Date:  Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Contact: Stan Suchan, WSDOT Communications, 360-705-7850

OLYMPIA – At approximately 5 p.m. today, WSDOT crews will begin using a trackhoe to dig a trench in Airport Dike in Chehalis. Crews will gradually breach the dike and carefully monitoring water flow as they expand the size of the trench. Flood waters spilled over the dike during recent storms, flooding Interstate 5 and the surrounding area. Breaching the dike allows flood waters to more rapidly drain back to the Chehalis River, though it may still take days for flood waters to fully recede.

Efforts to breach the dike were delayed by city and county officials, who are ultimately responsible for the dike. They engaged in hours of discussion about whether or not to breach the dike and refused to allow crews to do so on city or county property. “The Governor has made it clear that we should do everything possible to get I-5 open,” said Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond. “This is an emergency. After consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers we stepped up and are breaching the dike on WSDOT property rather than waiting any longer for the city and county to take action.”

Breaching the dike will allow crews to more quickly assess and repair damage on the interstate. Digging a trench in the dike is expected to have a slight affect on downstream Chehalis River water levels. Army Corps of Engineers hydrologists expect downstream water levels to decrease more slowly or temporarily increase 1 to 2 inches. This is not expected to have an affect on homes or businesses downstream. Dike repairs will be required after flood waters recede.

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