Shoreline

March 4, 2019
To:  All Crystal River Ranch owners
From: Bob Hennings, River Committee

This notice is to inform all the owners that Pierce County is in the process of beginning a Channel Migration Analysis of the Upper White River. This survey and analysis runs from Greenwater to the start of Forest Service land just upstream from CRR. This is part of a Washington State mandated process to find critical areas around streams and rivers that may be subject to erosion and bank failure.

It appears to me that some owners that reside on or close to the White River will be affected by this process. How much is to be determined, as the survey has not been started. Pierce County has set up an interactive website (or so they say) and project managers are listed there that you may contact for further information.

This process is going to take a year or so to complete. The website will show you the timeline.

If after checking with the website and the project managers you need more information I would be happy to try to help you as much as I can. Pierce County also indicated that they would like to do some in person meetings in the near future but that is not set in concrete.

Project website address is: http://upperwhitecmz.participate.online

Bob Hennings
bobhennings@comcast.net

Shoreline 2018 Assessment Memo
Letter to Pierce County sent with Report no 3 CRR Board Cover Letter
Shoreline
 CRR Monitoring Report no 3 June 21 2017
Overview document: CRR Shoreline Vanes October 2016
Shoreline assessment 9/24-25 report: October 2016

rockvaneplanexample1

One day erosion impact at some vane sites: May 2016
4th Restoration Report: December 2014

3rd Restoration Report: November 2013
Rock-vane sites baseline report:  Feb 2013 EcoAssets
2nd Restoration Report:  November 2012
1st Restoration Report:  April 2011

April 2015
Shoreline Stabilization Project
Vane site restoration has been inspected and approved as complete by Pierce County Planning and Land Services.

Two technical shoreline assessments available:
Vane Sites Survey Sept 2014 and  Memo Feb 2013 by Lawrence Dominquez, EcoAssets Land and Water Resources, Sr. Ecologist. Project funds are kept in a separate CRR account at Thurston First Bank. We believe sufficient funds are available for a future community impact shoreline emergency, monitoring and repairs. Additional assessment for shoreline stabilization is not foreseen at this time.

Important: This applies to property owner responsibility regarding shoreline tree removal, pruning or native vegetation disturbance within the 200 foot protected buffer. The critical buffer area along the entire CRR shoreline reach is roughly from edge of bank 200 feet inland whether on private property or CRR community property. Reference Pierce County code regulations Title 18E.40.040 page 7:  http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/1160

  • A report must be obtained and submitted from a certified arborist, licensed landscape architect or professional forester documenting a hazard and providing a replanting schedule.
  • Written approval must be received from Pierce County authorizing tree removal.

February 2013  Rock-vane sites technical report completed.
Objectives satisfied in the baseline technical assessment by Lawrence Dominquez, EcoAssets were:

  1. Conduct a qualitative shoreline assessment of the south bank White River containing 14 rock-vanes.
  2. Provide recommendations for a long-term monitoring protocol of bank erosion.
  3. Provide recommendations for stream-flow gage site and support for securing funds regarding stream gauge purchase and installation.

March – April 2013  As expected, on-going bank erosion observed. 1 to 2 feet of bank sloughing at vanes 2 – 4 and 14.  Vanes 1 through 14 remain unexposed.

Work objectives ahead are to satisfy permit restoration requirements and when appropriate provide relevant content in the HOA study regarding this project.  Short term tasks are:

  1. Continue monitoring, care maintenance and/or replacement of trees to satisfy the 80%+ survival requirements for restoration permit closure.
  2. Continue work effort on vane site measurement data, tree inventory, assessing shoreline erosion loss and erosion risk scenarios.
  3. Provide the annual data collection and restoration report submittal required by the county and state permit closure process.

July – August 2012  Majority of scotch broom pulled or ground level cut in project vane sites.  Irrigation sprinklers operating August – September at low terrace vane sites 1, 5 through 7.

September 2012  100 Douglas Fir replacement trees purchased and planted. Majority of cages removed, debris cleaned up and maintenance accomplished on remaining caged trees.

November 2012  Project site restoration status report prepared and submitted to Pierce County and Wa. State Fish & Wildlife. Data collection started for baseline technical assessment by Lawrence Dominquez, EcoAssets.

December 2012  Pierce County Planning and Land Management planner communicates the project site restoration monitoring will be through summer of 2014. CRR anticipating late 2014-2015 for possible permit closure provided 80%+ restored trees are healthy.  After close of project permits if there are remaining funds, the CRR board will provide a disposition plan.

