Contacts: Nola Leyde, Corps of Engineers (206) 764-6896

Doug Williams, King County (206) 296-8304

July 10, 2008

SEATTLE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and King County will conduct repair work this week on a Snoqualmie River levee in the vicinity of Carnation, Wash., damaged in the November 2006 flood event. Contractors are already mobilizing equipment to this area.

The McElhoe-Pearson levee project is located on the right bank of the Snoqualmie River near Carnation, WA between NE 55th and NE 60th Street. The levee project protects residential, agricultural and public use land. Construction activities will consist of repairing damage sustained to the top and landward slope of the levee when it was overtopped in November 2006.

Public Law 84-99 enables the Corps to assist state and local authorities in flood fight activities and cost share in the repair of flood protection structures. Local funding for this project was provided by the King County Flood Control Zone District.

The McElhoe-Pearson levee is one of more than 50 levees damaged in the region during the 2006 flood event throughout the region. Levee repairs began last year in five counties in western Washington, including King, Pierce, Whatcom, Snohomish and Skagit, will continue through this year and into 2009.

The public also needs to be aware, for their safety, that there will be increased truck traffic along state highway 203 from Fall City to Carnation, Wash., through July 15.

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