2019 Clarks Creek Elodea Removal

2019 Elodea Management - DASH

The regular season elodea management window for 2019 is June 1 - August 1, 2019. The contractor was awarded to Stumpy Tree Service at the May 7, 2019 Council meeting and in-water work will begin on June 1, 2019.

Permitting Windows

The 2019 elodea management work will include work under the existing permit from Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). The current Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) permit expires in June 2023.
 
The permitting process with WDFW for the in-water work to remove overgrown elodea and invasive weeds includes submittal of a Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA). The proposed work was reviewed, and a 5-year HPA permit was issued by WDFW. The JARPA detailed the Diver-Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) process and proposed in-water area of work. The total project area is approximately 3 miles long, beginning just south of the 12th Ave SW bridge in Puyallup and ending at the 56th Ave E bridge in Pierce County.

For more information on the WDFW HPA program and process please visit the WDFW website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/hpa/.

Current Totals-

Approx. 100% Project Complete

16,000 Linear Ft. 

23,585 Bags Filled

Updated: 08/13/2019
All numbers are reported by the contractor.

Elodea Removal DateElodea Removal AreaElodea Removal DistanceElodea Removal Bags Filled
06/03/191 & 5345183
06/04/191 & 5245373
06/05/19
1 & 5
210436
06/06/19
1 & 5
210302
06/07/19
1 & 5
410483
06/10/19
1 & 5
260524
06/11/19
1 & 5
395514
06/12/19
5
80265
06/13/19
5
110245
06/14/19
1 & 5
110183
06/17/19
1 & 5
150445
06/18/19
1, 2, & 5
310375
06/19/19
1 & 5
550506
06/20/19
1 & 5
295494
06/21/191 & 5
340581
06/24/19
2, 5, & 6
460693
06/25/19
2 & 6560511
06/26/19
2 & 6
690474
06/27/19
2 & 6
420594
06/28/19
2 & 6
200527
06/29/19
2
190269
07/01/193 & 6350443
07/02/193 & 6
330335
07/03/193 & 6
270372
07/05/193 & 6
340500
07/06/193, 4, & 6
460535
07/08/194 & 6
260589
07/09/194 & 6
445530
07/10/194 & 6
400557
07/11/194 & 6
260566
07/12/194 & 6
320537
07/13/196
160161
07/15/194, 6, & 7
420857
07/16/194 & 7
180392
07/17/194 & 7
455677
07/18/194 & 7
180444
07/19/194 & 7
140379
07/20/194
68271
07/21/194
150229
07/22/194 & 7344458
07/23/194 & 7
430486
07/24/194 & 7
380474
07/25/194, 7, & 8
260517
07/26/197 & 8240429
07/27/197 & 8240319
07/28/198180215
07/29/197 & 8340416
07/30/198
445823
07/31/198600501
08/01/198445380
08/02/198200300
08/05/198340414
08/06/198440392
08/07/19880110

Elodea History on Clarks Creek

Management of excessive elodea in Clark's Creek has been ongoing for more than 20 years in Puyallup. In 2012 a task force comprised of staff, Council, citizens, regulatory agencies, and other organizations worked together to develop agreeable solutions to the problem. The goal was to find sustainable solutions that would reduce the overall presence of elodea and sediment in Clark's Creek, improving the health of the creek.
 
Diver-assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) was identified by the 2012 Elodea Task Force as the main method for elodea removal starting in 2013 onward. In this process, divers enter the water from pontoon-type boats, using surface-supplied air. The divers hand-pull the elodea from the stream, and feed it into a suction hose. The plant material is suctioned to the surface of the water, into mesh bags located on the boat. When several bags are full, they are each transported to the shore, and removed from the project site. This process reduces the fragmentation of the elodea, and completely removes the plant from the stream so it cannot re-plant itself, or grow back. The process is modeled after similar successful DASH projects in Thurston County, Washington and New York.

Contact Us

  1. Ryan Rutkosky, P.E.

    Senior Civil Engineer
    Email
    More Information

Additional Information

  1. CC Elodea HPA No. 2018-6-208-01
  2. HPA 2019-6-49-01 (Elodea 2019)
  3. Map: Clarks Creek Elodea Removal Area

2019 Project Photos

2018-2023 Permitting

Environmental Permitting:

  • Hydraulic Project Approval, HPA (WA Fish and Wildlife) - new JARPA application
  • Shoreline Substantial Development Permit (City of Puyallup) - existing permit provides coverage through 2023
  • State Environmental Policy Act project review (City of Puyallup) - existing permit provides coverage through 2023.