Posted on October 3, 2017
By Kaitlin Bain, YakimaHerald.com
A fix for a Naches River levee that was damaged during spring flooding may be coming soon.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is requesting public comments on four options for a possible fix: no action; move all nearby buildings, utilities and other amenities protected by the levee; remove and replace the levee; or restore the levee to the pre-flood conditions.
Authorities recommend restoring the levee to pre-flood conditions because it would be the least costly and least time-consuming.
That option could affect two threatened populations of fish: the Middle Columbia steelhead and the Columbia DPS bull trout. However, authorities say no steelhead spawning has been documented in the area and bull trout are relatively rare in the project area.
The construction would also likely temporarily close the part of the Yakima Greenway path that runs along the project area.
Comments must be submitted by Oct. 13. They can be mailed to Zachary Wilson, Environmental and Cultural Resources Branch, Box 3755, Seattle, WA 98124-3755. Comments can also be emailed to zachary.m.wilson@usace.army.mil.
More information on the options can be found on the Corps of Engineers’ website www.usace.army.mil by clicking on the following links: missions, environmental, environmental documents and “Yakima authorized right bank levee repair project, site 5.”
Source: YakimaHerald.com
