County calls on Feds to assist in addressing Grays River flooding

The Wahkiakum County Commissioners have formally asked the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study to address flooding in Rosburg and Grays River drainages. The Eagle has detailed the effects of flooding in the Westend in numerous articles. The commissioners today asked the Army Corp to conduct a study to "assess the proximate and ultimate causes of fine sediment deposition and to determine short and long term solutions to remove fines collecting near the mouth of the Grays which contribute to the increased flood risk to communities..."

The county would serve as the sponsor for the project and would pay the costs for long-term operation and maintenance of the project. However, the project would be entirely funded by the federal government. The Commissioners have been to most of the meetings we have covered here at The Eagle regarding flooding, and today they formally asked the Army Corp to act.

In a separate letter of assistance the commissioners asked the Army Corps to address navigational improvements in Grays Bay and Deep River. In the letter the commissioners asked the Corps to dredge Deep River and Grays Bay and designate channels and install markers.

Byron Miller, a local businessman and owner of the marina at Miller's Landing on Deep River would like to make improvements at his facility to repair and maintain vessels over 100 feet long. These improvements could lead to employment opportunities for county residents. His business includes the possibility of new construction of commercial vessels. Dredging the Deep River channel would make access to the river more reliable for both commercial and sport fishermen. Gill net fishermen have been specifically designated the Grays bay as a way of getting gill nets off the main stream of the Columbia.