EPA-10-WA-CLARK-POV-CL-77
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
for
VANCOUVER LAKE RECLAMATION STUDY
PORT OF VANCOUVER
CLARK COUNTY, WASHINGTON
NOVEMBER 19 77
Prepared By
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION X
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98101

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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
VANCOUVER LAKE RECLAMATION STUDY
PORT OF VANCOUVER
CLARK COUNTY, WASHINGTON
EPA-lO-WA-CLARK-PQV-CL-77
Prepared By
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region X
Seattle, Washington 98101
With Technical Assistance By
Wilsey and Ham
222 S.W, Harrison
Portland. Oregon 97201
FOR
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL:
October 12, 197
Date

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY	i
SECTION I INTRODUCTION	1
Project Location and Grant Applicant	1
Project Objectives and Major Features	1
Project History	3
EPA's Environmental Responsibilities	4
Citizen Concerns and Issues	4
Consultation with Others	5
SECTION II EXISTING CONDITIONS	6
Climate	6
Air Quality	7
Topography and Setting	7
Geology	7
Soils	8
Hydrology and Flood Hazards	10
Water Quality	14
Fisheries	23
Wildlife/Vegetation	24
Significant Wildlife Areas	27
Population Growth and Projections	29
Population Characteristics	30
Economic Base	32
Land Use Plans and Policies	32
Land Ownership	37
208 Areawide Wastewater Management Plan	37
Recreation Plans and Policies	37
Recreation Demand	38
Historical Archaeological Resources	40
SECTION III ALTERNATIVES AND THEIR EFFECTS	41
Alternative Selection Process	41
Impact Evaluation	41
ALTERNATIVE #1 - NO ACTION	43
Air Quality	43
Topography	43
Hydrology and Flood Hazard	43
Water Quality	44
Fisheries	44
Vegetation/Wildlife	45
Significant Wildlife Areas	45
Population Growth/Economic Base	45
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT.)
Land Use Plans and Policies	45
208 Water Quality Planning	45
Recreation	46
Archaeological and Historical Resources	46
Short-Term Resource Use vs. Long-Term Productivity	46
Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of
Resources	46
Mitigating Measures	46
ALTERNATIVE #2 - SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT	48
Alternative #2A - Dredging of 12-15 Million
Cubic Yards	54
Air Quality	54
Topography	54
Soils	55
Hydrology and Flood Hazard	55
Water Quality	57
Fisheries	64
Vegetation/Wildlife	66
Significant Wildlife Areas	67
Population Growth/Economic Base	69
Land Use Plans & Policies	69
208 Areawide Wastewater Management Program	69
Recreation	70
Historical and Archaeological Resources	70
Mitigating Measures	71
Short-Term Resource vs. Long-Term Productivity	71
Irreversible and Irretrievable Resource
Commi tments	72
Alternative #2B - Dredging of 8-10 Million Cubic Yards	73
Air Quality	73
Topography	73
Soils	73
Hydrology and Flood Hazards	73
Water Quality	73
Fisheries	74
Vegetation/Wildlife	74
Significant Wildlife Areas	74
208 Areawide Wastewater Management Program	74
Recreation	74
Archaeological & Historical Resources	75
Mitigating Measures	75
Short-Term Resource vs. Long-Term Productivity	75
Irreversible and Irretrievable Resource	75
Alternative #2C - Dredging of 6 Million Cubic Yards
and Under	76
Hydrology	76
Water Quality	76
Fisheries	76
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT.)
Vegetation/Wildlife	76
Significant Wild!ife Areas	77
Short-Term Resource vs. Long-Term Productivity	77
Irreversible and Irretrievable Resource	77
ALTERNATIVE #3 - DISPOSAL MATERIAL PLACEMENT	78
Alternative 3A - Land Disposal	78
Alternative 3B - Shoreline/In-Water Disposal	80
Mitigating Measures	80
ALTERNATIVE H - DREDGING METHODS	81
ALTERNATIVE #5 - DREDGED MATERIAL
HANDLING METHODS	83
FOOTNOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AGENCY INFORMATION SOURCES
III

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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
6
9
15
17
20
22
29
30
30
31
31
-3;
-3;
51
61
62
63
LIST OF TABLES
Title
Temperature arid Precipitation Data for Vancouver Area
Soils Characteristics
Concentrations of Major Ions
Water Quality Data
Columbia River Concentrations - Major Ions
Trace Element Concentrations, Columbia River
Population Growth 1960-1970
Clark County Population Projections
Age Distribution
Income Distribution
Residential Mobility
Existing Land Use
Land Ownership
Characteristics of Potential Disposal Sites
Columbia River Nutrient Content
Phosphorus Loading from Columbia River
Relationship of Mean Depth and Residence Time
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
LIST OF FIGURES
Title	Between Pages
Vicinity Map	2-3
Topography	7-8
Soils	8-9
Proposed Preliminary Diking
Improvements	14-15
Spawning Areas	18-19
Vegetation	24-25
Significant Wildlife Areas	28-29
Existing Land Use	32-33
Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan	34-35
Land Ownership	35-37
Proposed Recreation Zones	38-39
Dredging and Spoils Disposal Plan 48-49
Annual Phosphorus Loading to
Vancouver Lake	62-63
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SUMMARY
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
VANCOUVER LAKE RESTORATION
1.	Type of Statement: Draft (X) Final ( )
2.	Type of Action: Administrative (X) Legislative ( )
3.	Description of Action:
The subject action for this environmental impact statement is the
awarding of grant funds to the Port of Vancouver for the rehabili
tation and restoration of Vancouver Lake. The primary objective
1n the restoration of Vancouver Lake is to improve the water
quality and lake conditions to the extent that residents of Clark
County and the greater Portland metropolitan area can use and
enjoy the lake for recreational purposes. Gradual pollution and
sediment input into Vancouver Lake, compounded by major silt
deposition during the 1948 flood, has resulted in lake depths of
only 1-4 feet and water quality which is characterized by high
levels of bacteriological pollution, excessive organic and in-
organic nutrients, blue-green algae, weeds, sediments and tur-
bidity. The measures outlined in the Master Plan for the Re-
habilitation of Vancouver Lake, as discussed below, are pro-
posed to improve the water quality and increase the depth of the
lake to the extent that water-oriented recreation may occur
within and adjacent to the lake.
The Port of Vancouver is the primary project sponsor and has com-
missioned numerous studies of Vancouver Lake Rehabilitation over
the past ten years. These have included studies by Washington
State University as well as by the engineering firm of Stevens,
Thompson and Runyon. During 1976-77 the Port retained the con-
sulting firm of Dames and Moore to prepare a Pilot Dredge Study
for Vancouver Lake. The intent of this study was to specifically
investigate the engineering and environmental factors related to
dredging, dredged material placement and spoil conditioning. A
variety of dredging and disposal methods were evaluated and the
merits and applicability of various equipment possibilities were
tested.
In addition, the restoration of Vancouver Lake is a major ele-
ment in the Section 208 Areawide Wastewater Management Plan,
currently being prepared by the Regional Planning Council of
Clark County and funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The other two work elements include reduction of point source
pollution from Burnt Bridge Creek and reduction or elimination
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of future pollutants from non-point sources. The restoration plans
for Vancouver Lake represent approximately 30 percent of the effort
being expended within the 208 program. The consulting firm of
Dames and Moore recently completed a Master Plan for the Rehabili-
tation of Vancouver Lake which outlines specific lake restoration
and maintenance measures. The Clark County Regional Planning Coun-
cil is scheduled to adopt the Master Plan at their late October
meeting. The Burnt Bridge Creek Management Plan is currently
being reprinted in final form and is also scheduled for adoption
in late October. The draft report, outlining measures to reduce
or eliminate future pollutants due to non-point sources, will be
available for public review during October, Of primary corcern
in that report are animal wastes resulting from agricultural
activities and urban drainage resulting from residential uses and
new construction activities.
The Grant Application and Master Plan for the Rehabilitation of
Vancouver Lake outlined three major steps to be taken to achieve
restoration of the lake: 1) dredging the lake to enhance recrea-
tional use opportunities, improve water circulation and remove a
portion of the polluted bottom sediments, 2) construction of a
flushing channel to bring Columbia River water into the lake thus
diluting the currently polluted water and enhancing the water
circulation within the lake, and 3) reducing the non-point
waste sources which have contributed to the present water quality
degradation. In addition, construction of major sewage collec-
tion facilities within the Burnt Bridge Creek drainage area are
expected to limit the future pollutants entering the lake from
that source.
The following alternatives are considered in this draft environ-
mental impact statement:
Alternative
1
No Action
A1ternative
2
Scale of Development

2A
12-15 Million Cubic Yards of Dredging

2B
8-10 Million Cubic Yards of Dredging

2C
6 or Less Million Cubic Yards of Dredging
Alternative
3
Disposal Material Placement

3A
Land Disposal

3B
Shoreline Disposal

3C
Combination of Land and Shoreline Disposal
A1ternative
4
Dredging Methods
Alternative
5
Dredged Material Handling Methods
Alternative 2 - Scale of Development is the most significant alter-
native discussion since the design of the flushing channel and the
non-point source waste control measures are consistent throughout the
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program. Alternatives 2A, 2B and 2C evaluate the effects of dredging,
and thus disposing, of significantly different quantities of bottom
sediments from the lake. Potential disposal sites were screened
by the Regional Planning Council of Clark County and Dames and Moore
and were included within the Master Plan for Rehabilitation of
Vancouver Lake. Only those disposal sites included within the
Master Plan were evaluated in this draft environmental impact
statement.
4. Summary of Environmental Impacts and Adverse Environmental Effects:
While the majority of the beneficial effects of the project relate
to the increased recreational use of the lake resulting from the
improved water quality, the majority of the adverse environmental
effects would relate to the disposal of the dredged materials.
These impacts and their magnitudes will vary according to the
alternatives proposed. Alternative 1 represents a no action
alternative which presumes that the Environmental Protection
Agency would not provide grant funds for assistance with lake
restoration. If that were to occur, it is doubtful that local
funding sources would be sufficient to support the project,
therefore lake restoration as currently planned would not occur.
The result of selection of Alternative 1 would be continued
eutrophication of Vancouver Lake, and no future increased
development of recreation use and facilities around the lake.
Alternative 2 defines the various levels of dredging that could
be done to accomplish lake restoration, ranging from a maximum
of 12-15 million cubic yards to a minimum of 6 million cubic
yards or less. While dredging of 15 million cubic yards would
maximize both water quality and recreation benefits, Alternative
2B would maximize water quality benefits, but delete the con-
struction of the proposed sailing course. The Master Plan for
Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake states that the minimim amount
of dredging necessary to achieve the necessary water quality
benefits would be 8.1 million cubic yards, therefore, it is
questionable whether selection of Alternative 2C would result
in any discernible beneficial effects.
Selection of either alternative 2A or 2B would result in halting
the further eutrophication processes in Vancouver Lake. In-
creasing the flushing flow and water circulation in the lake
coupled with control of pollution sources should result in
increased water quality. However, it is believed that in order
to provide water quality sufficient for water contact sports,
groundwater must be pumped along the swimming beach.
The major benefits resulting from lake restoration would accrue
to area recreationists. The Port of Vancouver has calculated
that recreation benefits would equal or exceed $4,000,000 annually
as a result of park development and other features which would
provide for picnicking, fishing, sailing, hunting, hiking and
other recreational pursuits.
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The major adverse effects resulting from the project would be
associated with the disposal of the bottom sediments dredged
from the lake. A variety of wetland habitats exist around
Vancouver Lake, preservation of which is strongly encouraged
by Presidential directive and Environmental Protection Agency
policy. EPA is currently conducting a study of these wetlands
to determine their classification, value and role in the local
ecosystem. Once these wetlands have been classified, it will
be possible to determine the effects which would result from
disposal of dredged materials on portions of those areas. In
addition, much of the land around the lake is in productive
agricultural use or is slated for future industrial use. Place-
ment of dredged materials on those lands would result in loss of
future productivity and could be determined to be in conflict
with the adopted Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan.
Measures to mitigate short term impacts of the project resulting
from dredging and the disposal of dredged materials are outlined
in detail in the Master Plan for the Rehabilitation of Vancouver
Lake.
5. Comments
The following State, Federal and local agencies and interested groups
were invited to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement:
FEDERAL AGENCIES
Council on Environmental Quality
U. S. Department of Agriculture
U. S. Department of Defense
U. S. Department of Interior
U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
U. S. Department of Transportation
Federal Energy Office
National Marine Fisheries Service
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Warren G. Magnuson, U.S. Senate
Henry M. Jackson, U.S. Senate
STATE AGENCIES
Office of the Governor
Department of Ecology
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Department of Fisheries
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Game
Department of Social and Health Services
Department of Commerce & Economic Development
The State Ecology Commission
State Parks and Recreation Commission
State Oceanographic Commission
State Utility and Transportation Commission
LOCAL AGENCIES & INTERESTED GROUPS
City of Vancouver
City of Vancouver Public Library
Port of Vancouver
Regional Planning Council of Clark County
Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
Clark County Public Works
Clark County Parks Department
Port of Richfield
Diking Improvement District #14
Vancouver Lake Sailing Club
Alcoa
Washington State University
Dames & Moore
National Wildlife Federation
Sierra Club
League of Women Voters
Audubon Society
Ernest Q. Miller - Vancouver Wildlife League Alex Tyrpak
INDIVIDUALS
John Coop
John DeBenedem
Bob Bottman
Jerry 01 in
Lee Lis ton
Harley Mays
John Roe
Mr. & Mrs. Donald H. Tilson
Rich Kosterman
John Winther
Robert K. Laus
James N. Crane
Gretchen Starke
Kent Anderson
David L. Hickman
John Neel
Nancy Jackson - KVAN
Russ Maynard
Yvonne Viers
H. L. Firestone
Kit Metlen
Alan Ham
James F. Nelson
Maria A. Shirts
Paul Norman
Jim Kosterman
Larry Lange - The Columbian
Glenn H. Hough, P.E.
Norman L. Glenn - DOE
Dept. Natural Resources
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Garland Pittman
Mary Legry - League of Women Voters
Francis J. Mortek
Lloyd H. Kessler
Larry Swatosh
Earl R. Kadow
Don Monbrod
Merril Firestone
Mary G. Baur
Ernie L. Dyer
Pierre Henrichsen -
Washington State High Dept.
John Thomas
This Draft Environmental Impact Statement was made available to the
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the public on ^
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SECTION I - INTRODUCTION
Project Location and Grant Applicant
As shown in Figure 1, Vancouver Lake is located adjacent to the City of
Vancouver in southwestern Clark County, within the greater Portland
metropolitan area. A combination of dredging, flushing and pollution
control measures are being proposed to rehabilitate this 2,600 acre,
eutrophic lake. Agriculture is the predominant land use adjacent to
the lake although significant recreational parcels are located on the
west and south shorelines. Industrial activity occurs south of the
lake, including a large Alcoa plant. The only residential uses in the
proximity of the lake occur in conjunction with farming.
Vancouver Lake drains a watershed of approximately 19,000 acres. Its
major tributary is Burnt Bridge Creek which enters the lake from the
southeast. Water from Vancouver Lake flows into Columbia River via Lake
River. The hydrologic and water quality characteristics of these
waterways are discussed in detail in Section II.
The Port of Vancouver has requested a grant of federal funds to assist
in restoration of the lake as outlined in Section 314 of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act Amendment of 1972 (PL 92-500). Section 314
authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to expend federal funds
to assist with programs that will restore publicly owned freshwater
lakes. The Port of Vancouver has requested federal grant assistance to
cover $4,139,000 of the projected $8,278,000 rehabilitation costs.
Additional state funding in the amount of $1,837,500 would be received
through Washington State Department of Ecology's Lake Rehabilitation
Program. The remainder of the necessary funds would come from local
sources either through direct costs incurred by the Port of Vancouver
or through in-kind contributions from Clark County and Diking Im-
provement District 14. (A more detailed discussion of project costs
can be found in Section III). The Port of Vancouver is the imple-
menting agency and would be responsible for project construction
and maintenance.
The restoration of Vancouver Lake has been adopted as a significant
element in the Section 208 Area-Wide Waste Treatment Management planning
program currently being prepared by the Regional Planning Council of
Clark County. Roughly 30 percent of the total 208 grant is being utilized
for studies to determine the best and most cost effective means to
achieve lake restoration.
Project Objectives and Major Features
Section 314 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of
1972 (PL 92-500) established the Clean Lakes Program, the primary intent
of which is to restore publically owned freshwater lakes which have
experienced historic water quality degradation. The approach to the
rehabilitation is defined as twofold: 1) restricting the input of
undesirable materials, and 2) providing in-lake treatment for the removal
or inactivation of undesirable materials.
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The primary objective in the restoration of Vancouver Lake is to improve
the water quality and lake conditions to the extent that residents of
Clark County and the greater Portland metropolitan area can use the lake
for recreational purposes. After the restoration has been completed,
proposed recreation uses include swimming, fishing, sailing, hunting,
canoeing, and picnicking. With the exception of swimming, all of those
recreation uses currently occur at the lake, however, boating, sailing
and fishing use is often curtailed due to insufficient water depths.
Gradual pollution and sediment input into Vancouver Lake compounded by
major silt deposition during the 1948 flood, has occurred historically,
to the point that the lake now averages 1 to 4 feet in depth and is
characterized by high levels of bacteriological pollution, excessive
organic and inorganic nutrients, blue-green algae, weeds, sediment, and
other water quality problems.
The grant application prepared by the Port of Vancouver outlines the
following sources of water pollution and sedimentation:
"Urbanization in the Burnt Bridge Creek drainage basin has sub-
stantially increased storm water runoff and associated silt loads
in the creek, which in turn deposits sediments and pollutants in
the lake. Subsoils conditions over much of the basin are unsuit-
able for subsurface disposal of domestic wastewater, so that septic
tank effluent enters the stream. Runoff from agricultural crop
lands into Burnt Bridge Creek also results in a seasonal problem.
During periods of tidal inflow, the direction of flow in Lake River
is reversed, and Vancouver Lake serves as a receiving body of water
for pollutants from dairy farms, crop lands, boat moorages and a
number of Lake River tributaries. The largest such tributary is
Salmon Creek, which carries nutrients and silt load from a develop-
ing drainage basin characterized by significant agricultural,
gravel mining and construction activities.
Non-point waste sources* adjacent to Vancouver Lake consist pre-
dominantly of runoff from pasture and crop lands. Drainage from
roads, railroad facilities, parking lots and lawns may also con-
tribute pollutants to the lake. There are no direct municipal,
storm water or industrial discharges into Vancouver Lake.
The worst conditions of water quality in Vancouver Lake prevail
during late summer and early fall, when the potential for water-
oriented recreation is optimum. During this low water period, the
availability of nutrients such as phosphate and nitrates is great
because of less quantity of water for dilution. This condition
coupled with favorable water temperature promotes algae growth,
* Non-point source is defined as a generalized discharge of waste into
a water body which cannot be located as to a specific source. Conversely,
point source is defined as a specific site from which identifiable and
often measurable quantities of recognizable pollutants derive.
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1 VICINITY MAP

