17-045 Mill Creek Levee phase-2 maintenance resumes; south levee road temporarily closed

Published April 3, 2017
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Warmer weather conditions allowed levee-maintenance activities to resume on the south side of the federally managed section of the Mill Creek Levee System, requiring temporary closure of the maintenance road and trails being used by the contractor, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announced today.

The contractor will be working seven days a week during daylight hours, as long as the weather continues allowing them to make progress. During the current stage of repair, workers will prepare the gravel road on top of the south levee to accommodate the introduction of new levee material, making the surface rough and potentially unsafe for visitor use until the levee road is completely repaired. Chains and signs have been place across trails and roads affected by the closures. Workers will be using construction equipment and heavy vehicles to remove the tree roots, haul debris off-site and re-compact levee material. Foot bridges across Mill Creek will be intermittently closed as work progresses along the levee.

For visitor safety, temporary closure of parts of Kingfisher and Whitetail trails will be required during the contract performance period. A map of visitor trails which will require intermittent and/or temporary closures to accommodate levee work activities is available on the Corps’ website at www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/MillCreekLeveeMaintenance.aspx.

Work on the north levee will begin following completion of the south levee repairs. The Walla Walla District will continue to announce work progress and temporary impacts to visitor access. Visitors are also encouraged to look for trail-closure updates on information kiosks located at major trailheads and on the Mill Creek Project’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/millcreekdam.
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Contact
Public Affairs Office
509-527-7020
cenww-pa@usace.army.mil

Release no. 17-045