Naturally-occurring large wood
in King County Rivers
King County is welcoming public feedback on the following proposed procedures for managing naturally occurring wood in King County Rivers. These procedures outline what actions will be taken by the King County Water and Land Resources Division and the King County Sheriff’s Office in managing naturally-recruited large wood in rivers for public safety.
Public Meeting
October 9, 2012
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Mercer Island Community Center, Room 104 (External link)
8236 S.E. 24th St., Mercer Island
Public Comment
Comments are due by Oct. 22, 2012.
Send comments, by Oct. 22, 2012, to:
Nancy Faegenburg
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
201 S. Jackson Street, #600
Seattle, WA 98104
Or by email to: nancy.faegenburg@kingcounty.gov.
Background
King County plays an active role in and around local rivers to achieve both public safety and environmental stewardship goals. The County engages with the public to promote individual action and stewardship toward these goals, and also designs and builds projects that advance these goals. Projects designed to achieve flood risk reduction and habitat restoration goals often modify rivers and their floodplains. In developing such projects, the County works to avoid or mitigate outcomes that might increase risks to public safety.
The Procedures for Managing Natural Wood in King County Rivers (Procedures) were developed in 2008 as guidelines for addressing natural hazards that occur as a result of natural processes in our river environments. Specifically, these Procedures define how the King County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Natural Resources and Parks will coordinate to respond to reports of fallen trees that lodge in our rivers and may pose a safety risk to people who live, work or play in and around our rivers, or to critical public infrastructure that supports the lives and livelihoods of our citizens.
These Procedures are now being updated to reflect changes in King County’s river management programs since their original development in 2008. The update is needed to:
- Clarify roles, responsibilities, and contact information;
- Reflect new programs and directives, such as salmon recovery efforts;
- Incorporate feedback from the public and other stakeholders;
- Distinguish ‘natural’ large wood from that which occurs as a direct or indirect result of a project; and
- Improve consistency and the sharing of information about King County’s actions and communication procedures.
Additional reference materials
Wood Investigation Report (284 Kb pdf): A field investigation form used by Water and Land Resource Division staff and the King County Sheriff’s Office in responding to a report of large wood that may pose a safety hazard in a King County river. Defines those risk factors that should be taken into account during the investigation, and documents the findings.
Instream Project Design Checklist (117 Kb pdf): A form completed by King County project teams to document public safety consideration at each stage of design and implementation of river projects.
Public Safety Management Plan Example Outline (282 Kb pdf) A draft guide for developing a post-construction management plan for addressing public safety at King County project sites. Plans will be individually developed to reflect the specific conditions of each project and appropriate long-term site management strategies.
For questions about naturally-occurring large wood in King County rivers, please contact Nancy Faegenburg, Cedar/Sammamish/Issaquah Project Manager, River and Floodplain Management Section.
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