Flood Control
The Area council discussed the upcoming King County meetings on placing or recruiting large wood in rivers. King County is hosting two meetings on Tuesday, June 10 to present information about 11 upcoming projects that will use large wood in their design. The two meetings, covering the same subject matter, are scheduled for 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, 125 Sunset Way, Issaquah.
King County uses large wood to improve habitat for fish and wildlife, as well as to redirect river currents and prevent erosion in levee repair and flood risk-reduction projects funded by the King County Flood Control District.
One of the eleven projects is in on the Cedar River. The Elliott Bridge Reach Mitigation Project will restore ~4 acres of an active floodplain, adding flood storage capacity and improving salmon habitat. The project will reduce downstream flood risks and improve wetland and aquatic habitat in a reach of the river which currently lacks habitat diversity, a known limiting factor for Chinook salmon productivity.
Area Council members expressed concern that some past projects to add wood to waterways have been less than successful. The Area Council’s Flood Control/Surface Water Management Committee will contact King County’s Water & Land Resources Division to better understand the project details with the aim of ensuring success.
Clarification
The Area Council’s May monthly meeting newspaper article included a summary of our concerns submitted to the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement regarding the permit request to reopen the John Henry Mine. The Area Council’s detailed comment letter can be found at: www.greatermaplevalleyareacouncil.org/mine.html.
Some of our members have received citizen questions asking what our position is on the requested permit to resume mining. The Area Council supports mining of resources needed by society; however, that support does not extend to avoiding execution of proper and agreed-to reclamation plans that are meant to protect the public and our environment.
Next Area Council Meeting
The Area Council’s next monthly meeting will held Monday, July 7, from 7-9 p.m. at the Fire Station at SE corner of 231st St & SR-169. Meetings are held the first non-holiday Monday of each month. A public comment period at the beginning of each meeting provides citizens an opportunity to voice issues of concern to Area Council members and government officials in attendance.
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. Please visit: www.greatermaplevalleyareacouncil.org.
NOTE: There currently are two positions open on the 16-member Area Council. If you live in the Tahoma School District outside the city of Maple Valley, you are eligible to apply to become a member of the Area Council. Interested Rural Area citizens can send a brief letter of interest to GMVUAC, P.O. Box 101, Maple Valley, WA 98038 or an e-mail to gmvac_chair@hotmail.com.
