Construction begins June 1 on the largest habitat restoration project along the lower Columbia River to date at the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. An estimated 503 family wage jobs will be created through the project and it will bring an estimated $67.4 million to the Southwest Washington economy. Local firms Rotschy Inc. of Vancouver and LKE Corp. of Washougal will construct the project.
The work is part of a multi-year Steigerwald Reconnection Project, a collaboration led by the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Port of Camas-Washougal to reconfigure the existing Columbia River levee system to reduce flood risk, reconnect 965 acres of Columbia River floodplain and increase recreation opportunities at the Refuge.
Construction this year includes raising a portion of SR-14 above the 500 year flood level, realigning a portion of Gibbons Creek, relocating the Refuge parking lot and beginning construction of setback levees. These setback levees will better protect the Port of Camas-Washougal Industrial Park, the City of Washougal wastewater treatment plant and private residences from flooding. Next year, the new setback levees will be completed, and more than two miles of the existing Columbia River levee will be removed, thereby reconnecting the Columbia River to its historic floodplain for the first time in generations.
The Refuge will be closed to visitors for periodic lengthy periods while construction occurs. The entire Refuge (including the dike trail, beginning just east of Index Street) will be closed to the public from July 6 through Oct. 2 of this year and again beginning in April 2021. Travelers may also experience intermittent lane closures on SR-14 from June 1 until September 30 during construction on SR-14.
Last year, the project broke ground when crews anchored 84 large wood habitat structures in the Gibbons Creek alluvial fan and began revegetation efforts. Next year, in addition to the levee work, crews will restore 115 acres of wetland habitat, build a larger parking lot and restrooms, and add an additional mile of trail to the existing network. Once state and local guidelines allow, volunteers and students will engage in planting native trees and shrubs to help revegetate the project.
The project is funded by Bonneville Power Administration, Washington State Department of Ecology’s Floodplains by Design Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the One Tree Planted Foundation.Detailed information can be found at www.estuarypartnership.org/steigerwald.
