Port applies for permits for much-needed Westport Marina dredging

Project hinges on Legislature passing a capital budget to release $2.5 million slated for dredging

By Dan Hammock • July 19, 2017 7:00 pm
(Photo by Marc Sterling) The Port of Grays Harbor applied for the necessary permits July 12 to perform much-needed dredging inside the Westport Marina. There is $2.5 million for the project in the latest draft of the state capital budget, but funds are awaiting passage of the budget by the legislature.
(Photo by Marc Sterling) The Port of Grays Harbor applied for the necessary permits July 12 to perform much-needed dredging inside the Westport Marina. There is $2.5 million for the project in the latest draft of the state capital budget, but funds are awaiting passage of the budget by the legislature.

The Port of Grays Harbor has applied for the necessary Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Ecology permits for dredging Westport Marina, but the project is in limbo until the state Legislature passes a capital budget.

At press time, the project was in the budget that has already been approved by the House, but is being held up in the Senate by Republicans who say they won’t pass a capital budget unless the Legislature addresses a Supreme Court decision they say will impede property development. Thursday is the last scheduled day for the third special legislative session called June 21.

“Hopefully, on Thursday we’ll have some answers and we can celebrate with a start date,” said Molly Bold, Westport Business Manager for the Port.

“The dredging is in at $2.5 million,” said Sen. Dean Takko (D-Longview). That means it is included in the capital budget, but as legislators continue to wrangle over the recent State Supreme Court Hirst decision, which upheld current state law requiring the protection of ground and surface waters, it is unclear if an agreement can be reached and a budget passed during this third special session.

Some 245,000 cubic yards of sediment will be dredged from the marina as crews work to dig the water level back to between 15 and 17 feet. Most of the sediment will be deposited at the Point Chehalis and South Jetty disposal sites, but 40,800 cubic yards deemed not suitable for disposal at sea will be transferred via pipeline to an upland dewatering site located next to the marina. The pipeline will be located at the south end of the marina and run the material to a site on the south side of the Ocean Cold building on Yearout Drive.

If funding is made available, the dredging project will begin sometime after July 16, 2018. There is a designated work window of July 16 – Jan. 31 so operations will not interfere with bull trout and out-migrating juvenile salmon.

Dredging will continue for a period of 10 years with each dredging event grabbing up to 75,000 cubic yards of sediment. There will be dredging at the north and south Westhaven Cove entrances and also in the turning basin and access channel in the southern portion of the marina.

The marina itself is divided into 17 “dredge material management units.” Most of them will be dredged to a depth of 15 feet, but a few will be dug to 17 feet, according to the Port’s permit application.

Meanwhile, the marina bankline and sidewalks project finished on schedule, said Bold. Planned improvements to the public boat launch on the south end of the marina, like the dredging project, remain on hold until the Legislature releases funds for the project. Takko said he was unsure if the boat launch project was included in the most recent version of the capital budget.

Public comment on the dredging project remains open through Aug. 14 and can be directed to the Corps of Engineers at (206) 764-3262 and the Department of Ecology at (360) 407-6076.