St. Helens council OKs engineering work on lagoon cell using existing grants; larger landfill plan scaled back
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Summary
After a technical update on the Central Waterfront/Lagoon project, councilors agreed by consensus to use remaining state grant funds to advance engineering for a constrained fill cell (Cell A) and to preserve options for a future wastewater treatment plant, while shelving a larger landfill/transload approach because of geotechnical, seismic and cost constraints.
Seth, the city’s principal planner, told the St. Helens City Council on Feb. 18 that a decade of study and recent site work have changed the project’s outlook, and recommended advancing engineering for a smaller, shallower cell rather than pursuing the original full-scale landfill and transload concept.
The move follows recent drilling and environmental studies that identified three major constraints: widely varying depth to bedrock in the lagoon, liquefaction risk in silty deposits and a liner at risk of flotation because of groundwater and river levels. "We found there are very significant differences in the depth to bedrock depending on where you are in the lagoon," Seth said. The constraints, he added, have design mitigations but also raise costs.
Why it matters: the original concept had relied on the potential to accept dredged material from Portland Harbor and other regional projects, which once suggested a revenue-generating model. Seth said that updated analyses now show the project is likely to require city investment rather than produce net revenue. "This project started out looking like something that might generate revenue. Now it looks like something that will require investment," he said.
The recommended pivot focuses on preparing a "shelf-ready" engineering design for Cell A—the shallowest portion of the lagoon—using grant money already allocated for the project. According to the presentation, most technical studies to date were paid with state grants; Seth said "the city of St. Helens, other than having staff involvement, has not been on the hook for this project." Council members repeatedly emphasized that any further work should avoid using city general funds.
Cost and timing: presenters described a wide range of cost implications. A replacement wastewater treatment plant was described as being "in the neighborhood of a $100,000,000," while preliminary facility estimates for a containment/transload option were discussed in the low millions. The team warned of an urgent timing window because Portland Harbor dredging and other regional activities are beginning; that urgency is balanced against significant permitting, design and geotechnical hurdles.
Council response and next steps: after questions about the plant's remaining service life and DEQ permit implications, staff and consultants recommended using the remaining designated grant funds to complete engineering for Cell A. City staff said the current lagoon/wastewater system can likely be managed for roughly a decade while planning proceeds. The council reached a consensus to proceed with the engineering work for Cell A provided the funding used is the grant money already allocated to the project.
The immediate next steps, as presented, are to: develop an implementation plan, complete design and permitting milestones for Cell A, identify long-term funding options, and remain positioned to accept local fill if it meets city standards. Seth said the intent is to get the city to a point where the project can be paused without losing prior investment but be ready when the city must replace the wastewater plant.
The council did not take a formal vote on an ordinance or contract at the Feb. 18 work session; staff will return with more detailed engineering scope, budgets and funding confirmations before the council is asked to authorize construction or contracts.
