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Clallam County pauses off-channel reservoir design after reset shows limited streamflow gains and steep costs
Summary
County staff paused further 30%‑to‑100% design work on the proposed off‑channel reservoir, reallocating remaining 2019 grant funds to a fish‑screen feasibility study after consultants estimated reservoir construction at about $36–$40 million and modeling showed diminishing streamflow benefits under future climate scenarios.
Steve, County staff leading the work group, told partners the county has paused further geotechnical and design work under the 2019 Ecology Streamflow Restoration grant and will use the grant’s remaining funds to support a point‑of‑diversion fish‑screen feasibility study.
"We were able to get an extension to 07/31/2027," Steve said, noting Ecology approved adding the fish‑screen feasibility to the grant scope. He said the pause reflects both funding limits and a need to reexamine project goals and flow‑management assumptions.
David, the project consultant, summarized a revised 30% preliminary design (referred to as option E1) that places two reservoir cells on opposite sides of BPA infrastructure. He said consultants incorporated recent site investigations and a 2024 fault‑hazard study to keep structural embankments inside the study’s low‑probability deformation zone.
"If we don't do any phasing and we add in contingencies and an allowance for construction management, we're in that 36 to $40,000,000 range on the construction cost for the reservoir project itself," David said. He emphasized that the estimate excludes upstream headgate and lateral work expected to be funded separately through WaterSMART or NRCS awards.
Participants said updated modeling and climate projections reduce the projected late‑summer streamflow benefits that originally supported the reservoir concept. Nathan urged a focused review of recent years’ actual flows versus modeled scenarios, saying that a short, spreadsheet‑based analysis could quickly indicate whether benefits in the last five years ever justified the project in practice.
Ben (Highland Irrigation District) and others also raised the question of non‑streamflow benefits such as aquifer recharge and whether the reservoir’s side benefits would justify the price and ongoing maintenance costs.
County staff said the group will post the consultant addendum and revised preliminary drawings on the county website and that County Public Works plans to present the update to the county commissioners in June. The work group will continue the fish‑screen feasibility and stakeholder engagement and will consider targeted modeling or planning exercises before committing additional design funding.