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which in turn adversely affects other water quality parameters...
According to the Water Quality Management Plan Summary Report by
CH2M/Hill (April, 1974), Vancouver Lake does not meet state water
quality standards and is unacceptable for the following uses: fish
and wildlife, drinking, swimming, viewing and boating." (1)
The restoration program recommended by the Grant Applicant has three
major components: "(1) dredging the lake to remove the most polluted
sediments and enhance recreational use opportunities; (2) construct a
flushing channel to bring Columbia River water into the lake, and (3)
reducing the non-point waste sources which have contributed to the
present water quality degradation." (2) The applicant believes that all
three efforts are necessary in order to restore the lake to water quality
and depth conditions that will allow public recreation use.
Project History
Since the late 1920's, various methods have been proposed for increasing
the use of Vancouver Lake. Early proposals centered around increased
industrial use of the lake, while later proposals have emphasized recreation
and the necessary water quality improvements to provide an adequate
recreational setting.
In the 1920's local farmers proposed that Vancouver Lake be drained and
used for cropland. This plan was abandoned, and in 1948 it was proposed
that Vancouver Lake be dredged to a depth that would permit the mothballing
of Liberty Ships within the lake. This proposal integrated with Port of
Vancouver desires to use the lake vicinity for industrial purposes and the
Port and Vancouver Chamber of Commerce were the primary agents in support
of that plan. Recreation was a part of this proposed industrial develop-
ment, but played a secondary role. In 1966, the Port of Vancouver prepared
a second major development plan for Vancouver Lake which included construction
of a barge channel into the lake and barge loading facilities within the
lake, as well as significant recreation facilities.
In 1968 a new plan for lake use was developed which placed primary emphasis
on recreation use. Current State of Washington law allows Port authorities
to become involved in recreational facilities only if approved by the
local government having jurisdiction and if consistent with adopted plans
and programs. Both of these criteria have been met by the 1968 plan,
as revised and currently proposed.
In 1966 the Port of Vancouver and the Washington Department of Ecology
contracted with Washington State University to prepare a series of water
quality studies for Vancouver Lake and to propose methods for rehabilita-
tion of the lake. Since that time, a number of private contracts have
been awarded to study and design various aspects of the proposed restoration
program.
The primary concern throughout the study and design process has been the
significant cost of restoring Vancouver Lake to full public use. Even
with the combination of state and local funds, the necessary financial
resources have not been available at the local level to fully implement
the necessary steps. When the federal Environmental Protection Agency
was formed, the Port of Vancouver made initial inquiries into the availability
of federal funding assistance. Since EPA instituted the Clean Lakes
Program, these efforts have been pursued in earnest.
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EPA's Environmental Responsibilities
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) Public Law 91-190,
requires all federal agencies to "...utilize a systematic, interdisciplinary
approach which will insure the integrated use of the natural and social
sciences and the environmental design arts in planning and in decision
making which may have an impact on man's environment..." Section 102
(2)(c) of that act also requires the agency to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) on, "...major federal actions significantly
affecting the quality of the human environment..." This is to be accom-
plished in consultation with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ),
established by Title II of the act.
Through Section 314 of PL 92-500, EPA has the authority to make grants to
state or local public agencies for the restoration of publically owned
freshwater lakes. Concurrent with this authority is the responsibility
to assure that federal funds will produce a project that will have maximum
beneficial effects on the environment and minimum adverse effects.
The public laws quoted above, along with the CEQ and EPA regulations,
constitute the authority and responsibility for the preparation of
environmental impact statements on lake restoration programs.
Citizen Concerns and Issues
A variety of citizen and special interest groups have been involved in
the preparation of the current Vancouver Lake Restoration Program. In
the early 1970's the Vancouver Lake Task Force was appointed by the
Clark County Commissioners to prepare a specific land use plan for the
project area. That plan has been adopted by the county and integrated
into the draft county land use plan which is presently under review.
As part of Clark County Regional Planning Council's 208 program efforts,
a Vancouver Lake Technical Advisory Committee was formed to review and
comment on the implementation program. This TAC is composed of local
agency personnel, federal and state resource agency personnel, repre-
sentatives from the local Park Board, lake front property owners and
local business people. The group meets monthly to review specific
design proposals and has spent considerable time and effort on the
delineation of acceptable dredged spoil disposal areas. The Regional
Planning Council staff feels that achieving consensus among this group
on project features will insure general public support for the project.
Support for the proposed project appears to be county-wide and includes
a wide variety of diverse groups including local business organizations
as well as recreation groups. The Port of Vancouver has received
official project endorsements from a large number of public and civic
organizations, and reports that no one group has ever publically ex-
pressed opposition to the proposal.
In conjunction with the preparation of this Draft Environmental Statement,
a public information meeting was held in Vancouver on June 16th. The
purpose of the meeting was to review preliminary findings and to receive
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input from local residents. Issues which generated the most dis-
cussion at that meeting included: 1) water quality benefits of the
proposed project, 2) cost of construction and maintenance, 3) cost
of providing the recreation facilities, in particular the sailing
course, and 4) the relationship between lake rehabilitation and future
industrial use.
Consultation With Others
The following agencies or groups were contacted in relationship to
the data collection and analysis phases of this document:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Department of Interior
U. S. Soil Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Environmental
Resources and Flood Management Branches)
Washington State Department of Fisheries
Washington State Department of Game
Washington State Department of Environmental Quality (Air Quality,
Water Quality and Natural Resources Division)
Washington State Historic Preservation Officer
Washington State Archaeology Department
Clark College
Port of Vancouver
Clark County Regional Planning Council
Clark County Parks Department
Clark County Public Utilities District
Southwest Air Pollution Control Authority
Columbia Region Association of Governments
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SECTION II. EXISTING CONDITIONS
CIimate
The Vancouver Lake area experiences a predominantly temperate marine
climate, typical of western Washington and northwestern Oregon. It
is characterized by mild, wet winters and moderately warm, dry summers.
The climate reflects the influence of the Coast Range to the west plus
the Cascade Range and the Columbia River Gorge to the east. In the
six month period from April through September 25 percent of the total
annual precipitation occurs (see Table 1), while 75 percent of the
precipitation occurs between October and March.
TABLE 1
Temperature and Precipitation
Data for Vancouver Area

Average
Average



Daily
Dai ly
Average


Maximum
Minimum
Total
Average

Temperature
Temperature
Precipitation
Snowfall
Month




January
44.5°F
33.1°F
5.6 Inc.
5.1 In
February
49.3
35.4
4.4
.8
March
55.0
38.3
4.0
(4)
Apri 1
62.8
42.4
2.3
(4)
May
69.2
47.2
2.0
0
June
73.2
51.9
1.9
0
July
79.8
55.1
.5
0
August
79.7
54.7
.7
0
September
75.4
51.5
1.6
0
October
64.4
46.0
3.6
(4)
November
52.6
38.8
5.6
(4)
December
47.1
36.2
6.7
(4)
Annual
62.7
44.2
39.0
5.9
1.	The annual precipitation was 62.65 inches for the wettest year
and 25.74 inches for the driest year. The greatest monthly
precipitation was 15.04 inches.
2.	The highest temperature on record is 105°F.
3.	The lowest temperature on record is -10°F.
4.	Trace
Source: Department of Commerce National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration, 1976.
The average January temperature is 38°F, with an average minimum temperature
of 33°F. The July average temperature is 67°F, with a maximum daily
average of 80°F. Total average snowfall for January is 5.1 inches,
while the average yearly snowfall is 8.4 inches. Annual total precipitation
in the area averages 37 inches.
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Air Quality
The Vancouver Lake area is not specifically monitored for air quality
measurements. However, there are several stations located to the south
and to the east of the lake. These stations monitor suspended particulates,
and certain stations in the area have recorded routine ambient air
standards violations. Primary sources of this type of pollution are
industrial, and Allied Chemical Corporation and the Carborundum Company
have been identified as significant contributors. Other sources of
suspended particulates are plywood processing, grain handling, and
building activities. Because of consistent violations of the state and
federal air quality standards, the Southwest Air Pollution Control
Authority (a five county municipal corporation) will closely review any
proposals for expansion within the Vancouver industrial area. All future
development or alteration of industrial activites in the area must gain
approval from the Air Pollution Control Authority, to ensure that local
air quality is not further jeoparized.
Other parameters of air pollution, such as carbon monoxide and sulfur
dioxide, are not monitored in the Vancouver Lake area.
Topography and Setting
Vancouver Lake lies to the northwest, and adjacent to, the City of
Vancouver, in the southwestern portion of Clark County. The lake is
approximately 2,600 acres in surface area, with water depths ranging
between one and four feet. The lands to the northwest and south are
low-lying flatlands, and subject to seasonal flooding. The Columbia
River, which flows within one mile of the southwestern shore, has both
tidal and seasonal freshet influence on the lake. The lowlands lying
between the lake and Columbia River have an elevation of from 10 to 20
feet Mean Sea Level (MSL). The northeast border of the lake, however,
is characterized by bluffs rising to the Felida-Lakeshore area, with an
average elevation of 200 feet MSL. (See Figure 2)
The main inflow to Vancouver Lake is Burnt Bridge Creek, which enters in
the southeast corner of the lake. This stream drains approximately 17,660
acres of Clark County, for several miles to the east. The lake outflow
is through Lake River, which drains from the north end of the lake. Lake
River is a slow moving river, joined 2 miles north (downstream) of the
lake by Salmon Creek. Salmon Creek drains a watershed that extends beyond
Battle Ground to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.
The surrounding lowlands of Vancouver Lake were formed by Columbia River
depositions. The present location of the lake is believed to have been
the old course of the Columbia. Most of the low lying ground is seasonally
flooded, except where dikes now control surface waters.
Geology
Vancouver Lake is believed to have been the old river course of the
Columbia River. Over the years as the Columbia shifted its course,
7

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substantial deposits of alluvium were left behind. These alluvial
deposits eventually cut off the lake waters from the main river course,
causing the formation of the current land composed of mixed sands and
silts. The Troutdale formation is found to the northeast where the
bluff begins its ascent. It is a sandstone and conglomerate mix, exposed
almost exclusively along the bluff face. Lying above the Troutdale are
Lacustrine deposits of unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt, and clay, of
detaic origin. The area south of Burnt Bridge Creek is similar in
origin and nature to the Lacustrine deposits on the bluff, but contain
more substantial gravel components.
Soils
Four principal soil series are represented in the Vancouver Lake area.
The Sauvie soil series predominates in the lands to the west and the
south of the lake, while the Wind River soil series is the principal
soil found south of Burnt Bridge Creek. In the bluff areas to the
northeast of the lake, the Hillsboro series is the primary soil type.
Occurrence of the Newberg series is less frequent, and it is found in
strips along the Columbia River shore. The general location of each soils
series is mapped on Figure 3. Map symbols, capability classifications
and slopes are shown on Table 2.
The Sauvie series is the most significant soil group found in the project
area, as it covers the greatest area of land and is the most intensively
formed. It consists of deep, moderately well drained to poorly drained,
sloping soils. Formed in river alluvium, the soils are generally loamy
and typical of local bottomlands. The native vegetation consists of
willows, cottonwoods, ash, and various grasses. The Sauvie series is
represented by four varieties, ranging in slope from 0 to 8 percent.
All four varieties (map symbols SpB, SmA, SmB, and SnA) are considered
to have high fertility, and a high available water capacity. Except
when certain soils are wet, tillage is considered easy. Erosion is
slight, except where the Columbia River floodwaters may scour. Heavy
winter precipitation, along with spring river freshets, causes a seasonal
high water table. The soils all have a capability II rating with minor
individual restrictions (see Table 2). Truck crops, row crops, hay and
pasture are typical uses of these soils.
The Wind River soils series predominates in the Burnt Bridge Creek area,
much of which has been converted from agricultural to urban uses. The
soils consist of deep, somewhat excessively drained soils, on nearly level
to very steep slopes. These gravelly soils, of mixed origin, were formed on
Columbia River alluvium. Permeability is moderately rapid in the upper
part of the soil, but water tends to perch above a depth of 24 inches.
Where the slope is 10 percent or greater, the soil carries a severe
limitation for septic tank suitability. Typical native vegetation is
Douglas fir, grand fir, Oregon white oak, hazel, dogwood, salal and vine
maple. The soils found in the 0-8 percent slopes (map symbol WnB) have
the best agricultural capabilities classification (Ille), and cover the
majority of the Burnt Bridge Creek area. When in crop production, the
Wind River series is used mainly for pasture, tree fruits, nuts, and row
crops.
8

