Council approves Parametrics task order to advance Des Moines Creek estuary design

The Des Moines City Council on Feb. 13 approved a $289,816.30 task assignment with Parametrics Inc. to advance preliminary engineering and permitting for the Des Moines Creek Estuary project.

The motion to authorize the task order was made by Councilmember Nutting and seconded by Deputy Mayor Steinmetz; the council voted 6-0 to approve the work and authorize the city manager to sign the agreement.

The project team described the work as advancing a staff‑preferred alternative that would restore estuary habitat near Des Moines Creek while raising portions of the adjacent meadow to reduce the frequency of tidal flooding. Alex Johnson, a surface‑water engineer with the city, said the recent design work produced renderings showing a shifted creek bridge, a restored estuary channel and a reduced meadow footprint compared with the current park layout.

Parametrics project manager Paul Fenton and consultant Nikki Redden showed visualizations of the proposed meadow and estuary at low and high tide and a short fly‑through of the site. Consultants told council the current concept would relocate a pedestrian bridge, create a new utility corridor, and add revetments and a berm to protect the estuary at high tide.

Tyler Buechley, surface water manager, told council the work to reach 30% design is funded in part by earlier King County grants and that the city is adding roughly $40,000 from the surface‑water utility to cover staff time and the remainder of the consultant task. Buechley said staff will apply later this month for an additional $515,000 grant to advance the project to 100% design, but said construction funding has not been secured and would rely on future grants.

Council members asked about the project’s goals and timing. Deputy Mayor Steinmetz asked why the city is raising the meadow and by how much; city staff said the current design raises the meadow to about 14 feet to reduce recurring king‑tide inundation and to provide some resiliency against projected sea‑level rise. Staff quoted a roughly 16% reduction in the event lawn area under one cutoff scenario; adding a lawn connection would reduce the loss to about 3%.

Buechley said the project originally was identified in regional salmon recovery planning and later put on the city’s capital improvement plan. He told council that the project combines habitat restoration for salmon with flood‑risk management for park infrastructure.

Councilmember Nutting moved the task assignment as presented; Deputy Mayor Steinmetz seconded. The council voted 6-0 to approve the Parametrics task assignment (total $289,816.30). Staff said the next steps are to complete the 30% design, continue stakeholder and permitting review, pursue the additional grant to reach 100% design and return to council with updates.

Votes and funding details - Task assignment with Parametrics Inc., amount: $289,816.30. Motion: “to provide preliminary engineering and permitting services for the Des Moines Creek Estuary project in the amount of $289,816.30 and authorize the city manager to sign.” Mover: Councilmember Nutting. Second: Deputy Mayor Steinmetz. Vote: 6 yes, 0 no, outcome: approved. - Funding: King County grants previously secured; council approved use of about $40,000 from the city’s surface‑water utility to cover the delta for the 30% task. Staff will apply for a $515,000 King County cooperative watershed grant to advance to 100% design; construction funding is not yet identified.

Why it matters The project combines habitat restoration intended to improve estuary and salmon habitat with near‑term measures to reduce repeated inundation of park assets at high king‑tide events. City staff and consultants said design trade‑offs were shaped by utilities on site, historic boundaries of the meadow, and the need to maintain public access and event space.

What’s next Staff will proceed with the Parametrics assignment to complete 30% design, continue permitting and stakeholder coordination and apply for additional grant funding. Council asked staff to return with updates as the design and funding picture develops.