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CONNOR CREEK EROSION CONTROL
Project IntroductionConnor Creek is a small stream that drains a rural area in western Grays Harbor County. The mouth of the creek, which empties directly into the Pacific Ocean between Copalis Beach and Ocean City, has historically migrated north and south depending on the time of year and weather conditions. Since the 1940s, local residents have used various means to keep the creek mouth in a meander zone between what is now Surfcrest Condominiums and Seaview Estates. In the late 1980s, Connor Creek turned southward, threatening buildings at Surfcrest. In 1988, a Department of the Army permit was issued for construction of a rock revetment and channeling of the creek to protect developed areas at Surfcrest. In the mid-1990s, the mouth of the creek began to move rapidly northward. As of November 2002, the creek mouth had migrated some 8,000 feet north of its circa-1987 location. The creek mouth is still moving northward toward the Copalis River. Migration of the creek has resulted in dramatic erosion of property and both private and public access to the beach has been severed. The local community requested assistance from the County. The County, through a grant, contracted with Pacific International Engineering to develop baseline information, analyze physical processes, and develop alternatives to address the problem. This additional information includes wetland delineation, a wetlands functional assessment, and a survey of stream habitats in lower Connor Creek. This website was developed
to provide access to the materials prepared for this project. As the
environmental review and permitting for the proposal moves forward,
additional information, including a Biological Evaluation and Habitat
Mitigation Plan, will be developed. |
