jackie Ferrier, manager of the refuge complex, presented county officials a draft of the dike road use agreement for their consideration.

Ferrier has also obtained a federal Land Access Program grant that will help fund improvements to the eastern portion of Steamboat Slough Road. The project will cost about $800,000, and funding should come in 2016-17, if Congress passes the funding bill.

Commissioner Dan Cothren commented that the access to the river is popular with anglers; he asked if they would be allowed access to the old road bed.

Ferrier replied that the old roadway is "pretty treacherous walking" because the surface has been ripped up.

"I'm not sure if it can be safely accessed at this point," she said.

Public Works Director Ringen commented that road had been closed because a geotechnical report said the area was subject to "sudden catastrophic failure."

"I would have liked more geotechnical exploration," he said, "but there wasn't any funding. So we don't have any better explanation.

"I can't recommend allowing people out there."

"We're kind of limited down here for access to the river, but what are you going to do," commented Commissioner Dan Cothren.

"We can do our best to preserve the armored area at the end of the road," Ringen said. "That should last a long time."

Both Hannon and Bryce said they were happy with the project, and they profusely thanked county officials for working with them to get it accomplished.