Title
LAKE SACAJAWEA FLUSHING IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT UPDATE
COUNCIL INITIATIVE ADDRESSED:
Provide sustainable water quality & environmental infrastructure
CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW: N/A
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
On December 13, 2012, the City applied to the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers (Corps) for permits to modify the Fishers Lane Water Treatment Plant intake facility to provide flushing water for Lake Sacajawea, since the treatment plant was no longer being used to supply municipal drinking water. In addition, the permit would allow annual dredging to clear sediment from blocking the intake, ensuring adequate water supply to flush Lake Sacajawea.
On November 14, 2014, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) completed their required consultation for the Corps regarding this project and issued a draft Biological Opinion containing analysis, conclusions, and recommended Reasonable and Prudent Measures, and Terms and Conditions, for the project permit. Essentially, the NMFS recommendations required the City to sample for eulachon (smelt) in the river each day at the beginning of the flushing season from May 15 through June 30, and if a single smelt egg or larvae was found, flushing could not be performed that day.
The City submitted comments to the Corps and NMFS expressing our strong concerns and objections to the NMFS recommendations. On April 3, 2015, staff met with the Corps and NMFS to discuss our concerns regarding the NMFS recommendations and see if a compromise position could be reached. Staff will discuss the results of that meeting and what it will likely mean for the permit and the project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Discussion only.