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County staff outline geomorphic assessment to guide possible Cowlitz River dredging
Summary
County staff said a geomorphic assessment funded by a Department of Ecology grant would map sediment, lost channels and priority reaches as a first step toward possible dredging and flood-risk mitigation; the call-for-qualifications is due August 19.
County staff told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners that a proposed geomorphic assessment of the Cowlitz River would map channel changes, identify areas where the main channel has been lost and produce recommendations to guide possible dredging work.
"How the river is changing, what the riverbed itself looks like, and what the banks look like, and how it moves through the flood plain," said Susan, a county staff member, describing the study as a mix of geology and hydrology. A committee member summarized the problem: "the riverbed itself has is significantly full of sediment, and therefore, there is no real channel anymore," characterizing erosion, split channels and sedimentation that staff said increase local flood risk.
Staff said the assessment would include an atlas showing problem spots and a sediment-load analysis intended to give decision-makers a factual basis for designing remediation projects. The county is applying for a Department of Ecology grant to pay for the study; staff noted the related call-for-qualifications and grant application deadlines, with the solicitation due August 19. The county said emergency management would administer the grant if awarded and staff would help select a consultant.
The board framed the assessment as an initial, data-gathering step rather than a final commitment to dredging. The meeting leader said the county has been pressing state and federal partners, including the Department of Ecology and the Corps of Engineers, for support to address risks posed by the loss of the river channel. The board did not take a separate formal action beyond including the call for qualifications on the consent agenda.
