After approving Northwest Hydraulic Consultants (NHC) to work on riverbank restoration in downtown Snoqualmie, the city council will be discussing further river improvements in the city, including the protection and restoration of Sandy Cove Park.
After the snowfall in the region last week, the Feb. 11 city council meeting was canceled and all items from the meeting agenda have been moved to the Feb. 25 meeting. At that meeting, the council will discuss a task order from NHC to design and permit four river projects including stabilization of the Sandy Cove Park riverbank and the Meadowbrook Lift Station, as well as improvements to outfalls at King Street and River Street.
That section of the riverbank is a priority for the city due to its location near city infrastructure, its role as one of two downtown parks on the river and its proximity to the main downtown intersection.
The Finance Commission is recommending the council approve the task order with expenditures not to exceed $448,136. The funding will come from the city’s Utility Capital Fund.
The task order is phase 2 of the Sandy Cove Park Bank Protection and Restoration project. In the scope of work document submitted to the city, NHC explains an update to the project is needed to adapt to modifications made to the weir at Snoqualmie Falls in 2012. The project will have NHC develop a map outlining hydraulic and erosion hazard assessments of the bank to determine where the most vulnerable locations are. There will also be changes to the restoration design concepts to accommodate the River Walk Master Plan.
Phase 2 of the restoration also includes assessments of how the bank modifications will affect the river, design of stormwater outfalls on King Street and River Street, scour assessment of Meadowbrook Bridge and an assessment of the erosion of the riverbank at Walnut Street.
According to the scope of work document, an assessment of the potential floodplain restoration opportunities is a secondary objective of the project.
Specific areas of the bank that the consultants will focus on are the riverfront houses to the north, the river channel north of the park, the banks at the park itself, and exposed stormwater outfall pipe at River Street.
