STANWOOD – A partial remedy could be in the works for Stanwood’s troublesome drainage problems south of town.
The Stillaguamish Flood Control District is proposing to build concrete flood drainage gates along the Stillaguamish River dike. The one-way gates would help drain floodwater trapped behind the dike.
They could also help relieve the political pressure from downtown and rural landowners, both of whom want to use nearby Irvine Slough for flood drainage. The project’s estimated cost is $175,000.
Right now, when the Stillaguamish River floods, water covers some rural properties for days as seven one-way culverts in the dike slowly drain the fields.
The project would also reduce the load on another 36-inch culvert that drains the fields through Larson Dam into Irvine Slough.
The dam was built after a record flood in 1990 poured over dikes protecting the city’s sewage lagoons, causing a mess for homeowners on nearby Leque Road. The dam was connected to the lagoon dike to protect Irvine Slough.
The city’s original federal permit to build Larson Dam called for two culverts, but only one was installed. The city has resisted calls from rural landowners to put in a second culvert.
“If we were to put two in, there would be more water, and that would flood downtown Stanwood,” said Bill Beckman, the city’s public works director.
The culvert drains into Irvine Slough, which already handles a lot of water from downtown storm drains. A pump station at the other end of Irvine Slough moves the water back into the river.
The station cannot pump water much faster, Beckman said. Adding another culvert would cause water to back up in the city sewer system, flooding downtown.
That leaves farmers and a few rural homeowners bearing the brunt of the high water.
At least one rural landowner filed a complaint with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asking the agency to enforce the original permit requiring two culverts in Larson Dam, said John Pell, an enforcement manager for the agency.
The city is working on a request to the Corps of Engineers to modify the original permit for Larson Dam to keep just one culvert, Beckman said.
Pell said the corps has not taken a position on the issue. He said he would like to see the city’s request by the end of the month.
If the flood district can line up grant money for the floodgates, the drain problem at Larson Dam might not be as big an issue.
“This flood drainage gate would benefit the city because it would dramatically reduce the time that Marine Drive is under water,” said Max Albert of the Stillaguamish Flood Control District.
Water that now takes three days to drain off the fields near Marine Drive would only take one day, based on calculations of the proposed floodgate’s capacity, Albert said.
Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@heraldnet.com.
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