SEATTLE - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced an unexpected fix for the troubled Howard Hanson Dam Friday. The solution involves more drains and a drain tunnel. That's different from the additional 1,000 foot grout curtain that was previously considered to hold the water back.
Pres. Obama signed legislation Thursday night that clears the way for $44 million in emergency funding. The state's congressional delegation, lead by Senator Patty Murray got the money allocated.
Army Corps Col. Anthony Wright says construction will start this fall and would go through the winter.
But the work likely won't be completed until next spring, meaning that while previous grout curtains and other modifications have helped strengthen the dam since it was damaged during a massive storm in early 2009. The dam still enters this upcoming winter at less than 100 percent capacity.
Climatologists say last year's mild El Nino winter gave the dam and communities along the Green River a break. This winter appears shifting to La Nina conditions, which are likely to be wetter.
Right now, there's about a 1-in-25 chance of a major flood this winter based on engineering guidance that's been in place for months. The Corps says a new assessment is underway based on how well the grout curtain has performed and new odds for flooding should be released within the next week.
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