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TABLE 2
SOILS CHARACTERISTICS



Capability

Soil Name
Map Symbol
Classification
Slope
Sauvie silt loam
Sm
A
II w
0-3%
Sauvie silt loam
Sm
B
II e
3-8%
Sauvie silt loam,




sandy substratum
Sn
A
II w
0-3%
Sauvie silty clay loam
Sp
B
II w
0-8%
Hillsboro loam
HI
B
II e
3-8%
Hillsboro loam
HI
E
IV e
20-30%
Hillsboro loam
HI
F
VI e
30-50%
Hillsboro silt loam
Ho
A
I
0-3
Hillsboro silt loam
Ho
B
II e
3-8
Hillsboro silt loam
Ho
C
III e
8-15
Hillsboro silt loam
Ho
D
III e
15-20
Hillsboro silt loam
Ho
E
IV e
20-30
Hillsboro silt loam
Ho
G
VI e
30-65
Wind River sandy loam
Wn
B
III e
0-8
Wind River sandy loam
Wn
D
IV e
8-20
Wind River sandy loam
Wn
G
VI e
30-65

Nb
A


Newberg silt loam
Nb
B
I
0-3
Newberg silt loam


II e
3-8
Cove silty clay loam
Cv
A
V w
0-3
Gee silt loam
Ge
B
III e
0-8
Lauren gravelly loam
Lg
B
III e
0-8
Odne silt loam
Oa
B
IV w
0-5
Pilchuck fine sand
Ph
B
VI s
0-8
Fill land
Fn

VIII w

Riverwash (sandy)	Ra
Rough broken land	Ro
9

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The Newberg soil series is located in bands along the Columbia River
shoreline (see Soils Map, NbA and NbB). It consists of deep, well-
drained loamy soils that have developed mainly in recent river alluvium.
Located on the floodplains, the slope range is from 0 to 8 percent.
Available water capacity and fertility are high, and there is no erosion
hazard. The soils have a good agricultural capabilities rating, and
typically produce truck crops, row crops, hay and pasture.
The Hillsboro soil series covers almost the entire area above the bluff
to the northeast of the lake. The soils consist of well-drained, deep
soils on terraces formed atop old Columbia River alluvium. This medium-
textured soils type is among the most productive soils found in Clark
County. The native floral groups representative of the Hillsboro series
are Douglas fir, grand fir, big leaf maple, dogwood, salal, Oregon grape
and vine maple. When cultivated, typical crops are pole beans, straw-
berries, sweet corn, cucumbers, and other truck crops, as well as hay
and pasture. The Hillsboro varieties range considerably in capability
classification (see Table 2), primarily due to slope.
Other soils occurring within the project area are scattered and found
only on small parcels. They are represented on Figure 3 and their
agricultural capabilities and restrictions are designated in Table 2.
Soils associations and series are rated for generalized agricultural
capability on a scale from Class I to Class VIII. Class I soils have
few limitations which would restrict their use for agricultural purposes
and are considered to be the most productive soils for crop growing.
Class VIII soils and land forms have limitations that preclude their use
for the growing of any cultivated plants and restrict their use to
recreation, wildlife, water supply or aesthetic purposes. Classes II
through VII are gradations between those two extremes. Capability
subclasses are defined as follows and designated on Table 2.
E - indicates that the main limitation is risk of erosion unless close-
growing plant cover is maintained,
W - indicates that water in or on the soil interferes with plant growth
or cultivation.
S - indicates that the soil is limited mainly because it is shallow,
droughty or stoney.
Within the project area, the majority of the soils fall within capability
Classes II and III.
Hydrology and Flood Hazards
Vancouver Lake
Vancouver Lake covers approximately 2,600 acres and drains a watershed
encompassing about 19,000 acres. The average shoreline length is about
10

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eight miles. Along the northeastern shoreline of the lake are high
bluffs which have been developed for residences. The western shoreline
parallels Columbia River and is separated from the river by marshy or
sandy lowlands. The southern edge of the lake is adjacent to a marshy
area known as Mulligan Slough which appears to have once been a channel
connecting the lake to Columbia River.
The principal influent stream into Vancouver Lake is Burnt Bridge Creek,
with a mean annual flow of 20 cubic feet per second (cfs) (3). Smaller
streams which empty into the lake are Whipple Creek and Flume Creek. The
lake empties into the Columbia River via Lake River. The flow of Lake
River is sometimes reversed so that Columbia River waters and the dis-
charge from Salmon Creek flow into Vancouver Lake.
The level of Vancouver Lake is determined principally by the level of
the Columbia River, and the mean depth of the lake varies accordingly.
During much of the year (August through April) the mean depth of the
lake is between 3 and 4 feet (4 ). During this time, the volume of the
lake is approximately 3 x 10^ cubic feet. Beginning in April, the level
of the Columbia normally begins to rise sharply as a result of upstream
snowmelt. Because the level of the lake is tied to the level of the
river, there is a corresponding increase in the level of the lake, which
reaches a maximum mean depth of about 12 feet in early summer (5 ). At
this time the volume of the lake is about 12 x 10° cubic feet, or about
four times the volume at minimum level. During April, May and June, the
flow of Lake River is reversed, bringing a significant amount of Columbia
River water into the lake. During this reverse flow phase, net inflow
into the lake from the Columbia has been observed to be as high as 200
cfs (6). In July, August, and September, the level of the Columbia River
falls, and there is a corresponding drop in the level of Vancouver Lake.
At this time, discharge from the lake via Lake River has been observed
to be as high as 150 cfs (7 ). From late August through April, the level
of the lake is relatively constant, and there is little net flow from
the lake to or from the Columbia. In summary, under average conditions,
the Columbia River and Vancouver Lake are at a minimum stand during
September and October (less than 6 feet above mean sea level) and at a
maximum during May, June and July (exceeding 12 feet above mean sea
level). ( 8). Clearly, the mean depth of the lake varies directly with
the variation in lake level. During much of the year (August through
April) the mean depth of the lake is between 3 and 4 feet. (9 ). The
mean depth of the lake increases with the spring runoff in Columbia River
to a maximum of about 12 feet in early summer.
In addition to seasonal changes in the level of Vancouver Lake, there is
a detectable tidal influence on the level of the lake. During late
summer and fall (i.e., periods of low flow) the level of the Columbia
River at Vancouver rises and falls as much as two-three feet under the
influence of the Pacific tides. A tidal variation in the Columbia River
of 2 feet will produce a change in elevation in Vancouver Lake of 1 to
2 inches (10). A change in mean depth of this magnitude is itself of little
consequence to limnological conditions in the lake; however, these
elevation changes in the lake level imply that Columbia River and Salmon
Creek water are entering Vancouver Lake on rising tides. Thus, the water
quality in the lake is influenced even though there is little net flow
to or from the lake.
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The amount of groundwater flowing to or from Vancouver Lake has not
been documented, although the net groundwater flow to the lake has been
estimated at an annual rate of 20 cfs. (11). Well water resources in the
Vancouver Lake area appear to be substantial. Several wells have been
drilled in the north and east areas of Vancouver Lake, with production
ranging from 20 gallons per minute (gpm) to several hundred gpm. The
range in individual well production is usually due to limited needs for
water (typically domestic or irrigation needs), rather than due to a
lack of water availability south of the lake. Alcoa Aluminum has establisheo
several wells for industrial purposes and the production of some of these
wells exceeds 3,000 gpm. West of Vancouver Lake only a few wells have
been drilled and their production ranges between 22 and 750 gpm (12). Due
to the projected groundwater reserves available around Vancouver Lake,
sufficient supply is considered available for large production of water
resources (13).
In summary, the hydrology of Vancouver Lake consists of two distinct
phases. During one phase, from August through April, the lake is very
shallow. During this phase the lake receives water from Burnt Bridge
Creek and other smaller tributaries, and on rising tides from Columbia
River and Salmon Creek. On a falling tide, flow is out of the lake via
Lake River to the Columbia. During the second phase, from April through
July, the lake level first rises continuously with the rising level of
the Columbia River, and then falls steadily back to a low level in
August. During April, May, and early June, Columbia River water enters
the lake via Lake River until the volume of the water in the lake has
increased about four fold. In June the level of the Columbia River
begins to fall, and the lake discharges to Columbia River, falling to
a very shallow level by August.
Due to the influence of Columbia River, Vancouver Lake and Lake River
frequently flood, inundating land along the southern and western lake
shoreline, as well as land along the western shore of Lake River.
A partial system of dikes and levees was constructed in the past, but the
Corps of Engineers does not have current data on their functioning and
flood control capability. The spring-summer flood season in the Vancouver
Lake area reaches the 14 foot contour line on an average yearly basis,
while the fall-winter season reaches the 13.5 contour levels annually.
These Corps of Engineers flood contours would indicate that approximately
2,700 acres of land around the lake experience some degree of annual
flooding. Every five years the spring-summer seasonal floods reach an
average contour of 18 feet, while the fall-winter flood season reaches the
16 foot contour level. This represents approximately 3,500 acres of
land which may be vulnerable to inundation every five years. The above
figures do not estimate the extent to which those lands susceptible to
flooding are protected by the existing dike and levee system. The existing
levee system was originally constructed to a height of 24-25 feet. The
Corps of Engineers has indicated that the levees are now considered to
be functional to an elevation of 16 feet, although they have not prepared
estimates of the number of acres that are not flooded as a result of this
levee placement.
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Additional diking improvements within Diking District 14 were first
proposed in 1950, and the project has been reviewed intermittently since
then. The Corps of Engineers is currently preparing a Phase I Design
Memorandum proposing to construct dikes on the alignments shown on Figure
4. This Design Memorandum is expected to be completed in June, 1978,
with construction proposed for late 1979 or early 1980.
Burnt Bridge Creek
Burnt Bridge Creek flows from east to west through commercial and sub-
urban sections of Vancouver, beginning at about N.E. 162nd Street and
emptying into Vancouver Lake. It drains an area of approximately 27
square miles. A tributary of Burnt Bridge Creek, Cold Creek, drains a
more rural area north of Vancouver and joins Burnt Bridge Creek near
Vancouver Lake. Mean annual stream flow is about 20 cfs, but much
higher flows are observed during storms (14). For example, peak flows
in May, 1976 measured 48 cfs (15). Because of the extensive urbanization
of the basin, storm runoff is much more rapid than would be the case
under normal conditions. Burnt Bridge Creek flows are usually 3 to
10 cfs.
No floodplain or flood flow data are available for Burnt Bridge Creek (16).
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the ninth longest river in North America and
experiences an average annual flow at Vancouver of 201,800 cfs. The
volume is distinctly seasonal, with flows in the late fall as low
as 49,400 cfs, increasing in the spring when snow melt can cause flows
as great as 649,200 cfs.
Because of the variation in flow, there is a considerable seasonal
difference in the level of the river at Vancouver. Maximum river stage
averages more than 15 feet above mean sea level, while in August river
stage falls to +2 to +6 feet above mean sea level. Tidal influences are
greatest during low flow months. Average values of the tidal fluctuation
in the Columbia River are as much as 2.25 feet in August (17).
Lake River
Lake River connects Vancouver Lake with Columbia River. The average
depth of the river is 16 feet in July when the level of the Columbia is
high because of spring runoff. During much of the year, the average
depth of Lake River is only 3 feet. Due to tidal effects, a delta
has developed from Lake River into Vancouver Lake. This tidal flat at
the entrance to Lake River usually prevents Vancouver Lake from dropping
below a surface elevation of 4 feet above mean sea level (18).
The volume and direction of flow of Lake River is directly related to
seasonal and tidal changes in the stage of the Columbia River. During
April and May, the level of the Columbia River rises sharply with spring
runoff, and during this time Columbia River water flows through Lake
River into Vancouver Lake. During this phase, flows reach 200 cfs into
Vancouver Lake. In June and July the level of the Columbia River begins
13

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to fall quickly and the direction of flow in Lake River reverses to
discharge from the lake into the Columbia. At this time, from late June
to mid-September, net outflow falls from about 150 cfs to less than 50
cfs (19).
During much of the year, approximately August through March, the level
of Vancouver Lake is at its minimum, so that the direction of flow in
Lake River is influenced by Pacific tides. On rising tides, water from
the Columbia River flows into Vancouver Lake and on falling tides it
flows from Vancouver Lake into the Columbia River.
No floodplain or flood flow data are available for Lake	River (20).
Water Quality
Vancouver Lake
Because of its extremely shallow depth, Vancouver Lake does not stratify
and the temperature of the lake is generally determined	by ambient weather
conditions. Winter temperatures as low as 4°C. (39°F.)	and summer
temperatures as high as 26°C. (79°F) have been observed	(21).
Due to the shallowness of the lake and the lack of stratification, fine
bottom sediments are resuspended into the lake by wind induced turbulence.
When the lake is very shallow, boats also cause noticeable turbidity
while plankton cause additional turbidity in the summer months (22).
Turbidity has been observed to range from 4 to 70 Jackson Turbidity
Units.
o Major Ions
The concentrations of major ions (Na+, K+, Ca++, Mg++, C1-, SO4, HCO7) in
Vancouver Lake are low to moderate. The available data indicate that
the water of Vancouver Lake is more diluted than the average for North
American rivers (23). The total concentrations of all ions, and the
relative concentrations of individual ions, imply that the minerals dissolved
in the lake stem largely from atmospheric precipitation, with additional
ions derived from rock weathering (24).
There is some evidence that concentrations of major ions vary seasonally
in response to the hydraulics of the lake. This evidence is summarized
in Table 3.
Clearly, the lake is more diluted in July and August, and more concentrated
in December. Mean values reported for the Columbia River for chloride and
bicarbonate ions are 4.3 mg/1 (ppm) and 26 mg/1 (ppm), respectively.
Evidently, the major ion concentrations in the lake in July and August re-
flect the intrusion of Columbia River water into the lake during the late
spring, while the higher values observed later in the year indicate that the
water chemistry is more dominated by water and stagnation of the lake itself.
14

