Bow Hill Road Reconstruction
Concrete -Sauk Valley Road
Farm to Market Road / Josh Wilson Road Intersection Improvements
Fonk Road Emergency Repair
Francis Road Reconstruction: Section 1
Garden of Eden Rd/Willard Creek Culvert
2021 HMA Overlay Project
Josh Wilson Road: Phase 1
North Shore Drive Roadway Repair
Sinclair Dock Replacement
Sinclair Island Marine Access
Upper Finney Creek Bridge
(Seismic Retrofit)
| Fonk Road Emergency Repair
Project Update – For the Week of March 23, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert (Beaver Lake) has continued to fall. We continue to measure 3’-6” of roadway undercut with the water surface now 5’-2” below the lip of the steel plate. Attached are pictures from earlier in the week.
Our Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application to the WDFW was resubmitted last week to resolve the final sticking points. We have been told to expect their approval during the first week of April. Once we do, the existing culvert can be dredged the following week and the slip-line pipe size can be field verified. From there, the pipe can be ordered. Previously the pipe delivery timeline was 4 to 6 weeks. We are waiting to hear back from the vendor if that remains the expected timeline.
The Fire District and the DNR are now coordinating directly to determine whether water storage tanks and trash pumps can be staged at the east side of the culvert. PW has not heard from either party whether these efforts are moving forward or not.
Project Update – For the Week of March 13, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert (Beaver Lake) has continued to fall as a result of the President’s Day weekend rain event. We continue to measure 3’-6” of roadway undercut with the water surface now 5’-2” below the lip of the steel plate. Attached are pictures from earlier in the week.
Our Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application to the WDFW was submitted four weeks ago and this week we have been clarifying and resolving with WDFW the final sticking points. We are hopeful to get our approval next week. Once we do, the existing culvert can be dredged and the slip-line pipe size can be field verified. From there, the pipe can be ordered.
The Fire District and the DNR are now coordinating directly to determine whether water storage tanks and trash pumps can be staged at the east side of the culvert.
Project Update – For the Week of March 6, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert (Beaver Lake) has started to fall as a result of the President’s Day weekend rain event. These events have further submerged the culvert’s outlet and submerged its inlet. Flow is again moving from north to south. We continue to measure 3’-6” of roadway undercut with the water surface now 4’-6” below the lip of the steel plate.
Our Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application to the WDFW was submitted three weeks ago and we hope to hear a positive response from them soon. Once we do, the existing culvert can be dredged and the slip-line pipe size can be field verified. From there, the pipe can be ordered.
The Fire District and the DNR are now coordinating directly to determine whether water storage tanks and trash pumps can be staged at the east side of the culvert.
Project Update – For the Week of February 24, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert (Beaver Lake) has risen significantly as a result of Sunday’s 0.46-inch and Monday’s 1.47-inch rain event. These events have further submerged the culvert’s outlet and submerged its inlet. In addition, flow was observed moving from south to north, contrary to the expected direction of flow from north to south. To the best of our ability, we continue to measure 3’-6” of roadway undercut with the water surface now 2’-8” below the lip of the steel plate. Attached are pictures from earlier in the week.
The Temporary Construction Easement required for our proposed culvert repair was approved by the Board of County Commissioners at its February 21st meeting. Our Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application to the WDFW was submitted two weeks ago and we hope to hear a positive response from them soon. Once we do, the existing culvert can be dredged and the slip-line pipe size can be field verified. From there, the pipe can be ordered.
The Fire District and the DNR are now coordinating directly to determine whether water storage tanks and trash pumps can be staged at the east side of the culvert. The DNR advised the County that, “According to DNR maps those roads are technically abandoned. Although there does appear to be incursions from ORV’s into the DNR land, the roads are not maintained for safe larger vehicle access.”
Project Update – For the Week of February 13, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert (Beaver Lake) has now stabilized and we continue to be encouraged by no measurable signs of erosion at the culvert’s outlet. We remain at 3’-6” of roadway undercut with the water surface now 4’-11” below the lip of the steel plate.
