HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session October 19 20101
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Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
October 19, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Sam Crawford called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the
Whatcom County Civic Center Garden Room, Second Floor Meeting Room, 322 N.
Commercial, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Sam Crawford, Bill Knutzen, L. Ward Nelson and
Carl Weimer
Absent: Kathy Kershner and Ken Mann
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (AB2010 -024)
1. MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR THE JONES CREEK ALLUVIAL FAN NEAR
ACME
Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, introduced Consultant Mike Currie.
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department, stated they will have two conversations
about landslides. They are big, ongoing, long -term problems that require substantial costs
over time. It is a big burden on the Flood Control Zone District fund. One program area
they don't talk about much is the landslide risk. That is the bigger context to this
conversation.
Mike Currie, Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Limited, submitted and read from a
presentation (on file) and stated he would give a presentation that he'd given to the
community in the summer. He described the characteristics of landslides worldwide.
Landslides start in the mountains from a triggering event. Landslide dams cause these great
landslide events. He submitted a handout of preferred debris flow mitigation measures at
Jones Creek (on file) and showed slides of landslide barriers in Europe. Use the land use
map of the fan with the different hazard zones as a mitigation tool. He described the
recommended option for berm alignment.
There was discussion on whether the events are associated with natural vegetation
canopy; the data used for forest practices; prioritizing the mitigation measures in the
handout; stream flow monitoring; how much warning they'd have if they need to evacuate
the fan; the magnitude of risk to people who live in the Acme run out zone compared to
similar situations around the Northwest; the type of damage that might result from a foot of
Surface Water Work Session, 10/19/2010, Page 1
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gravel flowing through town; whether a new berm for Jones Creek is wise in the long term,
given the existing failing berm structure on Canyon Creek; the design differences between a
proposed berm project and the existing berm project at Canyon Creek; whether the Public
Works staff and Planning staff communicate about this information; whether they can share
maintenance with the community; the next, upcoming phases and steps; the assumptions
made based on the courses of action, and; whether the $2.5 million includes all costs,
including planning and engineering.
Theresa Sygitowicz, Acme /Van Zandt Flood Subzone Advisory Committee Chair,
stated they have been active in this subject in the community. The subzone is very
concerned about the safety of its citizens.
Chris Hatch, Acme /Van Zandt Flood Subzone Advisory Committee Vice - Chair, stated
he prefers to be part of the conversation today, not just to make a few brief statements.
There was discussion about whether the subzone committee has reviewed the three
design options for siting a deflection berm; the amount of community involvement; the role
of the subzone if a berm were built; scheduling a joint meeting or community meeting with
the Subzone Advisory Committee and the Council, and; the communication with and
involvement of the community and subzone.
2. MANAGEMENT OF SEDIMENT FROM THE SUMAS MOUNTAIN LANDSLIDE
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department, submitted and read from a presentation
(on file). Swift Creek landslide only takes up a small portion of the watershed on Sumas
Mountain. Water enters that landslide area from all angles above, goes underneath the
landslide, and comes out in Swift Creek. Swift Creek has become somewhat channelized
due to dredging work in the past. The creek crosses important infrastructure, including
pipelines, bridges, and roads. There are implications to infrastructure as well as health and
human safety. By the time the river gets to the flat agricultural land, it is out of the fan.
The landslide itself is a big landslide on a steep hill. There are millions and millions
of cubic yards of material perched on the side of the hill. There isn't enough information on
the frequency of catastrophic events. Swift Creek water levels fluctuate much. Therefore,
the idea of gauging it is problematic. The experts have come up with a live video recording
to get some real time information about the status of the slide and to give some kind of
advance indication of whether a catastrophic slide is imminent or life threatening.
This kind of asbestos material exists in other places in the states. Whatcom County
is unique because the material is delivered hydrologically, which creates an enormous
problem to manage the sediment. Now, the creek bed his higher than the surrounding
landscape. Levees on either side are higher than the creek bed. Swift Creek has a number
of problems, but asbestos is the big problem in terms of management. The ability of the
Sumas River to transport sediment has been reduced.
Jeff Hegedus, Health Department, stated there is an academic debate about whether
the different types of asbestos are equally toxic.
Discussion included the location of the landslide alluvial fan; the subjectivity of how
toxic the asbestos is; the results of a past health survey; making the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) absolve the County of liability or take over the liability and do the
work themselves; finding a solution to the asbestos problem so they can be free to address
the sedimentation problem; whether a past survey of cancer risk showed no problems;
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primary management issues, liability, and superfund laws regarding liability; the use of
property owned by Great Western; the jurisdictional disagreement, operational liability,
being careful they don't find themselves in a legal predicament, the costly burden of getting
rid of material that has been deposited in the last ten years; finding a solution to the
naturally- occurring asbestos so they can deal with the sediment in the next five years;
learning to live with the asbestos material, and; the actual increase in risk from different
types of exposure.
Hegedus stated there is no evidence of increased risk of asbestos - related disease in
the area. There is a small population. He doesn't hear anecdotal information about such
things in the community.
Larry Meades, Sumas /Everson /Nooksack Flood Subzone Member, stated a lifelong
residents of the creek who passed away were specifically tested for asbestos - related cancer
and disease, with no positive results.
Hegedus stated that's good news, but naturally- occurring asbestos is an emerging
issue. They can't discount the scientific conclusions. They're still debating issues of the
toxicity of the different types of asbestos.
Hutchings stated make sure people understand the potential health risk and what
they can do about it. It's not responsible right now to cause all kinds of public fear over
something they don't understand and don't have a solution for. He described the work
happening among the administration and higher levels of government. There must be a
solution to the question of liability before they can develop solutions.
There was discussion about water quality issues in the Sumas River and the
expansion of this into other areas, and; updating the Nooksack City Council on this issue;
road maintenance in the area.
3. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FLOOD - AFFECTED PROPERTIES IN MARIETTA
Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, presented slides (on file) and stated they
are finalizing a grant application. Everything in the grant application is for implementation
of the Comprehensive Hazard Flood Management Plan ( CHFMP). The State is looking at the
lower Nooksack River. They are putting their flood projects together and calling it a habitat
restoration project. The project looks very good to the people who fund fish projects.
There is also an application for a local grant for hydrologic analysis consistent with
implementation of the CHFMP to look at how certain things might interact hydraulically with
the Slater Road elevation, and other road projects. The purpose of all this is for integrated
flood hazard reduction and fish habitat improvement. The grant proposal is to do the
hydraulic analysis and alternatives analysis of different options, and also to continue
acquisition of Marietta properties. She showed the properties on a map.
Hutchings stated that the status quo is that the entire area is a repetitive flood loss
area. Any improvements up- system will impact this area.
Cooper stated they are submitting the grant application for several hundred
thousand dollars.
Surface Water Work Session, 10/19/2010, Page 3
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:40 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
The Council approved these minutes on January 11 , 2011.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Sam Crawford, Council Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 10/19/2010, Page 4