Posted on August 15, 2016
By Madelyn Reese, tdn.com
Puget Island and east Cathlamet residents may soon get help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect eroding beaches.
After going back and forth with the Seattle and Portland Corps offices for the past year, Wahkiakum County Commissioners announced this week that they have worked out a 10-year agreement to allow placement of dredge sand on eroding shorelines.
“We have everything we need from the Corps,” Commissioner Dan Cothren said, referring to the memorandum as well as right-of-entry permits for affected property owners. “The county will make some changes and start sending those out to the folks at Cape Horn, Puget Island (in the)coming weeks.”
The right-of-entry permits will be reviewed by an attorney, according to commissioner Blair Brady, and then distributed to property owners. This will allow the Corps’ dredging contractor to legally access the affected private waterfronts and deposit the much-needed sand.
While this comes as a relief, especially for property owners fearful of losing their homes to the erosive power of the Columbia River, the commissioners were surprised when the Corps asked for more money.
Brady said the Corps has asked the county to put up $50,000 to cover unforeseen costs. “If they don’t utilize it, they can return it, but I doubt that will ever happen,” Brady said.
After the entry permits are distributed to residents, Brady said the timing of the dredging in deposits is up to the Corps, which has to determine is enough sand is available. There is still no guarantee that “beach nourishment” — the placing of sand on eroding beaches — will be completed this year, Brady said.
Source: tdn.com
