Walla Walla’s Russell Creek Canal to undergo rehabilitation
By Dan Thesman on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District has awarded a $1.9 million contract to Northbank Civil & Marine, Inc. to conduct a rehabilitation and improvement project on Russell Creek Canal, part of the Mill Creek Flood Control Project near Walla Walla.
USACE staff describe the Russell Creek Canal as vital to the operation of Bennington Lake as a reservoir for Mill Creek during flood events. Due to its age, sealant in the canal’s expansion joints has begun deteriorating resulting in erosion.
The rehabilitation and improvement project will focus on resealing the expansion joints, stabilizing areas of erosion, along with removing hazardous debris from the canal channel. Improvements will include the expansion of a non-public access road for future maintenance and flood monitoring, the planting of stabilizing grasses to prevent natural debris from sloughing into the channel, and the addition of power service to the Mill Creek Dam lower valve house to support safety lighting for maintenance and flood response personnel.
This project is projected to begin this month and run through July.
MyCB photo via Dan Thesman
