***** UPDATED: Jan. 7, 2016 *****
Mill Creek Levee paved trail reopens; Phase-1 maintenance work completed
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The paved trail on the north side of the federally managed section of the Mill Creek Levee System reopened to visitors Wednesday, Jan. 6, following the completion of Phase-1 work to remove overgrown vegetation which encroached into the levee’s maintenance-access zone, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announced today.
This maintenance is necessary to meet National Levee Safety Program requirements in accordance with Corps headquarters regulations and policies. Non-compliant vegetation on levees blocks visibility for inspections, access for maintenance, hinders flood fighting, and adds uncertainty to structural performance and reliability, which increases risk to the public. The inability to inspect, maintain or flood fight could delay emergency response or contribute to risk of levee failure. Life safety is paramount for the Corps’ operations.
Restoring the federally managed section of the Mill Creek Levee System to meet national safety standards includes removing about 6 acres of woody vegetation from the landward side of the levees. Phase-1 of that work, which began Oct. 8, 2015, involved removing vegetation from the surface of the levee slopes and 15-feet outward from the levee’s design toe.
“We’re very pleased that the Phase-1 work was completed on schedule, and we can kick off the new year by reopening the levee trails for our visitors,” said Justin Stegall, Mill Creek Project operations manager. “I want to thank our visitors for their patience during the temporary trail closures, while we make our levees safe and sustainable for future.”
Now that the levee surface is visible, Corps staff will perform inspections to fully identify needed repairs to the structure. A separate contract will be competed to conduct Phase-2 work -- stumps and roots will be removed, and levee material will be replaced and compacted. After the maintenance zone is cleared -- surface and sub-surface -- and levee repairs completed, grasses will be planted on the levees to improve the aesthetics and benefit insects and wildlife.
Work-progress photographs, environmental-compliance documents, videos, news releases and other information about this levee-maintenance project is available on the Corps’ website at www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/MillCreekLeveeMaintenance.aspx.
UPDATED: Nov. 23, 2015
Restoring the federally managed portion of the Mill Creek Levee System includes removing about 6 acres of woody vegetation from the landward side of the levees. This maintenance is necessary to meet National Levee Safety Program requirements in accordance with Corps headquarters regulations and policies.
Non-compliant vegetation on levees blocks visibility for inspections, access for maintenance, hinders flood fighting, and adds uncertainty to structural performance and reliability, which increases risk to the public. The inability to inspect, maintain or flood fight could delay emergency response or contribute to risk of levee failure. Life safety is paramount for the Corps’ operations.
Work will be conducted in two phases.
First, encroaching vegetation must be removed from the surface of the levee slopes and 15-feet outward from the levee’s design toe. Molinas Construction Company, of Portland, Oregon, a veteran-owned small business, was awarded the contract to conduct the phase-1 vegetation-removal work, which began Oct. 8.
Once the levee surface is visible for further inspection to fully identify needed repairs, a separate contract will be competed to conduct phase-2 work -- stumps and roots will be removed, and levee material will be replaced and compacted. After the vegetation-free zone is cleared and levee repairs completed, grasses will be planted on the levees to improve the aesthetics and benefit insects and wildlife.
The Corps has gone to great effort to minimize the amount of woody vegetation that needs to be removed on the Mill Creek levees. The levees were surveyed, measuring the maintenance zone from the base of the original design slope (called the toe) instead of the actual physical slope, which extends far beyond the design toe in many locations.
Additionally, based primarily on input received during the July 24 through Aug. 24 public comment period for the Environmental Assessment (EA) and draft decision document (FONSI), the preferred alternative was modified to include (during Phase II) a requirement to look for and identify, if possible, opportunities for additional plantings in overbuilt areas or outside the levee’s 15-foot vegetation-free zone, where existing real estate interests will allow. If identified, such additional plantings will be added to the Mill Creek Project planting strategy.
Corps leadership, technical experts and planners actively engaged the public and special interest groups throughout the planning and environment-compliance process, including news releases, discussions with interested groups and individuals, website and social media outreach, providing media interviews, and a public meeting and levee tour on Aug. 12 in conjunction with the formal public comment period. The Corps considered all public comments received during its decision-making process.
Environmental-compliance documents – as well as fact sheets, videos and other information – are available for viewing or downloading in the right-side column of this webpage.
Work-progress updates and photos can also be found on the Mill Creek Project’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/millcreekdam.