HomeMy WebLinkAboutC_Response_Comments _from_KWalter_180717.pdf1
Clark Close
From:Karen Walter <KWalter@muckleshoot.nsn.us>
Sent:Monday, July 09, 2018 11:52 AM
To:Clark Close
Subject:King County DNRP, PR18-000304 May Creek Trestle Project, LUA18-000421, Notice of
Application/ODNS
Clark,
We have reviewed the available materials for King County’s May Creek Trestle Project NOA/ODNS referenced
above. This project is a component of the larger Eastside Rail Corridor Project. We offer the following comments in the
interest of protecting and restoring the Tribe’s treaty-protected fisheries resources:
Project Scope
The project is proposing to expand the existing trail over May Creek through the repair and retrofit of the May Creek
trestles as part of the Eastside Rail Corridor project. As part of this work, some of the existing trestle piles will be repaired
including piles in Bent 3 which is located within the OHWM and 100-year floodplain of May Creek. Bents 2 and 4 also
appear to be within the OHWM and certainly the 100-year floodplain of May Creek (per the photo available on Map
Number R4 and likely within the 100-year floodplain per the photo available on Map Number R4 from the Eastside Rail
Corridor Regional Trail Master Plan’s Ecosystem Resources Inventory Report. The trestle piles all appear to be creosote
piles. Unfortunately, the project’s limited repair work misses an opportunity to provide significance environmental and
salmon habitat benefits by removing the creosote piles from the stream channel and associated floodplain. The
retrofitting of the existing bridge will maintain the current degraded environmental condition and may have further impacts
if the bridge piles experience scour, which will result in the addition of scour protection, generally in the form of rip-rap
which will further degrade salmon habitat. By keeping the pile bents as shown, there is also the potential for any wood
from upstream and adjacent streambank sources that threaten the bridge piles will be removed to ensure protection of the
bridge and trail. May Creek currently lacks wood and the lack of high quality wood was noted as a reason for continued
streambed downcutting and sediment deposition at the mouth (King County; May Creek Basin Action Plan 2001) which
has resulted in dredging of the May Creek delta to the detriment of juvenile Chinook and other salmon in Lake
Washington. These existing and continued impacts could be avoided if the bridge were replaced with a structure that
eliminates piling within the OWHM and floodplain areas of May Creek. If not now, when will this bridge structure be
replaced with a more-fish habitat friendly structure?
Project impacts
The new bridge will have a solid concrete deck surface (see Sheet S-8) which will created 840 square feet of solid surface
overwater coverage to May Creek. There is no assessment or consideration that the bridge will create shade conditions
such to affect juvenile salmon migration behaviors and potential increases in predation. This is an important consideration
because juvenile Chinook are documented in this stretch of May Creek per WDFW’s Salmonscape.
We appreciate the opportunity to review this proposal and look forward to the City/applicants’ written responses. We may
have further comments subsequently.
Thank you,
Karen Walter
Watersheds and Land Use Team Leader
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Fisheries Division
Habitat Program
39015-A 172nd Ave SE
Auburn, WA 98092
253-876-3116
From: Kyle Wunderlin [mailto:KWunderlin@Rentonwa.gov]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2018 2:28 PM
To: Karen Walter; Laura Murphy; 'separegister@ecy.wa.gov'; 'sepaunit@ecy.wa.gov'; 'misty.blair@ecy.wa.gov';
'Sepadesk@dfw.wa.gov'; 'sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov'; 'Minnie.Dhaliwal@TukwilaWA.gov'; 'Gary.Kriedt@kingcounty.gov';
2
'steveo@newcastlewa.gov'; 'andy.swayne@pse.com'
Cc: Clark Close
Subject: City of Renton LUA Acceptance: PR18-000304 May Creek Trestle Project, LUA18-000421
Hello,
Please see attached documents for City of Renton LUA acceptance for the following project:
PR18-000304 May Creek Trestle Project
LUA18-000421
Attached are the Notice of Application, the Site Plan, and the Environmental Checklist.
As the project progresses, more information will be available by request and through our online Public Notice of Land
Use Applications Map.
Thank you,
Kyle Wunderlin | Planning Technician | she/her/hers
City of Renton | CED | Planning Division
1055 South Grady Way | 6th Floor | Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 430-6583 | Fax: (425) 430-7300 | kwunderlin@rentonwa.gov