SEATTLE (November 18, 2019) — The US Army Corps of Engineers began placing about 55,000 cubic yards of sand at the Grays Harbor south jetty breach fill near Westport, WA, southwest of Seattle, on November 14.
The sand is to limit continued erosion and the risk of a breach forming, which could threaten the stability of the jetty and federal navigation channel. Sand will be placed in the most eroded portions of the spit, bringing its crest height back to 35 feet. This will reinforce this area and provide necessary protection against a breach.
The Corps contracted Northwest Rock Inc. of Aberdeen, WA, to perform the work. The sand must meet Corps gradation and marine sediment quality standards to nourish the threatened breach fill area. The contractor will build a temporary access road and is required to remove materials used to create the access road once the sand haul is complete. Native vegetation will be avoided when possible and no long-term impacts on vegetation are expected.
This action is being undertaken as an intermediate measure pending implementation of an operations and maintenance Long Term Management Strategy currently under review. The Army Corps previously placed 30,000 cubic yards of sand in the same location in 2012.
