Dredging of LC Valley ports along Snake and Clearwater rivers could begin this winter

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to dredge portions of the Snake and Clearwater rivers around ports in both Lewiston and Clarkston this winter.

The agency released an environmental analysis of the proposed work and its “finding of no significant impact” Thursday and has opened a 30-day public comment period.

The Lewiston Tribune reports the plan would remove about 258,000 cubic yards of sand and other sediment from the channel and areas around the ports without affecting fish, water quality or the environment.

The Corps is authorized by Congress to maintain the channel at a depth of 14 feet and width of 250 feet to allow for tug-and-barge transportation of commodities from the LC Valley.

According to the Corps’ environmental assessment, the channel at the confluence of the two rivers is only 9 feet deep in places and there are some places in front of the ports that are less than 4 feet deep. The agency is proposing to dredge the areas and dispose of the spoils at Bishop Bar, about 20 miles downstream of Lewiston and near Blyton Landing, where the river is nearly 70 feet deep.

Dredging last occurred in 2015. (Lewiston Tribune)

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