Deer Creek takes a chunk of trail; Highway 530 kept clear

OSO — People kept a wary eye on Deer Creek and the bite it took out of the Whitehorse Trail.

For weeks, the washout didn’t grow. The highway was safe.

That changed quickly Monday morning. Crews hurried to shore up the creek bank as water came within two feet of breaching the trail and reaching Highway 530 in downtown Oso. The washout is across the highway from Oso’s fire department, chapel and general store, and about four miles west of the site of last year’s deadly mudslide. “The concern was that if it broke through the trail, it could get to 530,” county public works director Steve Thomsen said.

The Army Corps of Engineers, state Department of Fish &Wildlife, local tribes and multiple county departments coordinated to stop Deer Creek before it reached the road, county parks director Tom Teigen said. Workers put down about 12 truckloads of large rocks to bolster the bank where the trail had washed out. It was the second such effort in the past couple months — the river ate away a chunk of the trail in November, so crews laid down a mix of rocks and woody debris like tree trunks and root bundles.

Officials planned to wait until summer to do any major work on the Whitehorse Trail. They had hoped the temporary buffers put down in late 2014 would hold until the weather was dry and the river low.

“Our hand was forced on Monday,” Teigen said. “It was almost like opening a high-pressure hose on the trail. The way the river was hitting that one spot, we needed to act.”

Gail Blacker, who lives near the Oso Community Chapel, worried the river would break through to the highway. Deer Creek has been gnawing at land on the other side of the highway for years, she said.

“That thing has been eating away at that property,” Blacker said. “Oso just doesn’t need another major catastrophe.”

The county regularly monitors the North Fork Stillaguamish River and its tributaries, including Deer Creek, Teigen said. Additional gauges were installed to track the river after the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. The slide killed 43 people and altered the Stilly’s course. Researchers continue to look into how the river has changed and how that could impact flooding.

The Stillaguamish wasn’t the only river running high this week. Flooding swept Snohomish County on Monday and Tuesday, swallowing houses and closing roads.

Most rivers receded by Wednesday morning.

The emergency buffer along the highway in Oso held up. A narrow sliver of muddy, lumpy trail remained above the new rock barrier. A dirt-splattered “Trail Closed” sign lay in a tangle of thorny brush, and yellow warning tape dangled in shreds from the brambles.

The trail needs a lot of work, Teigen said.

“But we feel it’s been reinforced, it’s stable,” Teigen said. “The conversations now are whether we go back in while the water’s receding and do some of the permanent work, or do we wait for the summer?”

The 28-mile Whitehorse Trail corridor stretches from Arlington to Darrington. Less than 10 miles are open at the moment, but the county hopes to complete the trail by mid-summer 2016. That means repairing old railroad bridges, clearing brush along the walkway and completely rebuilding about a mile of the trail that was wiped out by the mudslide.

At least 80 percent of the trail is within a couple hundred feet of the North Fork Stillaguamish or one of its tributaries, Teigen said. The parks department is working to find the best way to manage erosion and washouts along the trail, possibly by reinforcing riverbanks with rounded rocks or natural debris to protect the trail and fish habitats.

“We do believe this is going to be an ongoing concern up there,” Teigen said. “We don’t believe this is the last time we’ll be up there in the next couple years.”

Herald writers Noah Haglund and Rikki King contributed to this report.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

More in Local News

The Safeway store at 4128 Rucker Ave., on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, in Everett, Washington. (Mike Henneke / The Herald)
Police: Everett Safeway ex-worker accused of trying to ram customers

The man, 40, was showing symptoms of psychosis, police wrote. Officers found him circling another parking lot off Mukilteo Boulevard.

Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the 196th ST SW Improvement Project near the 196th and 44th Ave West intersection in Lynnwood, Washington on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Jarred by anti-Semitic rants, Lynnwood council approves tax increase

Three people spewed hate speech via Zoom at a council meeting this week. Then, the council moved on to regular business.

The county canvassing board certifies election results at the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office in Everett, Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023.  (Annie Barker / The Herald)
General election results stamped official by canvassing board

In Snohomish County, one hand recount will take place. Officials said ballot challenges were down this year.

The Days Inn on Everett Mall Way, which Snohomish County is set to purchase and convert into emergency housing, is seen Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Over $130M for affordable housing set to be approved by County Council

The five-year investment plan of the 0.1% sales tax aims to construct 550 new affordable units.

Two snowboarders head up the mountain in a lift chair on the opening day of ski season at Stevens Pass Ski Area on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, near Skykomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ski season delayed at Stevens Pass due to minimal snow

Resort originally planned to open Dec. 1. But staff are hopeful this week’s snow will allow guests to hit the slopes soon.

Siblings Qingyun, left, and Ruoyun Li, 12 and 13, respectively, are together on campus at Everett Community College on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, in Everett, Washington. The two are taking a full course load at the community college this semester. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Siblings, age 12 and 13, are youngest students at EvCC campus

Qingyun Li was 11 when he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT test. His sister, Ruoyun, was one point away.

Edmond’s newly elected mayor Mike Rosen on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mayor-elect Rosen wants to ‘make Edmonds politics boring again’

Mike Rosen handily defeated incumbent Mayor Mike Nelson. He talked with The Herald about how he wants to gather the “full input” of residents.

Outside of Angel of the Winds Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Police arrest Angel of the Winds arena worker accused of stabbing boss

The man allegedly walked up to his employer and demanded a raise, before stabbing him in the stomach, witnesses said.

Providence Hospital in Everett at sunset on December 11, 2017. (Kevin Clark / The Daily Herald)
After strike, Everett nurses, Providence agree on tentative contract

Following a five-day strike, union nurses and the hospital met to negotiate for the first time in late November.

The terminal and air traffic control tower at Paine Field are seen on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in unincorporated Snohomish County, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett’s second-largest aerospace employer, ATS, names new CEO

New CEO Robert Cords will lead Paine Field-based Aviation Technical Services, which employs 800 people in Everett.

A sign showing the river levels of previous floods is visible along the Snohomish River on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Forecast holds: Flooding to hit Tuesday in Gold Bar, Monroe, Snohomish

The Snohomish River was expected to crest “just below” major flood stage late Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Chestnut mushrooms grow in a fruiting tent on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, at Black Forest Mushrooms in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Fungi town: Downtown Everett home to new indoor gourmet mushroom farm

Black Forest Mushrooms will grow up to 20,000 pounds of tasty mushrooms each month. Its storefront opens Saturday at 2110 Hewitt Ave.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.