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TABLE 3
CONCENTRATIONS OF MAJOR IONS
mg/1
Vancouver Lake
Lake River
Cl-
HC03
Cl-
HCO
July, 1967	2.5 - 3.5
August, 1967 2.5 - 4.5
December, 1967 4.5 - 5.0
37-40 1.5 - 3.0 33 - 40
30 - 39 2.0 - 4.0 25 - 35
67 - 120 5.0 - 6.0 71 - 103
Source: From Bhagat arid Funk, 1968.
The range of pH observed in the lake is from 6.7 to 9.3 units. Higher
pH values occur when there are algal blooms in the lake, and lower values
occur in the winter, reflecting the acid (pH 4.5) rainfall of the Pacific
Northwest (26).
Detectable levels of copper, mercury and zinc are present in the sediments
of Vancouver Lake (27). During the pilot dredge monitoring program
undertaken by Dames and Moore in 1976, sediments were analyzed for seven
trace metals including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury
and zinc. Of these, only mercury was found in the dredged sediments in
concentrations considered hazardous to organisms (greater than 0.05 ug/1).
The atomic absorption method was used by Dames and Moore to detect heavy
metals occurence.
Bioassays done by the Washington State Department of Ecology on seven fish
from Vancouver Lake revealed that only a carp and a sucker, both bottom
feeders, had detectable levels of mercury (28). Detection levels were 0.02
micrograms mercury per gram of fish. No attempt was made to indicate
whether this mercury in the sediments was in the inorganic form or the more
toxic form of methylmercury. In one study undertaken elsewhere, 80 percent
of the mercury in the fish assayed was in the form of methylmercury; however,
no methylmercury was found in the sediments. Benthic organisms had 50
percent of the mercury found in their tissues in the form of methylmercury
indicating that the food chain is the manner of uptake of the methylmercury.
Inorganic mercury is converted to methylmercury by bacterial action within
the sediments (29).
The organic pesticides lindane, aldrin and dieldrin were also found in
the Vancouver Lake sediments (30) • These pesticides were associated with
the dredged material particulates and have not been reported in fish species.
DDT was detected in the above referenced bioassays, and bioaccumulation
via the food chain was evident. However, the DDT levels observed were
below the FDA's "Action limit." (Sample observations reached 0.126 ppm
DDT, while the Action limit has been established at 5.0 ppm).
0 Metals
15

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o Nutrients
Inorganic nutrients in Vancouver Lake are rather high and are no doubt an
important ingredient in the high algal productivity observed seasonally in
the lake. Phosphate has been reported to range from 150 to 1600 ug PO^/l
(49 to 552 ug P/l) and nitrate from 20 to 540 ug NO3/I (4.5 to 122 ug N/1).
Kjeldahl nitrogen values ranged from 280 ug N/1 to 8680 ug N/1 (31). Lakes
with more than 30 ug/1 total phosphorus and more than 500 ug/1 total nitrogen
are considered hypereutrophic. (32). Clearly, there is sufficent phosphorus
and nitrogen in Vancouver Lake to support extensive algal growth.
For normal growth, plants require 4 to 20 times as much nitrogren as phosphorus
On this basis, there appears to be significantly less inorganic fixed nitrogen
in Vancouver Lake than inorganic phosphorus. This relative excess of phos-
phate probably favors the development of nitrogen (N2) fixing planktonic algae.
The sources of phosphorus and nitrogen in the lake are from the drainage basin,
and from phosphorus contained in Columbia River water which seasonally enters
the lake. Additional nitrogen is probably supplied by fixation. Nitrogen
and phosphorus values reported for Burnt Bridge Creek give an indication of
the significance of the drainage basin in supplying nutrients to the lake.
For Burnt Bridge Creek, total phosphorus values are reported to be from 60
to 170 ug P/l, and total nitrogen (Kjeldahl- N, nitrate=N, nitrite- N, and
ammonia (NH3) combined) from 800 to 2300 ug N/1 (33). These values are
four times greater than natural background levels, and are characteristic
of watersheds influenced by agricultural activities and urbanization (34).
The phosphorus loading from Burnt Bridge Creek alone is sufficient to supply
the lake with about 0.2 g P/m2/yr. This level of phosphorus is considered
to be sufficient to cause extensive cultural (human-made) eutrophication of a
lake (35). It is believed that additional phosphorus is supplied by other
streams and assorted non-point sources.
Because the lake is extremely shallow, sediment supplies of phosphorus must
also be considered an active part of the nutrient pool in the lake. It has
been shown that much of the phosphorus in the lake sediments may be available
to algae, and there is some evidence that this is the case in Vancouver Lake,
also (36).
0 Algae
Ths phytoplankton observed in Vancouver Lake are a further indication of
the eutrophic character of the lake. The diatom species reported
(Fragilaria crotonensis, Stephanodiscus niagarae, Asterionella formosa)
form an assemblage characteristic of eutrophic waters. Species of blue-
green algae (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Anabaena sp., Oscillatoria 1imos,
Spirulina laxa) also indicate eutrophic or hypereutrophic conditions. Some
blue-green algae including species of Aphanizomenon and Anabaena are capable
of fixing atmospheric nitrogen (N2), which probably contributes to the
supply of fixed nitrogen in the lake.
16

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TABLE 4
WATER QUALITY DATA
Parameter
Vancouver Lake
Columbia
River
Burnt Bridge Cr.

Ave
Range
Ave
Range
Ave
Range
Temperature °C
-
4-26
14
4-22
12
2 - 18
pH Std. units
7.9
6.7 - 9.3
7.3
6.4 - 8.3
7.6
6.9 - 8.0
Turbidity (JTU)
33
4-70
15
1 - 29
15
3-70
NO jN mg/1
-
0.005 - 0.12
0.25
0.01 - 0.60
1.88
0.95 - 3.60
NO^-N mg/1
-
-
0.01
0001 - 0.05
0.02
0.01 - 0.03
NHjN mg/1
-
-
0.07
0.01 - 0.31
0.12
0.05 - 0.38
Total P mg/1
0.23
0.05 - 0.52
0.08
0.02 - 0.23
0.13
0.07 - 0.42
Total coliforms
#/100 ml
3000
100,000
2600
25 - 11600
10360
380 - 45000
Note: Vancouver Lake Data, Bhagat, 1968.
Burnt Bridge Creek, KCN-WRE, 1976.
Columbia River, EPA STORET

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The shallowness of Vancouver Lake and the relatively high concentrations
of nutrients indicate that the growth of phytoplankton is not restricted
by nutrient supply. The relatively high turbidity, from resuspension of
bottom sediments, may tend to reduce algal growth somewhat by light limita-
tion. (37).
Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved oxygen values have been observed to range from 5.7 to 14.8 mg/1.
Dissolved oxygen reflects the eutrophic conditions and the shallowness of
the lake. Oxygen concentrations are sometimes well above saturation (e.g.
14.8 mg/1 in August, 1967) probably as a result of photosynthetic production
of oxygen by phytoplankton (38). At other times, oxygen is less than saturation
(e.g. 5.7 mg/1), presumably because of respiration by algae and bacteria. (39)
No oxygen values below 5.7 mg/1 have been reported, in spite of the highly
eutr.iphic conditions of the lake. The shallowness of the lake prevents
stratification and permits reaeration from the atmosphere.
o Biochemical Oxygen Demand
The enriched state of the lake is also shown in the BOD values. BOD
values range from 2.5 to 25 mg/1; which is quite high for natural waters
(40).
o Bacteria
The enriched condition of the lake also provides organic nutrients which
support bacterial growth. Total bacterial counts as high as 100,000 per
100 ml have been reported. (41). Ten to 40 percent of the total coliform bacteria
found in Vancouver Lake were fecal coliforms, indicating the presence of
warm blooded animals, birds, mammals or humans. Bacteria counts have
been observed to exceed standards set for recreational activities. (42).
o Fish
Most of the fish in the lake are	warm-water species such as large mouth
bass, bluegills, crappies, carp and perch (Figure 5). Some of the deeper
areas have juvenile sturgeon and	rarely adult sturgeon are found (43).
Temperatures above 20 C. are not	conducive to trout or other salmonids,
however, trout were found in the	lake at the mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek
in November, 1976 (44).
o Sediments
Test borings of Vancouver Lake indicate that the sediment on the bottom
of the lake consists of a variety of sediment types, including clay,
silt and sand (45). Lake sediments, particularly in shallow productive
lakes, often contain significant reservoirs of nutrients such as nitrogen
and phosphorus. Analysis of shallow cores from Vancouver Lake revealed
measurable quantities of these nutrients with somewhat higher concentrations
in the top six inches of sediment. Bioassays indicate that some of the
nutrients in this surface sediment are available to algae, and can
stimulate algal growth (46).
18

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Burnt Bridge Creek
The temperature of the water in Burnt Bridge Creek varies seasonally.
Temperatures sometimes exceed 20°C (68°F) in July and August, and fall
below 10°C (42°F) during November to March. The upper reaches of the
stream are unshaded and as a result the water becomes quite warm during
the summers. Seasonal average temperatures for three years ranged from
7.9 to 9.1°C for winter, 12.3 to 16.2°C for spring, 15.8 to 18.0°C
for summer and 8.0 to 10.8°C for fall.
Turbidity in the stream reflects land use within the drainage basin.
Urban storm water runoff, agricultural activity and natural fluvial
processes all contribute to the turbidity levels. Turbidity was observed
from 3 to 70 Jackson Turbidity Units (JTU) during 1975, but ran as high
as 200 JTU during storm runoff in May, 1976 (47). Total suspended solids
data is not available for Burnt Bridge Creek.
Observations indicate that dissolved oxygen in Burnt Bridge Creek remains
rather high, and is above the minimum required for aquatic organisms.
Concentrations from a low of 8.4 mg/1 in August to a high of 14.0 mg/1
during a cold spell in January have been reported (48). Observations also
indicate that pH remains within a range acceptable for aquatic life. In
general, pH in Burnt Bridge Creek is between 6 and 8 units. Relatively low
pH values measured during 1974 were evidently related to highway construction
(pH 6 to 7) (49).
Inorganic nutrients in Burnt Bridge Creek are considerably higher than
would be observed in a natural stream. Total phosphorus is highly
variable, ranging from 50 to nearly 1000 ug P/l (50). Concentrations of
phosphorus are somewhat higher during the winter, perhaps because of septic
tank intrusion, and again in late spring at a time when fertilizers are
applied in the basin (51). Nitrate (N/1) has been observed in concentrations
from 900 to 2300 ug/1; nitrite from 3 to 20 ug/1; and ammonia from 40 to
180 ug/1 (52). All of these nutrients are chronically present at concen-
trations sufficient to support nuisance algal blooms in Burnt Bridge Creek.
In addition, Burnt Bridge Creek is an important source of nutrients to
Vancouver Lake.
Bacterial count data from Burnt Bridge Creek show a great deal of fluctuation.
Total coliform counts in Burnt Bridge Creek range from 380 to 45,000/100
ml. (53). At the mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek total coliform levels
have been measured from 2,000 to 43,000/100 ml., while fecal coliform counts
have ranged from 700 to 19,000/100 ml. (54). The Washington State
Standard for Class AA Watercourses (which includes Burnt Bridge Creek)
is less than 50/100 ml. with less than 10 percent above 230/100 ml. if fecal
contamination is present. Thus, the bacterial counts in Burnt Bridge Creek
exceed the State standards. Septic tank intrusion and use of manure
fertilizers in the drainage basin are probable sources of bacteria.
A biological survey of Burnt Bridge Creek was carried out in March and April
of 1976 (55). As part of this survey, data were collected on the distribution
of benthic organisms, macrophytes and periphyton. The results of this work
indicate that there is a distinct zonation of organisms in the stream. In
the upstream reaches, periphyton is dominated by diatoms. Species of Melosira
19

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and Navicula were abundant, and species of Fragilaria, Tabellaria, Diatoma,
Synedra, and Gomphonema were observed. There were also moderate to heavy
growths of macrophytes in the upstream reaches. Potomogeton was the dominant
macrophyte. A wide variety of insect larve were collected in upstream benthic
samples, including some forms (alder-flies and caddisflies) which are charac-
teristic of clean water.
In downstream reaches, there was a distinct shift to more pollution resis-
tent species of periphyton. Filamentous green algae were more common while
diatoms were less common than in the upstream areas. Some blue-green algae
were also observed. Macrophytes were largely absent in downstream reaches and
the benthic organisms collected were forms more resistent to pollution (i.e.
sludge worms.).
The general pattern that appeared is evidence of the cumulative impact of
increasing levels of pollution from point sources and non-point sources on
the downstream reaches. The change in species present was probably the re-
sult of a moderate degree of nutrient enrichment and possibly the influence
of turbidity or some toxic compounds. However, nowhere in Burnt Bridge Creek
did there appear to be evidence of heavy pollution by organic or toxic wastes.
Sculpins and trout were observed at various locations throughout the length of
the creek.
Columbia River
The concentrations of chemicals in the Columbia River also show considerable
annual variation. Conductivity data indicates that there is a distinct
bimodal pattern in the concentrations of the major ions (56). Con-
ductivity is highest in the spring (148 - 208 umhos/cm) and fall (165 -
200 umhos/cm) and lowest in the winter (71 - 178 umhos/cm) and in the
summer (100 - 120 umhos/cm) indicating a similar pattern in the concentrations
of the major ions. Alkalinity values show a similar pattern, with
values of 29.6 to 56.8 ppm (as CaC03) in January, 48.1 to 64.9 ppm in
April, 37.7 to 44.3 ppm in June and 55.6 - 67.4 in December. The range
of the major ion concentrations is indicated in the table below:
TABLE 5
COLUMBIA RIVER
CONCENTRATIONS-MAJOR IONS
mg/1
ION
Mean Value
Ca++
Mg++
Na+
17.30
1.92
5.71
1.07
13.08
4.29
25.97
K+
S04—
Cl-
HC03-
Source: EPA ST0RET, 1974
20

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The total of these averages indicates a mean salinity of about 70 mg/1,
which is about one half the average for North American rivers (57).
Water temperatures of the Columbia River are distinctly seasonal, with
winter temperatures near 4 C°(39°F) and summer temperatures near 20°C
(68°r). The average pH of the Columbia is 7.3 units, with a range of
6.4 to 8.3. The highest pH is observed in the early fall (58).
Suspended sediments in the Columbia River are primarily inorganic,
crystalline material resulting from rock weathering. At Vancouver,
Washington, the estimated particle size composition of the 1953 total
sediment discharge which reached 6.3 million tons was 35 percent sand,
50 percent silt and 15 percent clay. The average suspended sediment
content at Vancouver is 25 ppm (59). This amount is highly variable,
generally increasing with flow and is, therefore, particularly high
during winter floods. For example, a daily average concentration of
2660 ppm was measured during the flood of December 25, 1964. Con-
centrations during the normal low flood of August through October gene-
rally range between 5 ppm and 10 ppm (60).
Nutrients are present in sufficient amounts to support algal growth at
all times. The range of total phosphorus (P/l) concentrations is from
28 to 231 ug/1, with a mean value of 78 ug/1. Nitrate is present in
concentrations of 10 to 6G0 ug N/1, with a mean of 254 ug N/1; and ammonia
is between 5 and 310 ug N/1, with an average of 70 ug N/1 (61). Total phosnhorus
concentrations in lakes of 10 to 30 ug P/l and total nitrogren concentrations
of 500 to 100 ug N/1 are sufficient to cause eutrophic conditions (62).
Total phosphorus concentrations above 30 ug P/l give rise to hypereutrophic
conditions. The inorganic phosphorus concentrations in Columbia River do
not fall below algal requirements at any time (63).
Trace metal concentrations appear to be quite low and well below con-
centrations which could be expected to cause problems to aquatic organisms
(64).
Phytoplankton density in Columbia River varies strongly with the season.
Total cell counts fall below 10 x 10^ cells during winter months, begin
to increase sharply in March and April, and reach a maximum of about 150
x 105 cells/1 in July. Populations decline swiftly in the fall to reach
winter lows (65).
Increasing phytoplankton populations are correlated with increases in
discharge, water temperature and incident solar radiation. The avail-
ability of solar energy is probably the most direct cause of changes in
the phytoplankton density. The Columbia River is thoroughly mixed from
top to bottom, and, since Secchi disk transparency is only about one
meter, the available light is "diluted" (66). Since nutrients are
always present in concentrations sufficient to support additional algal
growth, it appears probable that population densities of algae are
limited by light availability.
Diatoms are the most abundant division of phytoplankton throughout the
year, in terms of number of taxa and, also, in terms of population
densities. Dominant species of diatoms are Asterionella formosa, Stephanodiscus
astrea, Melosira italica, Fraqilaria crotenensis, and Melosira ambigua.
These species indicate eutrophic conditions (67). Most non-diatom
21

