Design, Bidding, and Construction Oversight – Bellingham, WA
CRETE led planning and design for a contaminated sediment cleanup within the I&J Waterway, Bellingham, Washington. The cleanup is being performed under an Agreed Order with the Washington State Department of Ecology, consistent with Ecology’s Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) and Sediment Management Standards (SMS).
The site is an active industrial waterway serving commercial fishing, the Coast Guard, and recreational users.
Known contamination present in surface and subsurface sediment includes: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), semi-volatile organics, nickel mercury, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins/furans.
The selected remedy involves:
- Dredging approximately 20,000 cubic yards of sediments within the federal navigation channel, vessel berthing areas, and adjacent shoreline slopes;
- Placement of a thin layer of sand to address dredge residuals and to support enhanced natural recovery;
- Demolition and reconstruction of a 4,320 square foot pile-supported dock and a 300-foot creosote timber bulkhead;
- Armoring of the shoreline slopes to protect against prop-wash and wave erosion; and
- Integration of design elements to adapt for sea level rise.
Work Performed
- Field investigation and analysis
- Regulatory negotiations – Washington Department of Ecology
- Permitting – in-water cleanup (federal, state and local permitting)
- Shoreline and sediment cleanup
- Construction plans and specifications
- Construction oversight
- For Construction Bid Documents (Public Port)
- CRETE assisted the client with development and negotiation of the cleanup remedy, conducted environmental, geotechnical, and structural site investigations, and is currently finalizing the construction contract documents and permit applications for the cleanup.
Value Added
- Successfully worked with client and regulatory agencies to develop a cost-effective remedy to address the project cleanup objectives, while also restoring the federal navigational channel and improving berthing access and docking facilities for vessels reporting to the site
- Performed comprehensive geotechnical and structural stability analyses to support design of demolition activities, deep dredge cuts, and reconfiguration of the shoreline slope and new dock and bulkhead structures
- Incorporated provisions into design to accommodate up to 50 inches of sea level rise in accordance with City of Bellingham Municipal Code planning requirements
- Completed 30/60/90% design and permit documents with minimal client or agency comments on a fast-track schedule