Washington Fish and Wildlife Sets Meeting on Dike Repairs
WDFW partnered with Ducks Unlimited in 2013 to begin the Leque Island Alternatives Analysis and Design Project.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has scheduled an open house Feb. 25 in Stanwood, Wash. to discuss concepts for a project designed to address chronic dike failures on Leque Island. WDFW reports dikes built on the island in the early 1900s have failed many times during the past decade and have required costly temporary repairs.
The meeting gives the public an opportunity to learn more about the project and provide comments on six design alternatives, which include rebuilding existing dikes or building dikes on the island to support several land uses. One alternative calls for removing the dikes completely to fully restore natural tidal processes and salt marsh habitat.
The alternatives are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/skagit/leque_island_project.php. They were developed during the past year with input from a 31-member advisory committee. WDFW owns and manages Leque Island as part of the Skagit Wildlife Area and will select a preferred design alternative in April. WDFW partnered with Ducks Unlimited in 2013 to begin the Leque Island Alternatives Analysis and Design Project.