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r
TABLE 6
TRACE ELEMENT CONCENTRATIONS
COLUMBIA RIVER, ROOM 84
Trace Elements (ug/1)	Mean	Maximum	Minimum
Arsenic, Dissolved	1,669.33	5,000.00	2.00
Arsenic, Total	5.00	5.00	5.00
Cadmium, Dissolved	1.00	1.00	1.00
Cadmium, Total	1.00	1.00	1.00
Chromium, Dissolved	9.83	35.00	2.00
Chromium, Total	5.50	9.00	2.00
Copper, Dissolved	13.69	233.00	1.50
Copper, Total	5.78	10.00	3.50
Iron, Dissolved	143.15	450.00	50.00
Iron, Total	605.29	2,410.00	105.00
Lead, Dissolved	24.85	280.00	2.60
"Lead, Total	25.97	100.00	2.00
Zinc, Dissolved	68.78	730.00	10.00
Zinc, Total	23.70	50.00	12.00
Selenium, Dissolved	60.00	60.00	60.00
Mercury, Dissolved	1.78	5.00	.60
Mercury, Total	1.40	2.70	.50
Major Ions (mg/1)
Calcium	43.19	95.00	18.00
Sodium	5.70	15.00	3.50
Potassium	1.07	2.10	.50
Source: EPA ST0RET, 1974.
22

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species of the phytoplankton belong to the Chrysophyceae and Chlorophyta
(68). Blue-green algae were most common in the late summer and fall,
but were never very abundant.
Changes in the population densities of zooplankton are quite similar to
changes in phytoplankton. Populations are low in mid-winter (500 to
100/m3) and increase to maximum values (10,000 - 20,000/m3) in July and
August, and then decline rapidly. A few taxa dominate the zooplankton
Common rotifers are Brachionus and Asplanchna, and common cladocerans are
Bosmina and Daphnia. Remaining zooplankton was mostly cyclopoid copepods (69).
Lake River
Water quality conditions in Lake River are similar in character to
either the Columbia or to Vancouver Lake depending on the direction of
flow. In addition, Lake River receives discharge from Salmon Creek. The
Salmon Creek drainage is predominantly rural in character, however, there
is some suburban development and a variety of agricultural activities.
Salmon Creek receives nutrient enrichment and bacterial pollution from
agricultural runoff, boat moorages, septic tank seepage and street
runoff.
At the outlet of Lake River, water quality conditions are similar to
those in the Columbia River. Turbidity is relatively low. Algal populations
are predominantly diatoms and temperatures are lower. At the inlet end
of Lake River, conditions are more similar to Vancouver Lake. In late
summer, the river contains significant populations of blue-green algae
(Aphanizomenon flos-aquae). Temperature, turbidity, and bacterial
counts are higher. In general, water quality is higher when Lake River is
under the influence of the Columbia and poorer when it is under the
influence of Vancouver Lake.
Lake River sediments are predominantly silts and clays near Vancouver
Lake. Sand content increases downstream, and the sediments are pre-
dominantly sand at the mouth.
Fisheries
Lake Vancouver is a popular fishing area for regional residents, supplying
a considerable resource of spiny rayed (warm water) fishes. Due to the
excessively warm water, salmomds are not recognized residents of the lake,
but are known to migrate up Burnt Bridge Creek. The spiny rayed fish
are not native to Washington, but have been established in areas such as
Lake Vancouver for many years.
The predominant spiny rayed fishes are the yellow perch, large mouth
bass, bluegill, channel catfish, black crappie and the white crappie.
These fishes are found in considerable numbers in the lake, particularly
in Mulligan Slough during spawning season. The slough area is a prime
spawning location, and draws numerous fishermen into the backwater
sites. Due to habitat type, Mulligan Slough experiences the heaviest
spawning activity of the spiny rayed fish in the lake since it
offers a preferred aquatic vegetation and adequately warm temperatures
(above 55 F). Other spiny-ray spawning areas occur at the mouth of
Burnt Bridge Creek. Although they have not been specifically identified,
23

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it is believed that a few, smaller spawning areas occur in Lake River
and Mul1igan Slough.
Though the numbers of fish in the lake are considerable, recent catches
indicate a lack of full sized fish available. Most of the fish caught
are somewhat stunted, which is either caused by the low water levels of
recent seasons, or possible over-population of the aquatic environments.
Although toxic substances can cause stunted fish growth, fish exposed to
toxic materials usually show abnormal behavior and/or deformities in
addition to their stunted growth. Neither of these conditions has been
observed in fish caught in Vancouver Lake. More likely, the stunted
growth is a result of population pressure, since the fish caught from the
lake are uniform in size per species and appear normal in all other char-
acteristics. There have been no detailed surveys or studies undertaken
to determine the present, and near future conditions of the fish populations.
Native fish include the sturgeon, trout, and salmon. Juvenile sturgeon
have been caught in the lake, with an occassional adult occurrence.
These fish are usually found in the deeper areas, such as the Pilot
Dredge Study hole in the southwest corner of the lake. Trout (cutthroat)
have been netted at the mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek, presumably caught
prior to an upstream spawning run. Steelhead and salmon make native
runs up Burnt Bridge Creek using Lake River and Vancouver Lake as access
routes.
The Washington State Department of Fisheries does not maintain an active
management program in Vancouver Lake.
Wild!ife/Veqetation
The Vancouver Lake area is primarily comprised of floodplains and agri-
cultural lands, except for the urbanized areas of Burnt Bridge Creek and
areas to the northeast of the lake. The low-lying lands, however, are
predominantly agricultural and riparian. Agricultural lands have been
diked off in an effort to inhibit periodic inundation by floodwaters.
Most lands that are not in agricultural use have primarily water related
floral assemblages. Vegetation communities are shown on Figure 6.
Agricultural Land
Approximately 5,000 acres of land are currently used for the production
of truck crops, row crops, hay and pasture. Wildlife and natural vegetation
is limited in these areas, as the human controls imposed upon the land
have greatly restricted the natural influences and processes. Mammalian
representatives found in these areas include the insectivores (shrews and
moles), rodents (mice, voles and squirrels), and rabbits. Field birds
(sparrows and meadow larks), raptors (hawks and owls), and game birds
(pheasant and doves) use the farmlands for feeding. The field perimeters
provide emergency cover and breeding habitat for fauna where shrubs are
allowed to establish. Much of the farmlands becomes inundated by winter
and spring high water, which provides excellent habitat for great numbers
of migrating waterfowl. Mallards, pintail, widgeon, Canada geese, and
sandhill crane and whistling swan use flooded fields for feeding and
loafing purposes through the migration and winter seasons.
24

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Marshland
The marshlands are found primarily on the south end of Vancouver Lake.
Mulligan Slough, a shallow channel that meanders down to the Lower River
Road dike, is the most extensive marsh in the project area. Much of it
is under water for parts of the year, fluctuating in water depth according
to precipitation, Columbia River flow, and tidal variations. Marshes
exist along the more established channels. The size and extent of marsh-
lands within the Vancouver Lake area have not been previously mapped;
therefore, specific acreage figures are not available. The Environmental
Protection Agency has recently contracted a study to determine the extent
of Class I wetlands around the lake. At the conclusion of that study a
more definitive acreage figure should be available. The immediate areas
surrounding these freshwater marshes have thick stands of green ash and
willow. The Mulligan Slough area is an important water fowl area,
since it has a good food source, and provides excellent protection. It
is used extensively for breeding and nesting purposes, and is a popular
hunting area in the fall. Nesting fowl include cinnamon teal, mallards,
and woodducks. Shorebirds using the area include snipe, yellowlegs, and
dowitchers. The protected waters in the slough also act as important
spawning areas for many of the lake fish. The surrounding willow and
ash thickets make much of the area inaccessable to humans, which further
enhances the area for wildlife. This area is one of the more important
biologic communities in the project area because of its natural protection
and marshland characteristics. It is further discussed below in the
Significant Wildlife Areas section.
Riparian
Riparian biota is very important in the Vancouver Lake area, with healthy
stands occurring at the south and north end of the lake. Riparian ground
that is frequently inundated by water is comprised ofOregon ash and willow.
These thickets are not tall (3-13 feet), but grow in great densities.
They do not harbour great numbers of fauna, primarily due to their lack
of floral diversity. However, they do act as excellent coverage (for land
mammals and birds feeding on the water), buffer zones (for waterfowl activity),
and nesting sites (for woodducks and warblers). Amphibians are found
primarily in these zones, including the spotted, tree, and bull frogs and
the northwestern, Pacific giant, and ensatina salamanders. Reptiles found
in the riparian areas include the racer, garter and gopher snakes, and
the painted turtle. Mammals using these areas include nutria, bats, raccoons,
and rabbits. The winged seeds of the ash provide foodstuffs for certain
seedeaters (grosbeaks, etc.), and provide insect feeding conditions for
flycatchers and vireos. The willow provides food in its bark for mammals
(cottontail squirrel, woodrats, and meadow mice), and insect food for
perching birds much like the ash does.
Cottonwood, another typically riparian tree species, is found in scat-
tered groups throughout the project area. It is usually located on
drier lands behind the thick belts of willow and ash. Wild rose, black-
berry, and elderberry are often found in the understory. Mammal species
are the same as for the willow-ash communities, but the avifauna is more
diversified. Woodpeckers and towhees, along with the other riparian
species, readily use these areas. The raptors and perching birds use the
25

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tall cottonwoods for nesting and feeding purposes. These raptors include
the red-tailed, sharp-skinned, rough-legged hawks, osprey, marsh hawk,
kestrel (American), bald eagle, barn, great-horned, screech and pygmy
owls. Such prominent perches are especially important to the raptors,
as surrounding open fields and water provide favorable hunting conditions.
Open Grasslands
Limited areas within the vicinity of Vancouver Lake are characterized by
a grass-scotch broom vegetation community. These areas typically represent
land that was cleared at one time, but was not maintained for domestic
purposes. Grasses and shrubs have claimed the area, and the land is now
fairly open, inhabited by cottontails, wood rats, voles, and mammals
moving from one eco-type to another. These areas act as important
feeding grounds for local hawks and owls, and typically harbor local
goldfinches.
Coniferous Forest
Conifers exist on the northeast bluff of Vancouver Lake. These trees,
predominantly Douglas fir, have been cut back over the years to what are
now only thin stands of trees. Found at the edge of the bluff, and
along the short drainages in the immediate area, the trees represent the
basic vegetal community of western Washington. Other species found in
the community include red cedar, big leaf maple, dogwood, red alder,
thimbleberry, salal, red-flowering current, and various ferns. Squirrels,
voles, shrews and moles are the usual mammalian residents. Avifauna
include wrens, kinglets, grosbeaks, thrushes and owls.
No studies have been conducted to determine the extent of aquatic vege-
tation within Vancouver Lake. Species, numbers and locations of the
macrophytes and other in-water flora are not presently known.
The Washington State Department of Game manages designated areas within the
project vicinity. The upland game bird season runs from October 15 to
December 11 and pheasant and chuckar are planted throughout the season,
particularly in the area between Shillapoo Lake and Caterpillar Island.
The rabbit season occurs from mid-October until the end of February and
is quite popular in southwestern Washington. No active stocking of game
occurs. Duck hunting is extremely popular around Vancouver Lake and the
season extends from mid-October to early January. Woodducks and teal
are the primary game species and Vancouver Lake and its associated wetlands
are considered to be one of the best duck production areas in southwest
Washington.
Endangered species within the Vancouver Lake area include the bald eagle
and the white-tailed deer. Five to six eagles use the general Sauvies
Island-Vancouver Lake area during the winter and spring seasons. White-
tailed deer have been sited in the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge area and
are suspected of ranging as far as Vancouver Lake. However, populations
and movements of this species are not known.
Peregrine falcons appear in the area during migration, but the specific
species has not been identified. The southern race (Falco pereqrinus) is
26

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considered to be rare. Two northern races, the Peale's (Falco peregrinus
pealei) and the tundra (Falco peregrinus tundris), do appear in the
general area regularly during migration and winter seasons. These races
are not considered to be endangered. American osprey appear in the area
during spring; a species considered "comparatively rare" in Washington
which is, therefore, Drotected.
Significant Wildlife Areas
A variety of significant wildlife areas exist within the project area.
Each is mapped on Figure 7 and discussed below.
o Mulligan's Slough is a particularly important wildlife zone in
the Vancouver Lake area, as it provides essential habitat for some
important members of the biologic community. The extensive channels and
marsh areas that spread down to Lower River Road provide the most important
spawning areas for the spiny rayed fish that inhabit the lake. This
habitat offers adequate plant life that supplies protection (cover from
predators) and food (micro-organisms and invertebrates existing in the
plant communities). The spiny rays (perch, crappie, bass, etc.) often
become stranded in the channels and ponds as the waters recede, thus
offering a good feeding opportunity to raptors (hawks, osprey), waders
(heron, egrets), and mammals (raccoon). This stranding activity may also
play an integral role in the regulation of the population, as many
adults and juveniles are lost each year to this process.
Important loafing, feeding and nesting areas for waterfowl are available
in Mulligan Slough. The marsh-related slough flora provides good food
for the pond ducks (mallards, pintails, teal, woodducks and widgeon),
and substantial protection due to the thick willow-ash growths. Perching
birds (such as warblers, flycatchers, vireos and swallows) find excellent
feeding in such wetlands because of the insect populations produced in
the warm, still waters. The extensive willow-ash thickets that surround
the entire marsh area offer excellent over-all protection and substantial
nesting sites.
o The Shillapoo Lake - Vancouver Lake area provides important
wintering grounds and migration stopover habitat for various waterfowl
and related bird species. The Shillapoo Lake area is an old lake bed
which is now in agricultural use, and is inundated with water during
high water seasons. This area combined with Vancouver Lake, offers
comparable habitat to that found at Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge to the
north and Sauvies Island Game Refuge across the Columbia River. These
three areas are linked together in their role as major stopover grounds
for thousands of migrating birds. The Vancouver Lake area hosts grebes,
whistling swan, Canada geese, mallard, pintail, widgeon, shoveler, teal,
wood duck, scaup, and bufflehead, among others during various parts of
the migration season. As Ridgefield Refuge and Sauvie Island experience
heavy hunting on certain days, the Vancouver Lake area provides important
resting sites for weary birds. The farmlands around Shillapoo Lake
provide good feeding habitat, as local farming activities will often
leave large quantities of foodstuffs available to dabbling and grazing
waterfowl. The Vancouver Lake area is a popular waterfowl hunting area
for regional residents, and the lake has an open season (no closure days
during the waterfowl season). Due to its size, Lake Vancouver can still
provide adequate resting areas for fowl, given that the numbers of
hunters on the lake at one time is not too great.
27

