Astoria Riverwalk Erosion Control
Written by Liz McMaster
Contributing Info and Photos
by Liz McMaster and Dave Kinney
If you have driven along Marine Drive or tried to stroll along the Riverwalk this past week, you might have noticed that sections of the walkway are closed, and noticed the heavy machinery and piles of rocks near the Maritime Museum. What this means is that repairs to existing erosion damage and to prevent further erosion are moving forward along Astoria’s beloved Riverwalk.
In December of 2015, severe weather caused erosion along the Columbia River shoreline at several locations adjacent to the Riverwalk. As a result of these and other damages, a Federal Declaration of Emergency was declared in February of 2016 and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program funds were made available to help pay for repairs. FEMA funds will cover 75 percent of project costs and IFA will be providing matching grant funds for the additional 25 percent.
The project known as the Emergency Shoreline Erosion Project is estimated to cost around $110,869. Big River Excavating is the contractor selected to complete the project.
Kent Bahruth, who is working at the site with Big River Excavating explains how the restoration process of replacing the river wall works: There are different types of rock being used for the project, some of which is provided by Big River Excavating while the other rock is provided by donation by Teevin Brothers. Larger rock is placed at the bottom while the smaller rock goes on top. Everything is then tamped down and will be eventually filled in with topsoil. Bahruth said when they arrived on site he was amazed at how spongy the ground was surrounding the roots of the trees. Many of the trees had already fallen prey to the river’s persistent currents during high tides and subsequent wind-driven waves. As many of the trees as possible were saved, while others were cut down and removed.
It is hoped that the project will mitigate further erosion in the near future in addition to replacing rock and soil taken away during the storms.
Funding for the project is being paid for initially by using the Promote Astoria Fund and will be reimbursed by FEMA (75%) and Oregon’s Infrastructure Finance Authority (25%).
