Clallam County moves to formalize Dungeness Trails County Park as reservoir, trail projects advance

Dungeness Trails County Park appears poised to become a permanent county-managed recreation and conservation site after Clallam County officials discussed multiple projects tied to the 400‑acre property and voted to memorialize the park name.

The advisory board voted at the meeting to recommend that the newly acquired property — purchased for approximately $1,200,000 using a Washington State Department of Ecology streamflow restoration grant — be named and recorded as a county park under the working name Dungeness Trails. County staff said the property will be used for streamflow restoration, habitat and forest management, stormwater infiltration and public recreation, subject to deed restrictions tied to the grant.

Why this matters: the site is tied to a larger streamflow restoration effort that could restore late‑season flows for the Dungeness River by storing winter water in an off‑channel reservoir and releasing it in dry months. At the same time, county officials said the land presents near‑term trail and habitat work and that formal park designation will allow the county to apply park regulations, add signage, coordinate volunteer maintenance and plan parking and basic sanitary facilities.

What officials described: Public works deputy director Steve Curry and project staff presented design alternatives for an off‑channel reservoir and related projects. Consultants developed a set of options labelled E1 through E4; county staff recommended pursuing option E1 because it meets targeted benefits while avoiding costly work in a Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) utility easement. Curry…