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Resident says Gans Creek Trail construction risks erosion, calls for pause and soil study
Summary
A nearby resident told council the Gans Creek Trail construction has begun cutting steep slopes and exposing springs, risking erosion and creek siltation; she asked the city to pause work and bring soil and hydrology experts to the site.
A Columbia resident urged the council on Monday to halt work on the Gans Creek Trail and reassess the contractor's approach after observing recent grading and runoff that she said will damage soils and the creek.
Christine Doerr said she walked the construction area and observed cuts "2 and a half to 4 feet deep into the hillsides" through topsoil that she described as soft and prone to erosion. She said contractors had exposed small springs and were pushing excess excavated material down the lower side of the trail where it could wash into Gans Creek.
"What's being built is not the trail we were promised, and it's already showing design flaws that risk long term erosion, environmental damage, and poor user experience," Doerr told council. She called the current work "not a low impact trail" and urged the city to "pause, walk the site, and demand this contractor do better" by bringing in soil scientists and reviewing waterflow and erosion impacts.
Why it matters: Doerr said the grading widened the trail corridor to 12-30 feet in places and removed vegetation that stabilizes slopes. She warned that the soil conditions may require chert or other imported material and could leave the trail as a gravel road rather than the forested, low-impact trail opponents expected.
Council response and next steps: The comment was delivered during the scheduled public comment portion of the meeting; no formal council action was taken on the trail during the April 21 meeting. Doerr asked parks staff to halt construction, inspect the work with specialists, and revise the design to better respond to hydrologic and soil conditions.
Background: Doerr said excavation began in mid-March and the site included numerous small springs and a shallow, less-permeable subsoil layer that channels water into the creek. She said contractors are burying native plants with disposable dirt and that current clearing is converting a forest experience into an open, barren corridor.
Residents and advocates will have future opportunities to raise concerns as park officials and contractors proceed; Doerr urged council to intervene now before continued grading increases maintenance demands and silts the creek.
