Bonamici delivers funding to help prevent landslides
Oct. 18—U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici stopped by Astoria on Monday to present a check that will assist in funding a city project to prevent landslides.
The city will receive over $670,000 to replace storm drainage systems in two areas prone to landslides. The funds are part of a larger omnibus package that will benefit a number of projects throughout the region.
Bonamici, in meeting with several city leaders at Columbia Memorial Hospital's parking lot, referenced jobs, public safety and meeting the needs of the community as the selling points for funding the project.
"This was a project that was worthy of advocacy because it really is about saving lives," the Oregon Democrat said. "The hospital and the homes that are in this area could be severely damaged if (or) when a landslide happens and to be able to partner with the community here and get the funding to help prevent a landslide will be good for the hospital, good for the community and likely save lives."
The locations — above the hospital and at First and Commercial streets — are two of six areas the city has identified as in need of upgrades.
Jeff Harrington, Astoria's public works director, made a plea for more funding as the city looks to tackle the other locations.
Following a series of landslides in the 1950s, storm drainage was installed to dewater those areas. Capturing and removing excess water out of landslide-prone areas is critical to minimizing movement in the land.
While the city has made efforts to repair the systems, the existing pipes have deteriorated and are no longer functioning as needed. The federal aid will help cover design and construction of the system replacement, including new storm drain inlets, storm pipe and other forms of dewatering.
The city also received funding from the state's Infrastructure Finance Authority to fully cover the $900,000 cost of the project.
Design will be completed in-house this winter. The city will look to perform construction next year, but it could be pushed to the following year.
"We want to be proactive and do anything we can to reduce the likelihood of landslides and this is one of the things we can do — one of the things we have control over," Harrington said. "We don't have control over the rainfall. We don't have control over earthquakes or bad soil. But if we can improve the drainage to reduce the likelihood of water causing the slide, we'll do that."
Bonamici also met with members of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission at Clatsop Community College's Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station campus on Monday to present another check. The funds, reaching over $750,000, will help the group upgrade and expand their coastal margin observation and prediction program for salmon habitat restoration, navigation safety and climate change resilience.