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Vancouver Lake also acts as an important feeding ground for great blue
heron, who use the lake regularly and in significant numbers. It is
suspected that these herons come down from the Bachelor Island rookery,
a colony of some 500 herons that nest as a group seven miles to the
north. The herons wade through the shallow waters preying on fish,
amphibians, and invertebrates. The heron, because of its peculiar habits
and aversion to human disturbance, has been used as an indicator species
for determining the relative state of certain eco-systems. The bird is
considered one of the more significant faunal species found in the
northwest.
o A woodduck/teal nesting area exists on the west shore of Vancouver
Lake. The thick stands of willow and ash, combined with the various
channels of Buckmire Slough provide good nesting habitat for these two
birds. They have used the area for a number of years, and presumably
many of the birds raised in the area return to nest in the same locale.
Such habitats are declining in abundance due to human disturbance.
o Just north of the woodduck/teal nesting area exists a good songbird
habitat, where thickets of willow/ash, and cottonwood/blackberry mixtures
provide a diversified floral assemblage. Warblers, vireos, thrushes,
sparrows, and chickadees establish themselves in this area each year,
making full use of the nesting and feeding opportunities. Because so
much of the surrounding area is under unnatural influences, the perching
birds are heavily dependent upon these small ecosystems.
o Burnt Bridge Creek acts as a spawning area not only for spiny
rayed fishes, but also for some salmonids. The spiny rayed fishes spawn
in the lower reaches of Burnt Bridge Creek where the waters are slow and
ample aquatic vegetation exists. The salmonids migrate up Burnt Bridge
Creek to spawn in the upper areas of the drainage. Salmonids have been
caught in Burnt Bridge Creek, but not in notable numbers.
o Sport fishing areas of significant popularity are designated on the
Significant Wildlife Areas Figure 7. These sites have been identified
by state and federal agency representatives as areas of the most inten-
sive recreational fishing usage, exclusive of boating areas.
o Wetland areas are generally described as areas that are periodically
inundated by water and are characterized by vegetation that requires water
saturation for growth and reproduction. The Environmental Protection Agency
has recently contracted a study to identify existing wetlands in the
Vancouver Lake area and to evaluate the habitat value of those wetland
areas. Although there are believed to be considerable valuable wetland
areas around Vancouver Lake, the extent of those wetlands is not known until
the study has been completed. Wetlands fall within the jurisdiction of Sectic
404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which
requires the issuance of a permit by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before
the discharge of dredged or fill material may occur. The Environmental
Protection Agency assists the Corps of Engineers in establishing evaluation
criteria and has veto power over projects which would have an unacceptable
adverse impact on water quality, fisheries, and wildlife resources. In
addition, Executive Order 11990, dated May 24, 1977 directs each federal
agency to "provide leadership	to minimize the destruction, loss or de-
gradation of wetlands." (70).
28

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Population Growth and Projections
Clark County has experienced steady increases in population growth since
the 1940's, marked by periods of rapid growth such as the influx of workers
for the shipyards during World War II. As shown in Table 7, the number of
persons residing in Clark County increased by 36.9 percent between 1960
and 1970. This growth rate has only been exceeded by the war induced im-
migration of the 1940's. Historically, Clark County has shared the population
growth of the metropolitan area; however, this growth has been more pro-
nounced since 1965. As shown in Table 7, Clark County's growth rate of
36.9 percent for the period from 1960 to 1970 was substantially higher than
the SMSA growth rate of 22.5 percent.
TABLE 7
Population Growth 1960-1970
(Thousands)
Percent
Increase
1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1960-1970
40.3 49.9 85.3 93.8 128.5	36.9
455.0 501.3 704.8 821.9 1,007.1	22.5
Area
Clark County
Portland
SMSA*
* The Portland SMSA (Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area) includes
Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties in Oregon and Clark
County, Washington.
Source: CRAG, Economic Indicators, An Annotated Statistical Abstract
of the Greater Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area, 1972.
Local planners have reported that the largest proportion of population
growth in Clark County is due to migration. Between 1960 and 1970, the
county's population increased by about 35,000. Of that total, approxi-
mately 70 percent is attributed to migration. (71)
In 1976-77 Clark County Regional Planning Council contracted with Boeing
Computer Services, Inc. to prepare population and employment projections
for the county. They prepared three different projections based on the
following three methodologies: Alternative 1 forecasts the population
of Clark County based on employment in the Portland SMSA and a time
trend. This relationship from 1960 to 1975 explained 99.5 percent of
the movement in Clark County population. Alternative 2 forecasts the
population of Clark County based on employment in the Portland SMSA and
employment in Clark County. This relationship from 1960 through 1975
explained 98.8 percent of the movement in Clark County population.
29

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Alternative 3 forecasts future population based on both demographic and
economic activity within the region and Boeing determined that this
forecast represented the median level. Table 8 shows the resulting
population projections based on each of these methods.
TABLE 8
Clark County Population Projections
(Thousands)

1975
1980
1990
2000
Alternative 1
151.3
167.8
203.0
238.4
Alternative 2
149.1
167.7
198.1
227.8i
Alternative 3
142.3
166.3
201.4
250.2
Source: Clark County Regional Planning Council, Clark County Washington
Employment, Population and Land Use Forecasts, 1977.
The Boeing report discussed a variety of variables which make projecting
Clark County's growth rate difficult, including the current traffic
congestion on 1-5 and the proposed construction of 1-205. In conclusion
they reported that: "Without the announcement of the 1-205 bridge
corridor opening in late 1981 or early 1982, it is quite likely that the
historic growth rate for Clark County would decline as commute times (on
1-5) increased. However, with the "still cheap" land prices, it is
likely that the historical relationships will be maintained and the
growth forecast (in Alternative 3) will be realized". (72)
Population Characteristics
Age
As illustrated in Table 9, Clark County population recorded a definite
shift towards increasing numbers of young families between 1960 and
1970. In 1960, 9.5 percent of the population was between the ages of 20
to 29 while by 1970 that number had risen to 14 percent. The number of
small children (ages 0 to 9) fell by 2 percent during this period as a
result of the declining birth rate.
TABLE 9
Age Distribution
Percent

1960
1970
0-9
21
19
10-19
18
20
20-29
9.5
14
30-39
14
11
40-49
13
12
50-59
10
11
60-69
8.5
7
70-over
6
6

100%
100%
Source:
U. S. Bureau of Census, 1970


30


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Income
Family income rose markedly between 1969 and 1974 due to a combination
of factors. As shown on Table 10, the largest numerical increase occurred
in the $15,000 to $24,999 category which jumped from 16 percent of the
total population in 1969 to over 30 percent in 1974. All categories
under $15,000 declined in percentage in 1974, while all categories above
$15,000 increased. Although a large portion of these increasing house-
hold incomes must be attributed to inflation, a portion of this change
is due to the influx of better educated professional and technical workers
into Clark County.
TABLE 10
Income Distribution
Percent

1968
1974
Under 3,000
8.0
2.0
3,000-5,999
12.0
9.0
6,000-9,999
28.0
19.0
10,000-11,999
15.0
12.0
12,000-14,999
18.0
17.5
15,000-24,999
16.0
30.5
25,000-49,999
2.0
8.0
50,000 & over
1.0
2.0

100.0%
100.0%
Source: Housing Market Analysis of Clark County, Regional Planning Council
of Clark County, 1974.
Mobility
As shown in Table 11, little change in residential mobility was noted in
Clark County between 1960 and 1970. The most significant shift was a
substantial decrease in the number of residents who had previously lived
elsewhere in the Portland metropolitan area.
TABLE 11
Residential Mobility
Clark County
Residence in 1955
Number
Percent
Same House
39,303
46.8
Different House within SMSA
30,797
36.7
Different House outside SMSA
12,798
15.2
Abroad, or Moved and Not Reported
1,060
1.3

83,958
100.0
Residence in 1965


Same House
54,599
46.8
Different House within SMSA
31,596
27.0
Different House outside SMSA
21,494
18.4
Abroad, or Moved and Not Reported
9,166
7.8

116,854
100.0
Source: Housing Market Analysis of Clark County, Regional Planning Council
Clark County, 1974.
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Economic Base
A majority of Clark County's industry is extractive or heavy industry
and is typified by plants with large capital investments. Many of
these are clustered around the current Port of Vancouver facilities or
are located along Columbia River between downtown Vancouver and the port
docks. Seventy percent of Vancouver's industrial land is classified as
general, while somewhat less than 30 percent of the county's industrial
land is in general usage. The county has representation from each of
the four industrial classification: Light (3.0%), General (29.5%),
Heavy (32.0%) and Extractive (35.5%) (73).
The Portland SMSA and Clark County both have well diversified industrial
bases which shelter them somewhat from national economic fluctuations, as
reflected by fairly stable unemployment rates in relationship to other
parts of Oregon and Washington. Economic growth in Clark County has
become more closely tied to growth in the general metropolitan area;
however local business leaders are continuing to work towards increased
economic self-sufficiency. The Port of Vancouver has been pursuing an
aggressive economic development policy and is actively seeking to promote
increased industrial activity within and adjacent to their existing
facilities.
The overall industrial land use has remained very stable, and the industrial
sector of the 1944 Land Use Map is in close approximation to current
industrial land location. New industry has developed and old ones have
grown, but they have remained in the same general strip fronting Columbia
River.
Approximately 500 acres within the Vancouver Lake vicinity (primarily south
of the lake) are currently being used for industrial purposes, which
constitutes about 40 percent of the industrial activity in Clark County.
The lowland areas along Columbia River have been an attractive area for
industry because of the level terrain, proximity to the Portland metro-
politan area, major rail service and Columbia River deep draft navigation
channel. Major industries within the project area are Alcoa (Aluminum
manufacturer) and Carborundum (abrasives manufacturer). The Port of
Vancouver facilities are located south of Vancouver; Lake and include
berthing capacity for three or four vessels, a roll on/roll off dock,
500,000 square feet of warehouse storage and about 75 acres of open storage
area. The Port is engaged in diversified trade including the export of
lumber and wheat, and the import and export of wood chips, paper, fertilizer
and automobiles.
Land Use Plans and Policies
Clark County Comprehensive Plan
In August 1976, Clark County Regional Planning Council issued a discussion
draft of goals and guidelines for the Clark County Comprehensive Plan.
This discussion draft has been receiving public review and input since
that time, and adoption by the County Commissioners is expected sometime
during the winter of 1977. In keeping with the Columbia Region Associa-
tion of Governments format, land use is divided into three separate
classifications: urban (including urban intermediate and urban future),
rural, and natural resource (including both conservation and preserva-
tion categories).
32

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TABLE 12
Existing Land Use
Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan
RESIDENTIAL*
Single Family
Multi-Family
Mobile Homes
COMMERCIAL
Retail
Wholesale
INDUSTRIAL
Light
General
Heavy
Extractive
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
School
Government
Other Institutions
Amusement
Transportation & Utilities
OPEN SPACE
Agriculture
Parks
Wooded & Game Preserves
WATER
STREETS
UNUSED
Acres
227.9
188.6
20.5
18.8
49.9
.8
.4
159.3
274.3
55.5
4.1
.7
10.3
109.3
305.1
5,664.9
250.0
398.2
50.7
489.5
430.5
TOTAL
6,313.1
5,207.6
188.0
533.6
13,440.9
~Includes parts of Vancouver statistics that were not easily separated.

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Wm
vBSS&i&v
8&3&3E
ER LAKE

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The plan includes the following goals and guidelines which can be used
to evaluate the effects of the proposed Vancouver Lake restoration
project.
It should be noted, however, that these Comprehensive Plan elements
provide only general guidance for the Vancouver Lake area since the
Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan discussed below is the major policy docu-
ment governing use of the project area.
o Preservation Element
-	encourage the preservation of open space, scenic views and
sites, historic and archaeological sites,
-	encourage and maintain important fish and wildlife habitats,
-	maintain ecologically "sensitive areas" such as natural areas,
wetlands and excessive slopes in as natural a state as possible.
o Conservation Element
-	encourage the maintenance of agricultural land uses in those
areas that are agriculturally productive,
-	encourage the maintenance and creation of those farm sizes
needed to accommodate the types of agriculture which are or could be present
in Clark County.
o Transportation Element
-	new and expanded Port facilities should be provided (at locations
designated in the comprehensive plan) for the transfer and storage of goods
that are not adequately provided for by other marine facilities in the area.
o Economic Element
-	potential tourism in Clark County should be accommodated by
the provision of public park and recreation areas at appropriate points along
the shorelines of lakes and rivers.
Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan
In December 1974 the Regional Planning Council of Clark County accepted
the Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan included in the report submitted to
them by the Vancouver Lake Task Force. In 1976 the Board of County
Commissioners of Clark County accepted the Regional Planning Council
recommendation and adopted the Land Use Plan for Vancouver Lake that was
prepared by the Task Force.
As shown in Figure 8, the existing land use in the project area is pre-
dominantly agricultural, ranging from dairy farming to intensive agri-
culture with high yield crops of cabbage, cucumbers and potatoes.
Industrial activity is concentrated in the southern portion of the
project area at the Alcoa and Port of Vancouver sites. Substantial
recreational lands are located along the lake shoreline including
33

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Vancouver Lake Park which is operated by Clark County and portions of
Mulligan's Slough which are managed by the Washington State Game Department
for fishing access and wildlife habitat maintenance. The Vancouver Lake
Task Force prepared an inventory of existing land uses for the project
area. Table 12 includes the acreages for individual types of land use
that were calculated by the Task Force.
Figure 9 shows the land uses designated on the adopted Vancouver Lake
Land Use Plan. The lake and its shoreline are designated for recreation
and open space use, while agricultural uses are shown for areas to the
west, northwest and southeast. Heavy industrial uses are indicated for
the southwestern portion of the project area along Columbia River. An
area of light industrial and commercial use is designated at the south-
eastern tip of the project area between the existing residential and
agricultural parcels. The Task Force felt that the ability of the
lowlands area to support multiple land uses was one of its most important
assets. For that reason, their land use plan is comprised of co-existing
land uses representing diverse interests that they believed offered a
wide range of choices to the community.
The Task Force report strongly recommended the continued recreation use
of Vancouver Lake. They established the following policies relative to
actual use of lake shoreline and waters:
-	provide public access to and along shorelines
-	establish recreation and/or park zones
-	preserve the wetlands southwest of Vancouver Lake
-	dredge the lake to the recommended depths for lake restoration
-	continue efforts to reduce the pollutants from the tributaries
and runoff drainage to Vancouver Lake
-	flush the lake by introducing Columbia River waters through
a channel and culverts.
The following policies were adopted relative to land fill and diking
proposals within the project area:
-	land fills along shoreline areas intended for water dependent
and/or public land uses should be given priority over other
land fills
-	construct an adequate new dike to the south of Vancouver
Lake, preserving Mulligan's Slough and its associated
wetlands.
-	diking should be sought to support the land uses proposed,
but not more intensive land uses.
In Resolution No. 1976-05-41, adopted by the Clark County Board of
Commissioners on May 24, 1976, the Commissioners attached the following
conditions to their adoption of the Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan:
- That the Board recognizes that the Task Force report is a general
land use concept which addresses the whole lowlands area generally, but
which does not address the peculiarities and unique aspects of individual
sites or premises; thus, although an individual site may be identified as
a larger categorization, closer review and further scrutiny, particularly
34

