This page was last updated by the Content Provider on 01-Aug-2007
Whidbey-Camano Islands
Whidbey and Camano Islands, which compose Island County, are located at the northern end of Puget Sound. Whidbey, the largest island, extends north-south about 40 miles and is from 1 to 10 miles wide. The islands are a favorite area for summer and retirement homes. Much of the land is rolling uplands, ranging in elevation from 100 to 300 feet, and occasionally reaching to 500 feet. Several small prairie areas along the coast at elevations of less than 100 feet are beds of former glacial lakes and lagoons of former seas.
The area has one of the most uniform maritime climates in the United States. Sheltered from the cold, east winds by the Cascades, the temperature of the islands is further modified by the prevailing westerly winds and salt air.
Lake Crockett (Keystone) Harbor
Completed Navigation Project (Seattle District)
Lake Crockett is a small, man-made bay connecting directly with Admiralty Bay and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is the only harbor or refuge on the western shore of Whidbey Island. A harbor ferry terminal is a center for vehicles and passengers from upper Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula at Port Townsend. Ocean swells combined with strong tidal currents and storm waves make small boat operations hazardous. The 6-acre harbor is 18 feet deep; the entrance channel is 18 feet deep and 200 feet wide and is protected by a rockmound breakwater on the east.
Federal costs through September 1998 amount to $377,990 for new work and $1,167,904 for maintenance.
In 1978 the Corps of Engineers and the state of Washington agreed to jointly develop recreational facilities. A new boat ramp, restrooms, parking area, and an interpretive sign were developed, along with expansion of the campground and day-use facilities.
The facilities are operated by the Washington State Parks Department under Public Law 89-72.
The Washington State Department of Transportation requested a study of deepening the entrance channel for ferry traffic. The study was accomplished under the authority of Section 107 of the 1960 Rivers and Harbors Act. The final feasibility report and environmental assessment was completed in October 1991. The recommended plan would deepen the channel to 25 feet (MLLW). Construction was completed in March 1993 at a cost of $264,000 federal and $114,272 non-federal funds.
Shoreline Erosion Control
Demonstration Project
Completed, Oak Harbor (Seattle District)
Nationwide in scope, this program was planned to develop, demonstrate, and disseminate information about relatively low-cost means to prevent and combat shoreline erosion of public and private lands.
The Oak Harbor demonstration project, one of 13 sites nationwide, began in 1976. Construction of the various control methods being tested was completed in June 1977. The project was monitored to determine the durability and effectiveness of the structures. Total cost of the project was $519,000.
Monitoring at the Oak Harbor site was completed in September 1980 and a nationwide report on the study was completed in 1982. An introductory brochure on the test program is available from the Corps' Seattle District Office.
