In mid-July, Simpson will begin working placing the sediment cap in the southwest harbor. The contractor staging area for gravel storage and barge operations is a fenced area on Highway 3 near the Shelton Yacht Club. Trucks will be bringing gravel through downtown Shelton to the staging area. The gravel will be loaded on barges, moved across the bay, and placed in the southwest corner of the harbor. The construction activities at the staging area are subjected to a construction stormwater general permit. The permit requires the contractor to manage stormwater to prevent any soils or muddy water from leaving the staging area. The barge operations are required to use careful construction practices to avoid stirring up contaminated sediments, and there is a requirement for water testing in Shelton Harbor to make sure the construction does not cause muddy water to spread beyond the construction zone.

West Oakland Bay Habitat Restoration Project

Also in mid-July, construction of the western part of the Squaxin Island Tribe/South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group West Oakland Bay Restoration project will begin. Contractors will be placing sand and gravel that is stockpiled on the Sierra Pacific Mill over the past winter into waters at the western edge of Shelton Harbor to create a shallower zone that will evolve into a saltmarsh environment.