2022 CLARKS CREEK ELODEA REMOVAL
2022 Elodea Management - DASH
The regular-season Elodea Management window for 2022 is June 1 - August 1. The contract was awarded to Seattle Diving Services at the April 26, 2022 council meeting. In-water work began on June 1, 2022.
Permitting Windows:
The 2022 Elodea Management work will include work under the existing permit from the 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 the 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 an 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.
Current Totals
As of 6/10/22
18.8% Project Complete
3,038 Linear Ft.
1,754 Bags Filled
All numbers are reported by the contractor, and verified by Project Engineer.
Daily Progress
| Date | Area(s) | Distance (LF) | Bags Filled | % Complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1.22 | 1,3 | 201 | 81 | 1.2 |
| 6.2.22 | 1,3 | 186 | 105 | 2.4 |
| 6.3.22 | 1,3 | 383 | 137 | 4.8 |
| 6.6.22 | 1,3 | 514 | 153 | 7.9 |
| 6.7.22 | 1,3,4 | 439 | 192 | 10.7 |
| 6.8.22 | 1,4 | 308 | 356 | 12.6 |
| 6.9.22 | 1,4 | 425 | 350 | 15.2 |
| 6.10.22 | 1,4 | 582 | 380 | 18.8 |
| 6.13.22 | 2,4 | 224 | 480 | 20.2 |
| 6.14.22 | 2,4 | 320 | 630 | 22.1 |
| 6.15.22 | 2,4 | 277 | 437 | 23.9 |
| 6.16.22 | 2,4 | 385 | 1000 | 26.2 |
| 6.17.22 | 2,4 | 531 | 430 | 29.5 |
| 6.21.22 | 2,4 | 780 | 660 | 34.3 |
| 6.22.22 | 5,6 | 273 | 435 | 36.0 |
| 6.23.22 | 5,6 | 331 | 475 | 38.1 |
| 6.24.22 | 5,6 | 912 | 1030 | 43.7 |
| 6.25.22 | 6 | 535 | 480 | 47.0 |
| 6.27.22 | 5,6 | 548 | 545 | 50.4 |
| 6.28.22 | 5 | 181 | 420 | 51.5 |
| 6.29.22 | 6 | 180 | 280 | 52.6 |
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Ryan Rutkosky, P.E.
Senior Civil Engineer
Additional Information
Attachments:
2018-2023 Permitting
- Hydraulic Project Approval, HPA (WA Fish and Wildlife) - new JARPA application
- Shoreline Substantial Development Permit (City of Puyallup) - existing permit provides coverage through June 2023
- State Environmental Policy Act project review (City of Puyallup) - existing permit provides coverage through June 2023
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.