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with respect to the amenities of the proposed use, may dictate that the
site may be more appropriately used for industrial, commercial or other
purposes..
-	That the proposed implementing amendment...should...permit a re-
viewing body to permit land uses at variance with general concepts if it
can be demonstrated that the proposed use at variance is the appropriate
use of the particular site or premise at issue and that community needs
require its conversion."
-	"That, as it is established that the needs of the	community have
changed, commercial and industrial development should be	considered for
expansion into the lowlands area, but only to the extent	dictated by the
needs established." (74).
Shoreline Management Master Program
The statewide adoption of the Shoreline Management Act in November 1972
established a cooperative management effort between local government and
the Washington State Department of Ecology. This placed three significant
responsibilities on local government:
1.	Establishment of a system for the administration and enforcement
of a permit requirement for shoreline developments;
2.	Completion of a comprehensive inventory of shorelines falling
under jurisdiction of the act; and
3.	Development of a master program for the regulation of shoreline
uses.
With the assistance of the Regional Planning Council, the Clark County
Citizen Advisory Committee for Shoreline Management prepared a Shoreline
Management Master Program which was adopted in August, 1974. Vancouver
Lake and its .ponds, sloughs, lakes, channels, streams and islands are
defined as "shorelines of statewide significance" within that program.
As such, these shorelines must be managed in a manner which:
-	recognizes and protects the statewide interest over local
interest,
-	preserves the natural character of the shoreline,
-	results in long term over short term benefits,
-	protects the resources and ecology of the shoreline,
-	increases public access to publicly owned areas of
the shorelines, and
-	increases recreational opportunities for the public in the
shoreline.
The Shoreline Management Act further states that the management of shorelines
and shorelines of statewide significance is not limited to the water areas
or to the underlying beds, but includes wetlands associated with those
lakes and streams. Wetlands are defined in the act as follows:
"Wetlands or wetland areas mean those lands extending land-
ward for 200 feet in all directions as measured on a horizontal
plain from the ordinary high water mark; and all marshes, bogs,
swamps, floodways, river deltas, and floodplains associated with
35

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the streams, lakes and tidal waters which are subject to the
provisions of these chapters; the same to be designated as to
location by the Department of Ecology."
The Clark County Shoreline Management Master Program contains the following
goals which are relative to the evaluation of the proposed project:
-	Public Access Element: To improve the quality of existing
points of public access and promote the acquisition or de-
signation of additional shoreline areas for public access,
while assuring that all such sites are appropriate and safe
for public use, and that improvements and utilization will
not result in detrimental effects on these natural sites
or adjacent properties.
-	Recreational Element: To promote the continued public
acquisition of appropriate shoreline areas for recreational
opportunities and to influence development of these sites in
a manner which will preserve the natural characteristics of
the shoreline.
-	Conservation Element: To provide for management of natural
resources in shoreline areas by means that will insure the
preservation of nonrenewable resources, including unique,
scenic and ecologically sensitive features, while allowing
sound utilization of renewable resources in a manner consis-
tent with the public interest.
-	Shoreline Improvement Element: To encourage the restoration
of degraded shoreline areas to conditions of natural environ-
mental quality, and promote the revitalization of abandoned
shoreline facilities for practical and productive activities.
Four shoreline environmental designations are provided for in the master
program: urban environment, rural environment, conservancy environment
and natural environment. These designations provide a uniform basis for
applying management criteria within different shoreline areas and with
different objectives regarding their use and development. Portions of
Vancouver Lake have been designated urban, rural and conservancy,
generally as follows:
-	Urban: South of Burnt Bridge Creek.
-	Rural: All of Vancouver Lake, Lake River and associated
wetlands north of urban boundary except for east bank of
Vancouver Lake, Lake River and Lower Salmon Creek between
mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek and Burlington Northern rail
line crossing of Salmon Creek, an easterly portion of Lake
River inside city limits of Ridgefield.
-	Conservancy: Easterly bank from mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek
northerly to Burlington Northern rail line crossing of Sal-
mon Creek.
36

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TABLE 13
Land Ownership
Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan
Owner	Acres
Esther Dugan Estate	314
Pacific Coop Supply	103
Port of Vancouver	767
Elmer Rufener	279
Clark County	234
U.S. Government	660
Alcoa	1,558
Scherruble Brothers	186
Egger Family	1,303
Grant Wiley et. al.	281
Chris Herzog	233
John Mettler	204
Fazio Brothers	803
Washington State Department of Game	580
Source: Vancouver Lake Task Force report, 1974.

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Land Ownership
Table 13 lists the major property owners within the project area and
Figure 10 illustrates the general distribution of public, private and
corporate lands. Many of the parcels within the project area are over
200 acres in size, reflecting the need of the existing agricultural and
industrial land uses for large land areas. This largeness provides a
future potential for conversion to other uses.
208 Areawide Waste Water Management Plan
Regional Planning Council of Clark County is currently preparing a
Section 208 Areawide Wastewater Management Plan which has three basic
work elements: 1) restoration of Vancouver Lake, 2) reduction of point
source pollution from Burnt Bridge Creek, and 3) reduction or elimination
of future pollutants from non-point sources.
The restoration plans for Vancouver Lake represent approximately 30 per-
cent of the effort being expended within the 208 program. Dames and
Moore recently completed a Master Plan for the Rehabilitation of Van-
couver Lake which outlines specific lake restoration and maintenance
measures. The Clark County Regional Planning Council is scheduled to
adopt the Master Plan at their late October meeting.
The Burnt Bridge Creek Management Plan is currently being reprinted in
final form and is also scheduled for adoption in late October. The
draft report outlining measures to reduce or eliminate future
pollutants due to non-point sources will be available for public
review in October. Of primary concern in that report are animal
wastes resulting from agricultural activities, urban drainage resulting
from residential uses and new construction activities.
Recreation Plans and Policies
A variety of recreational opportunities currently exist in the project
area, ranging from limited hunting in the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge
to sailing on Vancouver Lake. There are approximately 1,200 acres owned
by Federal, State or County government and used for fishing, hunting,
sailing and canoeing. In early 1973, Clark County purchased the 234
acre Vancouver Lake park site from Alcoa Corporation. This long, linear
strip of park land covers approximately two and one-half miles of shore-
line on the southwestern and western side of the lake, and is currently
undeveloped. The park lies between Vancouver Lake on the east and State
Highway SR 501 on the west, extending from the Mulligan Slough marsh-
lands on the south, northward to Buckmire Slough and then along the slough
to within one mile of the lake outlet into Lake River. The area presently
provides fishing access to the lake, which hosts a large spiny rayed
fishery. Other popular recreation facilities within the project area
include Frenchman's, Tena's and Davis Bar on the Columbia River which
provide access to salmon and steelhead fishing.
37

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In 1973 a Master Plan Study for Vancouver Lake Park was prepared for the
Clark County Parks and Recreation Department with funding provided by
the Port of Vancouver. The master plan proposed the creation of the
recreation zones and construction of the specific park facilities shown
on Figure 11. The only significant change that has occurred in the plan
since that time is the elimination of power boat use (other than small
engine fishing boats) in the lake, and a proposal for an Olympic sailing
course to be established in the south central portion of the lake. The
site and facilities at Vancouver Lake have been designed to accomodate
12,000 to 15,000 park users per day, with approximately 5,000 people
using the site at any one time. Consistent with the design philosophy,
automobile parking is limited to 50 percent of the potential demand,
or 650 cars. In 1973 construction of the proposed facilities was esti-
mated to approach $1.4 million.
Implementation of the water improvement program is projected to have the
greatest potential to improve the recreational use of the park by pro-
viding: 1) sufficient water depth for small boats, 2) the opportunity
to upgrade the aquatic life so that the lake can support increased
numbers and types of species for improved sport fishing, and 3) clean
water for swimming and other water sport activity. In addition, the
Master Plan states that creative use of the dredged materials resulting
from lake restoration measures could enhance the useability of the lake
by creating additional shoreline property and raising some of the existing
land above flood levels (75).
In 1971 the Columbia Region Association of Governments published a re-
creation report entitled The Urban Outdoors: A New Proposal for Parks
and Open Spaces. In that report, the CRAG staff suggested that Vancouver
Lake offered a unique opportunity for water based recreation since it is
the region's second largest lake. However, they noted that it was
currently too shallow and that the water quality had deteriorated due to
silting and pollution. Therefore, a costly rehabilitation program would
be necessary in order to realize the lake's recreation potential.
In addition to the preparation of the Vancouver Lake Park Master Plan,
Clark County Park and Recreation Department has also prepared plans for
a greenway system linking Burnt Bridge Creek, Vancouver Lake, Lake River
and Salmon Creek. The primary purpose of this system is to link the
urban areas with existing and future park sites and to preserve public
access to area waterways.
Recreation Demand
Only limited facilities are available in Clark County to serve the still
water/lake recreationist. Lake Merwin is the largest such facility
and is privately owned, but available for public use. Three other faci-
lities are available in the metropolitan Portland area, one each in
Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.
The demand for water-related recreation sites is based primarily upon
three major factors:
38

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3 -MOOfRAtEH
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PICNIC/	C 0 U V E
PICNIC/SWIMMING
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TENHtS/ |
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ER LAKE
VANC
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-	the population of the recreation area of influence,
-	recreation user preferences within the recreation area of
influence, and
-	the availability of water-related recreation sites within
the recreation area of influence and nearby areas.
Nationally, the demand for all types of recreation areas continues to
grow rapidly due to increased leisure time and disposable income, as well
as people's desires to increase their recreational activities. Past
trends have indicated that participation in outdoor recreation in the
United States is growing 25 percent faster than the adult population,
and these trends are expected to continue for the immediate future.
Projections also indicate that water-related recreation activities will
make up three of the five fastest growing recreation activities between
1972 and 1978 (76).
Because of Vancouver's role as an integral part of the CRAG region and
its proximity and similarity to Oregon features, it is assumed that
Oregon recreation projections can be applied to Clark County recreation
demand. In Oregon, water-related recreation activities continue to be
among the most popular. The rate of growth of boat ownership has far
surpassed the population growth as indicated by the 52 percent increase
in boat registration from 1967 to 1972, compared with a 6 percent increase
in population for that same period (77). In general, Oregon boaters
prefer lakes to rivers as favored recreation areas, and fishing is the
most widely participated in boating or boating related activity (78).
The Clark County Parks and Recreation Department has indicated that
demand for water-related recreation sites within the county has not been
evaluated. The recent experience of a new reservoir facility in Washing-
ton County, Oregon, however, may provide a point for comparison. Scoggins
Reservoir in Washington County was opened in the summer of 1975, for re-
creational use, even though only 20 percent of the proposed recreational
facilities were completed. Projections had indicated that approximately
100,000 visitors would use the lake during the first full recreation
season; however, actual attendance reached 180,000 -- almost double the
intended use. Washington County Parks Department surveyed a portion
of the recreationists at Scoggins Reservoir to determine where they came
from and what type of recreational facilities they were using. It was
found that the majority of users, 68 percent, lived in Washington County,
while 18 percent lived within 40 miles of the reservoir. Swimming and
picnicking were the most favored activities, followed closely by boat
fishing and motor boating (including water skiing.)
Recreation projections by both the Oregon State Highway Division and the
Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission indicate a strong overall need
for water-related recreational facilities in the Portland metropolitan
area. In addition, the Scoggins Reservoir 1975 attendance figures
indicate that recreation demand for swimming, boating, fishing and
picnicking is sufficiently high to draw large numbers of visitors to
a site even though the recreation facilities are not completed. At the
present time Scoggins Reservoir is the only metropolitan area regional
39

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park that provides quiet water-related recreational facilities. A
review of federal, state and local recreation plans indicates that no
plan exists to significantly increase the supply of water-related re-
creation sites within the near future with the exception of Vancouver
Lake.
Historical and Archaeological Resources
During the study investigations for this report, both the Wasington State
Historic Preservation Officer and the Washington Archaeological Research
Center (Washington State University) were contacted to determine the
presence of historical and archaeological resources within the project
area. The Washington Archaeological Research Center identified over
40 Indian relic sites that have been identified by both professional and
amateur archaeologists. These sites are scattered along most portions
of the lake shoreline and north along the banks of Lake River. Little
information is available describing either the characteristics or the
significance of these sites.
The Washington State Historic Preservation Officer identified only four
sites within the project area. All of these were Indian relic sites
that were included within the sites identified by the Research Center.
There are no sites within the project area that are included on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Implementation of any of the alternatives described in Section III
(exclusive of Alternative 1, the "no-action" alternative) would require
the Port of Vancouver to conduct a site specific archaeological investi-
gation of the affected areas. This survey would be submitted to the
Washington State Historic Preservation Office for review and acceptance.
Any mitigating measures recommended by the State Historic Preservation
Officer would be considered by the Port of Vancouver and the Environmental
Protection Agency. Mitigation measures acceptable to all three parties
(State Historic Preservation Officer, EPA and the Port of Vancouver) would
be adopted and implemented.
40

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SECTION III ALTERNATIVES AND THEIR EFFECTS
Alternative Selection Process
The basic proposal for lake restoration, including construction of a
flushing channel and dredging of lake bottom sediments, was first pre-
sented in a Stevens, Thompson & Runyan report of 1973. In the studies
undertaken in the current 208 planning program, Dames and Moore has
suggested some revision to those features, but their basic character-
istics remain the same. In addition, completion of the Pilot Dredge
Study allowed analysis of lake bottom sediments for reuse, various
methods of dredging and techniques for placement and handling of the
dredged materials. Based on the above studies EPA selected the following
alternatives for consideration in this Draft Environmental Statement:
ALTERNATIVE 1	No Action
ALTERNATIVE 2	Scale of Development
2A	Dredging of 12-15 million cubic yards
2B	Dredging of 8 -10 million cubic yards
2C	Dreding of under 6 million cubic yards
ALTERNATIVE 3	Disposal Material Placement
3A	Land Disposal
3B	Shoreline Disposal
3C	Combination of Land and Shoreline Disposal
ALTERNATIVE 4	Dredging Methods
ALTERNATIVE 5	Dredged Material Handling Methods
Impact Evaluation
In this section, possible environmental impacts associated with each al-
ternative are discussed following a brief description of the alternative.
Environmental impact may be categorized as adverse or beneficial, primary
or secondary, and short term or long term. Any number of combinations
of these categories are possible depending on the type of project involved.
For each alternative, impacts on the natural and social environments are
discussed in terms of these categories, where the categories can be applied.
Elements of the natural and social environments are discussed in an order
corresponding to Section II, Project Area Existing Conditions.
Most of the terms used to describe environmental impact are self-explanatory.
However, for the purpose of this discussion, several need further clarifi-
cation.
Primary Impacts include short term impacts occurring during con-
struction, and long term impacts related to construction and op-
eration of the facilities. Examples of primary impacts include
traffic disruption, disruption to vegetation, etc.
41

