[Tweeters] Wiley Slough Update

[Michael Scuderi]

 I sure hope that they are not removing more trees of the reconstructed dikes. The gut response by engineers is to remove all trees because they think that levee integrity is compromised.   I worked as a biologist for the Corps of Engineers for 37 years, dealing with countless levee projects and fighting engineers over tree removal. I also talked the lead Corps researchers on Levee Vegetation and their conclusion was that trees did not affect levee integrity.  But they were told by superiors to downplay the results. As you might see from the link to the levee vegetation report the results were inconclusive:

https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Portals/12/documents/civil_works/levee_safety/USACE%20Levee%20Vegetation%20Study%20Report%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

I could go on with many more stories of how levee vegetation actually helps levee stability.
If anything, all birders should be protesting removal of levee vegetation.  The birds suffer and it is unnecessary.
Mike Scudericotinga777 at yahoo.comKent, WA
Message: 15
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:55:42 -0700
From: Rob Faucett <robfaucett at mac.com>
To: Nancy Tom <birder1214 at gmail.com>
Cc: jimbetz at jimbetz.com, tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Wiley Slough Update
Message-ID: <F6A567E4-18F2-4115-B984-F1AF579C1BF4 at mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Unfortunately for us shrubs and trees destroy dike. The two are incompatible.

Sad face.

Best birding,

rcf
?
Rob Faucett
+1(206) 619-5569
robfaucett at mac.com
Seattle, WA  98105


> On Mar 12, 2024, at 8:52?AM, Nancy Tom <birder1214 at gmail.com> wrote:

>

> ?Have you looked at GoPro?

> NTom

> Birding is for Everyone

> Sent from my iPhone

>

>> On Mar 12, 2024, at 8:22?AM, jimbetz at jimbetz.com wrote:

>>

>> ?Hi,

>>

>> The latest update in an email from WDFW is that Wiley won't reopen to

>> the public before "some time this fall".  This project has already been

>> slipped - more than once - and so I'm not too confident in that date.

>> Aggravating the completion date is that the contractor suspends all

>> work during the Winter ("can't work during bad weather").

>>

>> My most recent pics of Wiley - taken from the road closure point -

>> show that they have removed essentially all of the trees and brush

>> along the dike ... that you can see from that point.  I don't know if

>> they have also removed trees and brush from the dike where it runs

>> out towards the river from the dike branch/flood  at the control gate.

>>

>>                                                - Jim

>>

>> *** email from WDFW ***

>>

>> Hi Jim,

>>

>> The site will not be open again until construction is completed, scheduled for some time this fall.

>>

>> Best,

>> Jenny

>>

>> _______________________________________________***********

    
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