I didn't see any mention on Tweeters of the latest news about Spencer
Island. I know many, including myself, have birded there and would find
the following article of interest from this past Sunday, Jan. 25,
Seattle Times:



Notebook: Erosion limits public access to Spencer Is. recreation area,

By Mark Yuasa, Seattle Times staff reporter



Access to Spencer Island, a popular recreation site near Everett, has
declined considerably and repair costs are skyrocketing. The
decomposition and settling of old wood-chip-based dikes on the island
has led to access restrictions for hunters, walkers and birdwatchers.
The high costs to repair damage to bridges and pathways will probably
lead to significant changes. The dikes were built from 1960 to 1980
from a variety of materials, including large wood chips. The chips have
been slowly decomposing and eroding, requiring significant annual
maintenance.



Access to the island has been eroding, too. Barricades on parts of the
dike trails warn of exterior dike erosion, and erosion around two
culverts that allow water to flow through an interior cross dike. A
slow-burning underground fire has been eating away at the wood chips
since July, forcing additional access restrictions; a footbridge
collapsed in October because of erosion. A public meeting on the
situation will be 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday at state Fish and Wildlife's
Mill Creek office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd.



Plans include breaching portions of the dikes to reduce erosion on
remaining portions of the island. Controlled breaching would also
benefit fish and wildlife by opening about 250 acres of estuary habitat.
Send input to: Sharon Walker, Snohomish County Parks and Recreation,
9623 32nd St. S.E., Everett, WA. 98205 or e-mail
<mailto:sharon.walker at co.snohomish.wa.us>
sharon.walker at co.snohomish.wa.us.





Franny Drobny

Seattle, Washington

fdrobny at cairncross.com




















































































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