The Lord Hill levee near the City of Snohomish in Snohomish County is getting a makeover when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ officials begin repairs at two locations along the Snohomish River beginning tomorrow.
Located where the Snohomish and Pilchuck Rivers meet, the $892,000 project will address scour damage and a loss of embankment material caused during high flows in March 2014 that reduced flood defense from a 10-year flood protection level to just a one-year level. Under a cost-sharing agreement, the Corps will pay 80 percent of the project cost and the French Slough Flood Control District picks up the remaining 20 percent.
Repairs at each site – measuring about 700 and 160 linear feet – include rebuilding existing earthen levee embankments, armoring them with a blanket of riprap and re-grading the levee slope. A buried trench is also being added at the longer site to protect the levee against river flow while maintaining a natural bank for improved fish habitat.
In addition, the plan includes planting trees on the levee bench and live willow stakes within an adjacent wetland area.
The Corps coordinated with a number of interested stakeholders during the levee rehabilitation process to develop a plan to restore reliable flood protection to the community behind the levee.
Construction is expected to be complete by mid-September with in-water work occurring Aug. 1 - Aug. 31.
Once complete, the project will restore the levee its designed 10-year level of flood protection.
Release no. 15-025