EDMONDS — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a new permit to the city of Edmonds on Friday, allowing flood-prevention work to commence at a controversial flow diversion structure on Perrinville Creek.
The expedited permit, valid until Jan. 13, authorizes the city to use handheld tools to clear sediment, small branches, leaves and garbage away from the flow diversion structure located near 8235 Talbot Road to prevent flooding.
The permit approval is the latest update in a years-long debate over the creek’s route and management, involving past and present homeowners’ desires, city staff flooding concerns and biologists’ restoration dreams.
Critics of Edmonds’ management argue that instead of directly addressing the issue — that the structure cuts fish off from Puget Sound and degrading infrastructure poses safety hazards — the city continues to kick its obligations down the road.
“The City of Edmonds is again seeking to circumvent compliance with State environmental law in order to avoid preparing a valid Environmental Determination of the impacts from its undersized, structurally deficient 40-inch steel pipe from its fish-killing diversion structure in Perrinville Creek,” said Lynnwood civil engineer Bill Lider — who has advocated for environmental causes across the county — in an email Monday.
The city of Edmonds declined to comment on the matter, citing legal issues.
In 2021, Edmonds’ city staff installed the diversion structure without obtaining proper permits or conducting an environmental analysis to mitigate flooding in the residential area during winter storms. Since then, the city has continued to maintain the structure, which cuts off the natural course of the stream by routing the last 300 feet of water through a deteriorating metal pipe to Puget Sound.
Environmental advocates and community members argue the structure should be taken out because it blocks migrating salmon from the watershed and wasn’t legally built.
In April, the city hearing examiner decided that city staff must address safety issues about the corroding pipe connecting the stream from the diversion structure to Puget Sound, and consequently restore fish passage along the lower portion of the creek.
The pipe runs underneath a Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, and years of salt water from high tides have eroded the metal, allowing rocks to pierce through the pipe. A potentially catastrophic accident could occur if the pipe collapsed or shifted and caused a train derailment, Lider argued during the spring case in front of the hearing examiner.
In July, the Edmonds Environmental Council, a community nonprofit, filed a complaint with Fish and Wildlife on the city’s lack of movement on the matter, concerned about the upcoming fall salmon run.
In 2023, retired fisheries biologist Joe Scordino joined volunteers from the Edmonds Stream Team to release 4,000 coho salmon fry into Perrinville Creek. The fish would have migrated back to spawning grounds this October, but with the pipe and diversion structure still in place, it was impossible for the fish to successfully return home.
With the rainy season here and the diversion structure still in place, the city will now have to make sure debris doesn’t block the structure to avoid flooding at nearby properties.
The permit requires the city to meet with Fish and Wildlife within 60 days to determine if mitigation action is needed, including, but not limited to, the stopping of debris removal.
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.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
