Island dredging to start Friday at Pancake Point

August 23, 2007

A US Army Corps of Engineers dredging contractor is scheduled to start work in the Columbia River off erosion-prone Pancake Point, Wahkiakum County officials announced this week.

Part of the contractor’s work will be to dump sand in deep scour holes created by a Corps channel maintenance jetty. Consulting engineers working for the county have determined that the deep holes are causing erosion of the shoreline along East Sunny Sands, putting several houses at risk.

A second part of the program calls for the dredging crew to place sand along the shoreline to refurbish the portion that has washed away.

County Public Works Director Pete Ringen said Tuesday that the county has obtained permits for the scour hole portion of the project, but they’re still waiting for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to give approval for the permit that would allow the beach nourishment. All other agencies involved in the process have approved the permit, he added.

Ringen said there have been staff changes in the department, and he has been unable to find someone who could act on the permit, which has been in the agency’s office for some time.

Commissioner George Trott said he would work with Ringen to find someone who could act on the permit.

Ringen also said Corps officials have warned him that the dredging work will be noisy, but the dredge will only be in the area are few days.