With Temporary Construction Easement in-hand, the County can now move forward with submitting the Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application to WDFW for review and approval.
Project Update – For the Week of February 1, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert (Beaver Lake) has now stabilized and we continue to be encouraged by no measurable signs of erosion at the culvert’s outlet. We remain at 3’-6” of roadway undercut with the water surface now 4’-11” below the lip of the steel plate.
At present, the soonest likely date of when the slip-line pipe could be installed, and the roadway width restored to its condition prior to the November 2022 washout, would be the last week of March, assuming we do not come against unanticipated challenges.
Project Update – For the Week of January 25, 2023
The amount of impounded water upstream of the culvert continues to fall and we continue to be encouraged by no new measurable signs of erosion. We remain at 3’-6” of undercut with the water surface now 5’-0” below the lip of the steel plate. Attached are today’s pictures.
We also met on site with the new representative from WDFW who listened to our proposed approach. She did not take exception to what we are proposing and so we will proceed with finalizing and submitting the Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) application shortly. The County intends to install an HDPE pipe slipped inside of the existing CMP culvert.
When we receive our approved HPA from WDFW, the County will dredge, to the best of its ability, the existing culvert to remove as much of the debris inside as possible.
The amount of debris encountered by the contractor’s dive team varied from 2 to 3-feet in depth.
When completed, we can then confirm the size of HDPE slip-line pipe that is able to fit within the remaining space.
Only after we have this confirmation will we order the pipe. With a price tag of just over $40K, it is important that it is sized correctly.
The HDPE slip-line pipe, has an estimated delivery date of 4 to 5 weeks from the date of order. Upon its receipt, we will coordinate the schedules of our County Operations Staff
and the Contractor’s scuba diving team to install the pipe. This installation is weather sensitive/dependent and if the scheduled time of installation conflicts
with high runoff through the drainage basin, the installation may be rescheduled for the safety of the installation team. In a perfect world, where nothing goes wrong, we anticipate that the earliest the pipe’s installation could possibly occur would be week of March 15th.
(Left: Looking NNE at the culvert embankment failure) (Right: Looking NW at the culvert embankment failure)
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the current status/timeline of the short-term mitigation for Fonk Road?
The most likely solution involves relining the existing culvert with a smaller diameter HDPE plastic culvert whose installation could occur as early the middle of March.
Is the pending short-term mitigation solution designed in-house by the County or by a consultant?
At this time, the short-term mitigation solution is a collaboration between County and Contractor staff.
Why isn’t the County maintaining the turnaround at the intersection of Fonk Road and Elk Drive?
The jurisdictional end of County ROW, and therefore the end where the County maintains Fonk Road, lies further to the west at the quarter corner, roughly at the abandoned homesite along the south side of Fonk Road. Specifically, the end of County maintenance ends 1,040 feet east from Beaver Lake Road. From this point eastward, including the turnaround, all road maintenance is the responsibility of the private landowners.
What is the permanent solution for the Fonk Road culvert?
The Upper Skagit Tribe is already in the process of studying the drainage basin of Nookachamps Creek with its consultant, ESA.
The outcome of this study is scheduled to be completed towards the end of 2023. When this study is completed, it will greatly inform what the permanent
solution must be considered for replacing the Fonk Road culvert. In addition, the culvert’s failure during early November of 2022,
has been officially designated as a FEMA event. With this designation, both the design and construction of the eventual replacement will be reimbursed by FEMA
to the County. When considered together the County cannot begin design of the permanent solution until the Tribe’s assessment of
the basin is completed and the approvals by FEMA are received by the County.
When will the permanent solution be constructed?
With the understanding the County has received approval from FEMA and direction from the Tribe’s basin study by the end of 2023,
the timeline for design, permitting approval, and construction of the final solution, would be completed, at the earliest, by the fall of 2026.
For more information, contact:
Tom Weller
360-416-1400
tweller@co.skagit.wa.us
| Contact Public Works Engineering
Director | County Engineer
Grace Kane P.E.
1800 Continental Place
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Phone: (360) 416-1400
Fax: (360) 416-1405
email: pw@co.skagit.wa.us |
