Renton, WA residents expect long cleanup in Cedar River flooding aftermath
'Graveyard' of debris clogs Lake Washington near Renton after storms
Recent flooding on the Cedar River has pushed a massive amount of logs and silt into south Lake Washington, creating a debris field hundreds of feet wide. While community volunteers have begun cleanup efforts at the Renton Rowing Center, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the sheer volume of material will take time to clear.
RENTON, Wash. - Sun and clear skies for much of Monday shined light on the problems left behind by recent flooding and storms. In Renton, people walking close to Lake Washington near the Renton Airport said there's a logjam to be cleaned up.
The area is a great spot for watching planes take off and land, but now there's a new attraction — a graveyard of logs and debris.
It's unlike anything people we talked with said they've seen before.
Usually it's planes at the Renton Airport that captures the attention of people like Perry and Cheryl Culwell during their morning walks by Lake Washington.
But not today.
What they're saying:
"Couldn't believe it. It was just incredible," Perry Culwell said.
This time, it was the major mess left behind by a raging Cedar River feeding into the lake following recent storms.
"A tremendous amount of water. I can't imagine how much water was coming down the Cedar River to produce that," Perry Culwell said.
A man also walking by the area showed us video of the Cedar River from December 11, where the water was high and gushing toward the lake.
"We came out here and couldn't believe the number of logs and stuff, and tree stumps, and all sorts of silt, just way out into the lake. We've never seen that before," Cheryl Culwell said.
Some branches and debris still float near the Renton Rowing Center.
Lisa Lambert also noticed the mud and driftwood near the facility while walking her dog, Cocoa.
"It is abnormal. This is very abnormal due to all the rain and everything we've had. Usually only see about half of this I would say," she said.
Rowing Center officials said members and about 50 volunteers from the community rallied to help clean up the area for the rowers during the weekend.
Debris piled up around the dock, so they got to work, with some in kayaks retrieving and towing logs from the water.
The Army Corps of Engineers told FOX 13 News they were aware of the significant debris in south Lake Washington.
Flooding aftermath in western WA
In a statement a spokesperson said:
"There is no federal navigation channel in the Cedar River, meaning any dredging is a local or private responsibility that requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
We are aware of significant debris in south Lake Washington, including reports of debris flows over 200 feet wide and thousands of feet long near the mouth of the Cedar River. For safety, we advise all boaters to avoid operating near this woody debris.
As post-flood operations shift to cleanup, the overwhelming volume of material requires us to prioritize critical navigation infrastructure like ferry terminals and commercial facilities. Our initial response for debris must be to first clear our full debris holding sites in Lake Union, Mercer Island, and Elliott Bay. This will create capacity for our local partners to help corral more debris.
Our efforts focus on removing the largest hazards, woody debris with a diameter over 12 inches. Please note that we do not remove debris from under private docks to avoid the risk of property damage."
A spokesperson also said they have received requests for debris removal, but they will be unable to address them until the rivers recede.
Local perspective:
Those we talked with said the clean-up looks like no small task.
"Looks to me like it's going to need to be dredged," Perry Culwell said.
Until then, people will have something new to look at, and as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
"It is going to take a while. It's pretty, though, it looks nice," Lambert said.
People we talked with said they hope this is the last time intense rain causes this kind of mess in this area known for rowing and water activities.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Dan Griffin.