King County Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is conducting channel maintenance work on the Snoqualmie River about ¼ mile downstream of the Neal Rd boat launch. WLRD, in coordination with King County Sheriff Marine Patrol Unit, has developed an action plan to remove wood pilings and reposition accumulated natural wood spanning the river channel in order to improve the ability of recreational users to safely maneuver through the area. This project will take advantage of historic low flows to remove pilings within reach of an excavator and with the use of chain saws. Based on the outcome of this pilot project, WLRD will assess whether any additional actions will be needed at a later date.

Project update

Crews completed construction for the Snoqualmie River Channel Maintenance project at River Mile 31 on August 19, 2015. It took only 1.5 days to remove and reposition all wood pilings over a distance of over 900 lineal feet, and to reposition natural wood racked on the upstream pilings. Before and after photos are available on the project webpage along with video footage taken while piles were being extracted.

Though the majority of the pilings that spanned the channel were removed, natural wood is still abundant in this area and in other areas of the lower Snoqualmie River. Recreational users should use caution to avoid log jams in this area and should continue to portage on the left bank gravel bar to avoid the natural hazards altogether. We are posting "Danger – log jam" signs through the remainder of the low flow season because the removal of the pilings has created a new condition for boaters immediately downstream of the pilings where there are natural log hazards.

Project schedule