2013 Project

2013 Clark's Creek Elodea Management


Diver-assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) was the main method for elodea removal planned for 2013. In this process, divers enter the water from pontoon-type boats, using surface-supplied air. The divers hand-pull the elodea from the stream, and feed it into a suction hose. The plant material is suctioned to the surface of the water, into mesh bags located on the boat. When several bags are full, they are each transported to the shore, and removed from the project site. This process reduces the fragmentation of the elodea, and completely removes the plant from the stream so it cannot re-plant itself, or grow back.

This process was modeled after similar successful DASH projects in Thurston County, WA and New York.

Permit applications included for the 2013 in-stream work window in the DASH project include:
  • Shoreline Substantial Development Permit (City of Puyallup)
  • State Environmental Policy Act project review (City of Puyallup)
  • Hydraulic Project Approval, HPA (Washington Fish and Wildlife)
Also planned for the 2013 project was removal of accumulated rocks under the 56th Street E and Stewart Avenue E bridges. It is believed these rocks have been pushed into the water over the years by vandals, creating a restriction to the creek flow at those locations.

2013 Project Details


The in-water work window for 2013 was June 17-August 14 - discussions with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and positive results from the in-water work have resulted in the Tribe granting a 13-day extension of in-water work, into August in support of completing a fully-managed project area. The elodea management in 2013 was to be completed primarily by a Diver-Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) method. The work began in targeted areas of the creek, and generally work in a downstream direction. Below are daily summaries of the work progress as well as to maps and exhibits of the project:

Updates


Rock removal included in the 2013 work was complete as of August 3, 2013.
  • August 13, 2013 - Continued in Alt No. 6/7. Daily totals: 380 LF and 300 bags. Totals to-date: 14,555 LF and 16,005 bags
  • August 12, 2013 - Continued in Alt No. 6/7. Daily totals: 200 LF and 300 bags. Totals to-date: 14,175 LF and 15,705 bags
  • August 8, 2013 - Continued in Alternate Area No. 6/7. Daily totals: 200 LF and 200 bags. Totals to-date, accounting for actual work completed in-the-field: 13,875 LF and 15,405 bags.
  • August 7, 2013 - Completed Alternate No. 2/3, and continued in Alt No. 1/2 and Alt 6/7. Daily totals: 550 LF and 350 bags. Totals to-date: 13,275 LF and 15,205 bags.
  • August 6, 2013 - Completed Alternate No. 8/end, and continued in Alt No. 6/7. Daily totals: 450 LF and 500 bags. Totals to-date: 12,725 and 14,855 bags.
  • August 5, 2013 - Working in Alternate No. 8/end and No. 6/7. Daily total: 450 LF and 600 bags. Totals to-date: 12,670 LF and 14,355 bags.
  • August 3, 2013 - Rock removal at Stewart Avenue E bridge completed. Approximately 25-35 CY of rocks removed.
  • August 2, 2013 - Working in Alternate area No. 8-end; Daily total: 500 LF, 500 bags removed. Totals to-date: LF and bags.
  • August 1, 2013 - Rock removal at 56th Street E bridge was completed; approximately 10-15 CY of rocks removed. DASH worked suspended during rock removal activity for the day.
  • July 31, 2013 - Working in Alternate No. 8/end and 6/7. Daily total: 400 LF, 360 bags. Totals to-date: 11,325 LF and 13,255 bags.
  • July 30, 2013 - Completed Alternate area No. 5-6, working through Alt No. 8-end. Daily total: 500 LF, 500 bags. Totals to-date: 10,925 LF and 12,895 bags.
  • July 29, 2013 - Working in Alternate area No. 8-end and Alt No. 5-6. Daily total: 550 LF, 450 bags. Totals to-date: 10,425 and 12,395 bags.
  • July 26, 2013 - Complete Alternate area No. 4-5. Daily total: 250 LF, 200 bags. Totals to-date: 9,875 LF and 11,945 bags.
  • July 25, 2013 - Returned to Target Area No. 8 and finished remaining 220 LF. Daily total: 220 LF, 220 bags. Totals to-date: 11,745 bags, 9,625 LF.
  • July 24, 2013 - Completed Target Area No. 8. Daily total: 200 LF, 180 bags. Totals to-date: 11,525 bags, 9,405 LF.
  • July 23, 2013 - Continue in Target Areas No. 8 and Alt#4-5. Daily total: 200 LF, 180 bags. Totals to-date: 11,345 bags and 9,205 LF.
  • July 22, 2013 - Continued in Target Areas No. 8 and Alt No. 4-5. Daily total: 350 LF, 200 bags. Totals to-date: 11,165 bags and 9,005 LF.
  • July 19, 2013 - Continued in Target Areas No. 8 and Alt No. 4-5. Daily total: 200 LF, 250 bags. Totals to-date: 10,765 bags and 8,655 LF.
  • July 18, 2013 - Began work in Target Areas No. 8 and Alt No. 4-5. Daily total: 750 LF, 600 bags. Totals to-date: 10,515 bags and 8,455 LF.
  • July 17, 2013 - Completed Target Area No. 7, and the Alt No. 1-2. Daily total: 450 LF, 400 bags Totals to-date: 9,915 bags and 7,705 LF.
  • July 16, 2013 - Work continued in Target Areas No. 2 and No. 7. Daily total: 575 LF, 600 bags. Totals to-date: 9,515 bags and 7,255 LF.
  • July 15, 2013 - Completed Target Area No. 2, continued through Target Area No. 7. Contractor was awarded Alternate Bid Item A, which covers DASH in the remaining areas of the creek not yet cleared (everything outside of the "Target Areas"). Daily total: 575 LF, 400 bags. Totals to-date: 8,915 bags and 6,680 LF
  • July 12, 2013 - DASH continued in Target Areas No. 2 and No. 7 today. Daily total: 550 LF, 100 bags of elodea. Totals to-date: 8,515 bags and 6,105 LF.
  • July 11/13 - Totals to-date: 8,415 bags and 5,555 LF - work continuing!
  • July 10/13 - Totals to-date: 7,915 bags and 4,755 LF
  • July 9/13 - Totals to-date: 7,415 and 4,405 LF
  • July 8, 2013 - Totals to-date: 6,915 bags and 4,305 LF. Target Area No. 5 approximately 750 LF not yet cleared due to limited visibility into the water, contractor moving to area 6-will return to TA No. 5 when visibility improves.
  • June 27, 2013 - Began work in Target Area No. 5, working in a downstream direction; Daily total: 260 LF, 560 bags of elodea. Totals to-date: 2,815 bags and 2,310 LF.
  • June 26, 2013 - Target Area No. 4 completed today, area just downstream of Pioneer Bridge. Daily total: 300 LF, 380 bags of elodea. Totals to-date: 2,255 bags and 2,050 LF.
  • June 25, 2013 - Work continued upstream of Pioneer bridge. Target Area No. 3 complete. Daily total: 770 LF, 300 bags of elodea. Totals to-date: 1,875 bags and 1,750 LF.
  • June 24, 2013 - Work began upstream of Pioneer bridge, working downstream. Daily total: 300 LF, 730 bags of elodea. Totals to-date: 1,575 bags and 980 LF.
  • June 21, 2013 - Work began at Pioneer bridge, working upstream. Daily total: 270 linear feet, 400 bags of elodea removed. Totals to-date: 845 bags and 680 LF.
  • June 20, 2013 - DASH operations began in target area No. 3, finished at DeCoursey Pond outlet. Daily total: 210 linear feet, 270 bags of elodea removed. Totals to-date: 445 bags and 410 LF.
  • June 19, 2013 - Boats in the water near 7th Avenue SW; DASH work began today. Daily total: 200 linear feet, 175 bags of elodea removed.
  • June 18, 2013 - Contractor mobilized.