Chelan County PUD Commissioners Consider Paying $3 Million to Fix Erosion in Parks

Chelan County PUD is considering paying $3 million to address erosion issues in three of their parks.

Erosion is defined as the process by which the earth’s surface gradually gets worn away by water or other natural agents.

On Feb. 6, Teneille Hatmaker with Chelan PUD’s Parks and Recreation department shared that the county’s parks receive roughly 3.5 million visitors per year.

Chelan PUD manages nine out of the 16 parks within Chelan County.

Park Manager Ryan Baker updated the Chelan County PUD board of commissioners on the state of Chelan Riverwalk Park, Entiat Park, and Wenatchee Confluence State Park.

Baker says his team is currently working on three projects that address erosion in those parks, looking at factors such as shoreline safety, license requirements around sedimentation control, and protecting natural resources.

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During the presentation, Baker shared that on the south shore of Chelan Riverwalk Park, the shoreline receded approximately 520 ft. in three different areas, losing irrigation and a bench in the process.

Chelan County PUD will begin work on three eroded areas in Chelan Riverwalk Park starting in March of 2023, costing roughly $400k.

Erosion mitigation work for Entiat Park and Wenatchee Confluence State Park is scheduled to begin in fall of 2023, still waiting for successful bids and permits for both projects.

For Confluence State Park, crews will work on tackling 1,000 feet of the shoreline that eroded along the eastern shore, with costs estimated at over $2 million.

Costs for the Entiat Park project is approximately $450k, and would go towards fixing 200 ft. along the shoreline.

Baker said they began a stakeholder outreach program to talk to customers about potential closures and impacts in these parks.