Trees along Green River levee must be removed to avoid damage to flood-prevention structure

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has asked that 32 trees growing on a levee along the Green River in Tukwila be removed to protect the structure from possible damage, King County officials said today. To compensate for the loss of vegetation, 120 new trees will be planted elsewhere along the river.

The trees, which are growing on the riverward side of the levee, have reached a size where their roots could affect the structure's stability and create additional flood risks, said Steve Bleifuhs, King County's river and floodplain manager. The trees are also larger in diameter than federal rules allow, Bleifuhs said.

King County provides levee maintenance through an agreement with the City of Tukwila and will hire a contractor to remove the trees. The city will use the logs for habitat improvement along the Green River to complement the additional tree planting.

"These particular trees have to be removed for compliance with federal regulations on levee maintenance and repair," Bleifuhs said. "This levee protects a tremendous number of businesses and transportation infrastructure in the lower Green River Valley."

The trees slated for removal are primarily cottonwood and other deciduous varieties. Hundreds of other trees along this particular stretch of the Green River pose little threat to the flood-prevention levee system and will remain standing for now, according to the Corps.

This project comes as the Metropolitan King County Council is considering a flood management plan to strengthen and rebuild the county's levee system. Levees run along 119 miles of river, protecting lives and property located in 25,000 acres of King County floodplain and more than $7 billion in economic infrastructure. More information on the proposed plan is available at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/flood/fhmp/index.htm.