Stanwood to receive $1.7M in county funds for dike repairs
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026
EVERETT — The Snohomish County Council unanimously approved an agreement with Stanwood on Wednesday that will provide up to $1.75 million for emergency repairs to the Skagit Bay Dike west of the city.
A January storm damaged 5,000 feet of the 4-mile-long mound of dirt and grass that holds back the Puget Sound from flooding 1,800 acres of farmland and downtown Stanwood, endangering thousands of people.
The money provided by this agreement should fund all necessary emergency repairs, a June press release said.
The funds were originally given to the county through the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal stimulus bill signed in 2021 to help COVID-19 recovery, council staffer Jim Martin said during the Wednesday meeting.
“Preparing for emergencies takes teamwork,” council member Jared Mead said after the meeting. “I appreciate our staff and the city of Stanwood for working together to help protect our communities.”
However, the Skagit Bay Dike has long needed a complete upgrade, Mayor Sid Roberts said in June.
First built in the late 1800s by farmers, the dike is weak and its dimensions inconsistent. However, the federal permitting process has delayed a full improvement for years, Roberts said.
Stanwood has not yet received permits for the emergency repairs but is moving forward in the meantime, spokesperson Nicole Strachila said in an email Tuesday. Construction is planned to begin end of July, she said.
Workers will reinforce the damaged section to 12 feet wide and 14 feet high, the dimensions planned for the entire levee.
Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com: Bluesky:@btayokay.bsky.social
