RICHLAND, Wash. -- The Bateman Island Causeway removal project will begin Dec. 22, with Dec. 21 being the last day of public land access to the island.
On Dec. 22, contractors will begin installing safety fencing and site preparation work. Excavation work is projected to begin on Jan. 5.
Located at the confluence of the Yakima and Columbia rivers in Richland, Wash., the Bateman Island Causeway restricts water flow, raises water temperatures, and degrades water quality west of the island, harming salmon migration, favoring invasive fish and promoting algal blooms and mosquitoes. Removing the causeway will significantly improve the Yakima River Delta ecosystem.
In November, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District, in partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Yakama Nation, the Washington Department of Ecology and the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group, awarded a $1.2 million contract to Pipkin Inc. for the removal project.
For more information, contact the Walla Walla District at 509-527-7020 or visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WallaWallaUSACE.
Release no. 25-043