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2011 – 2012 Shoreline Stabilization Project Update

  • July 2011
    Pierce County Planning & Land Services approved the as-built construction permit phase.  PALS Inspection Report
  • November 2011
    Purchased and planted 125 Douglas Fir trees in the high terrace vane site locations to replace those planted in the spring that did not survive.
  • January 2012
    Shoreline photos, recorded GPS locations, cross channel measurements and organized the collected vane site location data.
  • April 2012
    Services and work order agreements signed for a professional shoreline assessment targeted start July-August by Lawrence Dominquez, MES, Aquatic, Fish Ecology and Senior Biologist.
    Reasons for hiring an expert consultant:
  1. Documented shoreline data will provide baseline information for comparison purposes regarding on-going shoreline erosion issues and future exposed rock vane(s) effectiveness.
  2. Expert documented shoreline observations of the fourteen buried rock vanes that CRR installed January 2011 will assist in the permit closure process anticipated 2013 – 2015.
  3. Recorded shoreline data is a requirement in possible future application for hazard mitigation grant funding.
  • March – April 2012
    Wire cages removed from planted Douglas Firs and Hemlocks.  Cages, stakes and debris clean-up accomplished at high terrace vane site locations.

What work is planned over the next several years?
The primary objectives are:

  1. Assess and determine work breakdown of timing, material, and labor with the associated cost to complete the 80%+ tree plant survival requirements for restoration permit closure process.
  2. Satisfy the restoration monitor reporting required by the county and state permit closure process.
  3. Study shoreline stabilization erosion risk scenarios and determine recommended reserve for future community water system hazard mitigation.

If there is money leftover, how will it be used?

When Pierce County and Wa. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife close the project permits, the CRR board  will present a plan for the disposition of any remaining funds.

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CRR Shoreline Erosion Management Project

Overview:
November 2006, the 3rd CRR 100-year flood event in 10 years. Severe shoreline loss at well head banks exceeded 60+ feet. Almost 5 acres of CRR community property lost during the 2006 flood. As early as 1996, the board was investigating erosion prevention solutions and seeking grant or other project funding sources. Width of the White River channel migration zone (CMZ) at CRR expanded 1.5 ft. average every year 1940 through 2004.  In drastic comparison, CMZ widening at 6.5 ft. average every year 2005 through 2008.  “Accelerated, out-of control White River” as described by a Herrera Environmental engineer which is similar to other expert report assessments commissioned by WSDOT. Other professional sources concur that the accelerated widening is primarily due to old growth logging practices (legal in the late 50’s to early 60’s) and second to increased temperature of Mt. Rainier’s melting glaciers. CRR repeatedly tried without success to partner with Crystal Village community across the channel to work together on a shoreline erosion control project. With the CRR community water system at high risk, property owners Feb 2008 voted 85% approval on an assessment to fund the project. December 12, 2010 was the last of 14 vanes buried inland on remaining CRR community shoreline property. Construction site clean-up, and equipment tear down was accomplished by end of January 2011. The 14 buried rock-vanes are not the optimum total CRR shoreline reach protection, as only remaining CRR community shoreline property could be utilized to position and construct the buried rock-vanes. Site restoration replanting and monitoring phase continues.

Project Goals:
1.     Protect the community water system wellheads
2.     Protect and retain the remaining community shoreline property as much as possible

Scope Change:
The original 17 rock-vanes project direction in channel changed to 14 buried rock-vanes inland on remaining CRR community property due to:

Pierce County, the Wa. state agencies involved and Corps. of Eng. were indicating a full Environmental Impact Study (EIS) was going to be required.  CRR could not have privately funded the prohibitive EIS expense.  Another 2 years delay was too high a risk to take regarding shoreline erosion affecting the well heads.

By constructing buried rock-vanes inland on CRR property, the permitting hurdles regarding zero rise to flood plain elevation, creating in-channel coffer dams to temporarily divert water, fish handling protocol by certified biologists, the opposite shoreline (invalid) objections by Crystal Village and more permit process issues were resolved.

Limitations:
The 14 vanes are buried inland, not in channel.  They are buried and located at river bed elevation pointing upstream at an approximate 30 degree angle, positioned to prevent bank erosion at the well heads and to protect community shoreline property.

Construction and location of the 14 buried rock-vanes was restricted to what remained of CRR community shoreline property available December 2010. Total shoreline protection for the entire 1 mile CRR reach was land restricted at the onset of this project. It is unfortunate there are private shoreline properties not protected by the buried vanes which will continue to face risk of property loss from on-going erosion.

Contact Wendy Scholl or if you have specific questions and interest in additional details.

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Links to archived project report updates from Board Meetings in PDF format:

May 19, 2013
May 19, 2012
March 19 2011
January 15 2011
November 20 2010
September 18 2010
July 17 2010
May 15 2010
April 17 2010
January 16 2010
November 21 2009
September 19 2009