San Juan County is hosting a community meeting on Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Orcas Landing to discuss the replacement of the culvert on Bayhead Creek under Killebrew Lake Road from 5:15-6:30 p.m. It will be held in person at the Orcas Landing building, 8368 Orcas Road and online at https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzIyZTIwMGEtZWNhOS00MWNkLTlkZTAtZmFmM2IyMTIzNGQ3%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22bd5cf449-1cad-49e7-bfdc-7020adec67d3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22b43b8a8f-079b-408c-8e4f-49afcaddc678%22%7d with Meeting ID 280 024 690 531 and Passcode pu9qB9Xr. Alternatively, dial in by phone at +1-360-726-3293 with phone conference ID 587 034 55#. Anyone interested in the project is encouraged to attend.
Replacement of this culvert is required by state law, and San Juan County plans to begin construction in the 2025 summer shoulder season within a 45-day construction window and maximum nine-day road closure.
At Thursday’s community meeting, San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship will give a brief presentation on the background and current status of the project before opening the floor for discussion to address additional community questions, comments, and concerns.
Background
A storm in February 2020 overwhelmed the culvert on Bayhead Creek under Killebrew Lake Road, just east of Laporte Road, and blew it out, causing catastrophic damage to the road and making it impassable. Following consultation from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Juan County Public Works had the road reopened within nine days after replacing the culvert with a temporary, 24-inch culvert under the condition the County would design a more permanent, fish-passable culvert. Now, with Federal Emergency Management Agency funding secured and a design in hand, the County is advancing plans to satisfy state requirements and install a 12-foot-wide box culvert specially designed to improve fish passage in Bayhead Creek and withstand future storms.
Please visit San Juan County’s Engage Page (https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/bayhead-killebrew-culvert) for more detailed information about this project.
For more information, contact Tyler Davis, project manager Department of Environmental Stewardship, at tylerd@sanjuancountywa.gov.
San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship is responsible for solid waste, marine resources, clean water, cultural resources and climate and sustainability work. The department offices are located at 1609 Beaverton Valley Road, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship, visit www.sanjuancountywa.gov/839/Environmental-Stewardship.
