Why Do We Still Have Levees in Tri-Cities & Why Are They Overgrown?
I’m lucky to live near Wade Park in Pasco. My family has enjoyed the river paths that run from Pasco to Richland and across the bridges to Kennewick for years. But I’ve often wondered why the levees are so high and why they aren’t maintained on the river edges.
Why do we have levees along the river shore in the Tri-Cities?
Yes, we have levees to prevent possible flooding, but the other reasons might surprise you, and before I get to those, I think it's important to explain the difference between a levee and a dike. The main difference is that levees (what we have in Tri-Cities) protect land that is normally dry but could flood. Dikes protect land that would normally be underwater. So, why do we still have levees in the Tri-Cities area and why are they so high?
In 1948, the US Army Corps of Engineers began installing levees along the shorelines of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland to prevent possible flooding. In 1952 construction of McNary Dam began. After completion in 1954, it was discovered the dam was 12 feet shorter than it was supposed to be. To remedy the unplanned height difference in the dam, the US Army Corps of Engineers increased the height of the levees in our area by 12 feet, which according to local officials, wasn't needed. Simply put, the levees we have lived with for decades are too high and can be lowered.
Why doesn’t the US Army Corps of Engineers maintain the levees or lower them?
When it comes to maintenance and basic care of the levees, the US Army Corps of Engineers is doing what it can with the limited resources it has - there's not enough funding or staffing to do it all (they only have six people to manage the miles of levees in the Tri-Cities). We all see the results - the levees are covered with brush, weeds, and odd tree growth (on the riverside), limiting access to the river and impeding our views. The beautiful bike paths we enjoy were planned, installed, and are presently maintained by local governments and private parties - at their expense.
The Moore Mansion in Pasco once sat on the edge of the Columbia River.
When the Moore Mansion was built in 1908 residents enjoyed an unobstructed view and access to the river. Imagine what it would look like today if the levee was lowered.
What’s being done locally to convey the land back to the people of Tri-Cities?
Rivershore enhancement has been in the works for many years, and various plans have been presented and revised since the 1990s. For the most part, everyone wants the same thing, but according to the US Army Corps of Engineers Tri-Cities Land Conveyance Fact Sheet there are numerous hurdles to navigate before the land can be transferred back to local governments, "these transfers are complicated and all of the consequences - positive and negative - should be fully understood by local citizens".
It would cost local governments millions to clean up what the US Army Corps of Engineers hasn’t been able to maintain. Currently, local governments collectively spend over 2 million dollars annually to maintain the land they don’t own but have chosen to improve with parks, bike paths, boat launches, and docks. We are thankful for that!
Local leaders continue to work toward a solution. Read more about the Rivershore Enhancement Project here and watch this video produced by the Tri-Cities Shoreline Enhancement Project - it highlights the issues and plans.
Here's 3 Cool Hikes Near Tri-Cities
Gallery Credit: Paul Hinkson
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