The City of Renton, WA, is currently conducting a maintenance dredging project on the Cedar River to prevent flooding of the surrounding community.
The King County Flood Control District is funding over $13 million for the overall project and is providing approximately $7.5 million to fund the project’s construction.
Approximately 120,000 cubic yards of gravel and sediments will be removed from a 1.25 mile stretch of the river from its mouth to the Williams Street Bridge.
Additionally, unstable banks will be repaired, outfall from storm pipes will be improved, vegetation will be replanted and invasive vegetation adjacent to the levee and floodwall will be removed.
The result will be a reduced risk of flooding to private, public and commercial properties.
“There is a significant amount of logs and other woody debris gathering along the length of the Cedar River, creates a potential problem to bridges and other infrastructure if we experience a major flood, which we know is a real possibility ,” said Mayor Denis Law.
“This project is one way that the city is proactively working to help protect property and businesses located along the river in Renton.”
The contractor, Gary Merlino Construction Company, started mobilizing equipment into the work area during the week of June 6.
Dredging activities commenced last week and will complete by August 31. The project is anticipated to end the first week of November.
City officials worked closely with King County Flood Control District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and State Departments of Fish and Wildlife, Ecology and Natural Resources to secure funding and necessary permits.
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