EVERETT — Just north of the Bay Wood nature trails, out on the Snohomish River mudflats, a 60-foot-long derelict barge breaks the horizon line.
But on Wednesday, the Port of Everett signed off on a plan to remove the barge this winter.
“The bay has been a focal point of environmental cleanup” for the port, said Chief of Planning & Development Erik Gerking. “The barge has been identified for many years as being a habitat improvement project, and we were lucky to obtain Department of Natural Resource derelict vessel removal grant funding this year to have that removed.”
Derelict vessels can leak pollutants, and as they degrade, migrating pieces can become hazards for wildlife, recreationalists and nearby boaters.
Abandoned boats of all sizes are a somewhat common issue along county waterways. Since 2018, county Surface Water Management and the Snohomish Marine Resources Committee have worked with DNR to remove derelict boats from the Snohomish River estuary and Everett shoreline.
The state agency will cover 80% of the $439,600 cost of the barge project, leaving the port with an $87,920 bill.
Deconstructing and removing the barge is estimated to take two weeks, and is slated to happen before Feb. 25, according to port documents.
The removal is part of the port’s environmental restoration work at Bay Wood as it tries to improve the area’s waterfront for more public access.
Completed in the spring of 2021 with support from the state Department of Ecology, the port removed an estimated 3,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil, created 1,300 feet of new shoreline habitat and added another 2,200 feet of upland buffer habitat to support salmon habitat.
The port also created a half-mile nature trail, providing public access from the former waterfront mill site.
The project earned an environmental stewardship award from the Washington Public Ports Association in 2022.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson. Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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