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Secondary impacts are essentially those associated with growth
and development. These impacts could include potential increases
in air contaminants and traffic as a result of increased recrea-
tion use, need for increased public services, and other effects
of growth related to lake restoration in general. Cumulative
impacts will be discussed where applicable.
In addition to environmental impact, short term uses and long term pro-
ductivity will be discussed, as well as any irreversible and/or irretriev-
able resource committments. The proposed alternatives will be analyzed
in relationship to their effect on future options, and the availability
of future resources. Resource committment is primarily a discussion
of the environmental and monetary resources which would be committed
to the project, and thus would not be available for future use.
Mitigating measures for each individual alternative must also be con-
sidered. Mitigating measures may be technological means to avoid and/
or minimize adverse environmental impact, or policy methods to mitigate
the impact of growth. For the purposes of this report, mitigating mea-
sures will emphasize means of reducing short term construction impacts
of the project.
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ALTERNATIVE 1 - NO ACTION
Alternative 1 is the "no project" alternative and assumes that EPA
would not provide grant funds for the proposed lake restoration project.
The no action alternative is used as a base line from which to evaluate
impacts associated with action alternatives. The non-point
source pollution control programs in Burnt Bridge Creek would continue
as part of Clark County's 208 Areawide Wastewater Management Plan Program.
Air Quality
Projected trends for the Vancouver Lake area indicate that the U. S. En-
vironmental Protection Agency and Washinqton Department of Ecology Ambient
Air Quality Standards will be naintained in most instances. However, total
suspended particulate levels will continue to be violated in the area
just south of the lake if the Carborundum Company plant does not im-
prove its pollution control efforts. The Clark County Air Quality Ana-
lysis prepared in 1976 projected continued violations of suspended par-
ticulates by Carborundum Company until new pollution controls are under-
taken. An agreement concerning those pollution controls has been reached
between the Southwestern Air Pollution Control Authority and the Carbor-
undum Company.
Topography
No changes in the local land topography would be expected as a result
of the pursuit of the no action alternative. Over a long period of time,
however, the configuration of the lake bottom would be expected to change
significantly due to continuation of the natural filling process. It has
been estimated that since 1948, a foot of sediment deposition has occurred
within the lake. This rate of deposition could be expected to decrease
somewhat in the future due to less intensive home building and other
construction activities in the adjacent drainage basin and increased
control over urban runoff and erosion.
Hydrology and Flood Hazard
Selection of a no action alternative would suggest that no steps would
be taken to change the flushing or circulation patterns within the lake.
This would result in continued deposition of sediments throughout the
lake, eventually creating marshlands in the shallowest areas. Although
it must be pointed out that these processes occur over many years,
eventually the circulation patterns would change slightly to accomodate
increasing shallowness and a shrinking water surface area.
Pursuit of a no action alternative would have no effect on the flood
hazard potential within the project area. Construction of the proposed
diking improvements by the Corps of Engineers would provide flood pro-
tection to the agricultural land owners within the project area. The
timing of the construction of these improvements, or whether they will
be built at all, is unknown. The Vancouver Lake diking improvement pro-
gram has been under consideration since early 1950. Recent questions have
been raised as to its cost-benefit ratio, and the project's future is
uncertain at this point. Further discussion of the diking improvement
plans can be found under Alternative 2A.
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Water Quality
Current total and fecal coliform levels within Vancouver Lake substantially
exceed the acceptable standards for a Class AA Waterway (Lake Class). Althouqh
coliform levels are expected to decrease in Burnt Bridge Creek as a result of
a variety of plans and programs, the decrease is not expected to be sufficient
AA levels collfoni1 levels in Vancouver Lake to within the acceptable Class
The trophic status of a lake is determined by the residence time of water
in the lake, the mean depth of the lake, nutrient loading of the lake
from the drainage basin, and a variety of other limnological parameters.
The single most important parameter in determining lake trophic status
is phosphorus loading. Lakes can be defined as oligotrophia eutrophic
or hyper-eutrophic. In general, oligotrophic lakes have very little
phosphorus, while eutrophic lakes are high in phosphorus content. Hyper-
eutrophic lakes, by definition, evidence exceedingly high levels of
phosphorus. Sedimentation and, to a certain extent, eutrophication
are natural processes in the history of lake development, particularly
in a lake which receives only marginal amounts of freshwater inflow.
However, human activity can cause substantial acceleration of the pro-
cess. Cultural eutrophication is the result of increasing the nutrient
loading of a lake due to conditions and activities within the watershed.
Any human activity which causes an increase in nutrient flow to a lake
will cause cultural eutrophication. Common causes of cultural eutro-
phication include sewage, increased erosion from agriculture or con-
struction activities, or use of plant fertilizers. When culturally
derived nutrients are added to existing supplies in a lake, the lake
becomes correspondingly more eutrophic.
Natural lake processes move on a continuum from oligotrophic to highly
eutrophic, which are dependent upon a variety of watershed and config-
uration conditions. Although Vancouver Lake is not yet considered hyper-
eutrophic, it is at the upper end of the eutrophic scale. If no action
is taken, it is expected that Vancouver Lake will eventually reach hyper-
eutrophic conditions. In the long term, coupled with continued sedimen-
tation, the lake will eventually fill and convert to marshland.
Pursuit of other 208 Areawide Wastewater Management Plan elements,
including reducing both point and non-point source pollution reaching
Vancouver Lake, would decrease the amount of cultural eutrophication
occurring within the lake. This would decrease the overall rate of the
eutrophication process, but would not prevent the eventual occurrence
of hyper-eutrophication and in-filling.
Fisheries
Over the long term, selection of a no action alternative would result in
Vancouver Lake becoming increasingly shallow, which would further limit
the aquatic environment. Turbidity problems would continue and would
likely increase in magnitude. The lake fisheries would probably exper-
ience stunting, as biotic competition began to take its toll on the
fish species. Over the long run, fisheries would probably be eliminated
and the lake would evolve into a marshland, and much later, a terres-
trial environment.
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Vegetation/Wildlife
Selection of a no action alternative would have no marked effect on the
vegetation and wildlife of the project area. Marsh areas would probably
expand over time, and riparian vegetation would continue to spread along
the shorelines. These processes would be extremely slow, and thus would
not alter the present wildlife activity.
Significant Wildlife Areas/Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Selection of a no action alternative would have no noticeable effect on
the present significant wildlife areas. Existing wetlands would be
maintained in their natural state as mandated in Executive Order 11990
and Environmental Protection Agency's Wetlands Policies, and would con-
tinue to provide valuable wildlife habitat. Increases in agricultural
activity around the lake could result in a depletion of wetlands and
marsh areas if those lands were converted to more intensive pasture
usage.
Population Growth/Economic Base
No changes in project area population growth would occur as a result of
selection of a no action alternative. It is expected that agricultural
use of the area could potentially increase over the long term as a
result of continued deposition of sediments in the marshlands. This
increase would be extremely slow. Selection of a no action alternative
would have no effect on the continued industrial expansion that is fore-
cast in the Vancouver Lake Task Force Land Use Plan.
Land Use Plans and Policies
The Vancouver Lake Task Force report and the accompanying adopted land
use plan both endorse and recommend plans for the restoration of Van-
couver Lake. Selection of a no action alternative would be contrary
to the goals and policies outlined in that report and adopted by the
Clark County Commissioners. If restoration of the lake did not occur,
the recreation shoreline uses shown in the plan would not be implemented;
however, industrial and agricultural use patterns could proceed as
defined on the adopted land use map.
208 Water Quality Planning
The restoration of Vancouver Lake is a significant portion of the Sectior
208 Areawide Wastewater Management Plan currently being prepared by the
Regional Planning Council of Clark County. In addition, the remaining
two work elements -- drainage management in Burnt Bridge
Creek and control of non-point source pollution around the lake -- are
closely tied to the eventual cleanup of Vancouver Lake. If the no
action alternative were selected, the goals of the 208 work program
would not be fully realized. Significant public funds have been pre-
viously committed and spent on this project, and a fairly high level
of public interest has been generated in the project. The future
availability of Vancouver Lake for recreational use appears to be a
45

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popular local issue and adverse public reaction could be expected if
the project were abandoned.
Completion of the two remaining 208 Program work elements would decrease
the amount of nutrient inflow reaching Vancouver Lake, but this decrease
would probably not be noticeable in relationship to overall lake quality.
Recreation
Selection of a no action alternative would be expected to result in the
abandoning of county plans to improve their 234 acre Vancouver Lake Park.
A major feature of the proposed park facility is water contact and access
for swimmers, sailors and fishermen. Group and family picnic areas and
a youth camp would be built to capitalize on the water access and use.
The existing lake quality conditions are not adequate for this type of
use, therefore the projected plans would be expected to be abandoned.
Existing and future demand for water-related recreation areas would
remain unmet, unless alternative sites were constructed or improved.
Archaeological and Historical Resources
No effects would be expected upon the existing archaeological sites if
the no action alternative were selected. Amateur and, occasionally,
professional archaeologists would continue to search the area for Indian
artifacts and remove them from the project area.
Short-term Resource Use vs. Long-Term Productivity
Selection of a no-action alternative would not require any committment
of additional monetary resources, nor would it change the environmental
factors currently at play within the lake and its environs. The long-
term productivity of the lake would be lost as the lake continued to
in-fill, however, for the long-term the lake would be preserved as a
valuable wetland habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. Eutrophi-
cation represents the increasing nutrient enrichment of a body of
water, and from that standpoint the lake would become increasingly
productive. However, human use of its surface and shoreline would be
extremely limited. Eventually, over the very long-term, the lake
bottom would fill, creating marsh and swamp areas. These habitats are
highly productive, but would replace and eliminate the existing
aquatic habitat and species.
Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources
If a no action alternative were selected, Vancouver Lake would be
committed towards eventual hyper-eutrophication and in-filling over
the long-term. The existing aquatic habitat would be replaced by
wetland and marsh habitat, and eventually by upland vegetation.
Increasing amounts of land area would be available for agriculture or
other dry land uses.
Mitigating Measures
Although the implementation of point and non-point source pollution
controls within the Vancouver Lake drainage basin would result in a
46

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decrease in nutrient input into the lake, it would not be sufficient to
reverse the existing trends. There are no mitigating measures which can
be suggested to achieve the project purposes under a no action alternative.
47

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r
ALTERNATIVE 2 - SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT
In order to restore Vancouver Lake to the depth and water quality level
that will allow more extensive human activity on and around the lake,
the Master Plan proposes three major work efforts: 1) flushing the lake
with relatively clean Columbia River water, 2) dredging the lake to pro-
vide for increased recreational usage, and 3) control of pollution enter-
ing the lake from non-point sources. Each of these major work
elements is described below and illustrated on Figure 12 - Dredging and Spoils
Disposal Areas.
1.	Flushing Channel: The flushing channel would extend from Columbia
River at Blurock Landing to Lower River Road, adjacent to the lake.
A culvert system would extend the flushing channel below the highway
corridor and would discharge into the lake through four 96" diameter
culverts. The culverts would be equipped with sluice gates on the
Columbia River side and with flap gates on the lake side. The flap
gates would prevent reverse flow out of the lake through the culverts.
The sluice gates could, if necessary, be used to prevent inflow into
the lake during periods of high turbidity in the river, to isolate
the lake from migrating salmonids, and for lake maintenance. An unlined
channel with the bottom width of 50 feet at elevation -8MSL and 3:1
(horizontal to vertical) side slopes is recommended in the Master Plan
(79).
2.	Dredging of Lake Bottom Sediments: Figure 12 defines the areas
within the lake which are expected to be dredged and the depths to
which dredging would occur. Three purposes are expected to be achieved
through selective dredging of the lake: 1) enhancement of lake flushing
by creating channels on the east and west banks to aid in circulation
and provide a short circuit for the nutrient rich Burnt Bridge Creek
water, 2) removal of nutrient rich bottom sediments which may be pro-
viding phosphorus in quantities sufficient to promote or assist algal
growth, and 3) deepening of the lake to allow increased recreational
activity. The configuration of the proposed dredging includes a channel
along the west shore to bring Columbia River water past the county
park, an east channel to direct the flow from Burnt Bridge Creek out Lake
River, a boating (sailing) basin in the south central portion of the
lake, sediment basins at the flushing channel at the outlet and Lake
River entrance, and a substantial undredged area in the north central
portion of the lake and near most shorelines where the flats or sloughs
are major spawning areas. The Master Plan states that this pattern of
dredging will result in better water quality and more recreational poten-
tial than the same amount of dredging spread evenly over the entire lake
(80).
Various levels of dredging have been proposed within the Master Plan.
Total dredging evaluated in the study plan was 15.4 million cubic yards.
However, the Master Plan concludes that reducing all dredged depths by
one foot would decrease the total dredging to 12.9 million cubic yards
with little effect on the recreation potential of the lake. The Master
Plan states that approximately one-half of the above dredging is for
development of the sailing area, which although it may provide the greatest
48

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benefit in economic terms, is the least critical tor achievement for a
clean lake. The Master Plan indicates that only about 20 percent of
the sailing area dredging is actually critical to achieve good water
quality in the lake. This would reduce the above figures to 9.6 and
8.1 million cubic yards, respectively. The 8.1 million cubic yards
is believed to be the minimum dredging that would be required to provide
acceptable water quality (81)-
The Master Plan for Vancouver Lake rehabilitation also outlines a
program for lake maintenance. Columbia River flushing water and
the continued flow of Lake River and Burnt Bridge Creek would
continue to transport sediment into Vancouver Lake. The dredge
plan includes zones specifically designed to collect these sediments
and it is estimated that approximately 50,000 cubic yards of
sediment would be deposited in the lake each year. In addition,
annual maintenance dredging of between 3,000 and 6,000 cubic yards
of material would be required within the flushing channel itself.
In order to remove the bottom sediments from Vancouver Lake, adequate
sites for the disposal of those materials must be found. The
Master Plan for Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake identifies the
potential dredge sites delineated in Figure 12. Since the availability
of disposal sites has not been finally settled, the Master Plan found
it necessary to identify more potential fill areas than would be ulti-
mately required (82). Table 14 presents the possible fill areas and
volume in each of those sites for alternative fill elevations ranging
from 20 feet above MSL to 32 feet above MSL. If all of these sites
were used, there would be more than sufficient capacity to implement
the 15.5 million cubic yard dredging plan without filling any site
above the 20 foot elevation. Since the availability of these sites
is not yet known, the Master Plan proposes that the following criteria
be utilized to guide the ultimate selection of the disposal areas and
fill elevations:
A.	"Proximity of disposal area to dredged site,
B.	Suitability of dredged material for intended future use of
site,
C.	Irreversible commitment of resources due to filling,
e.g., loss of wetlands or prime agricultural lands,
D.	Potential damage to fish or wildlife habitat,
E.	Suitability of on-site material for dike construction,
F.	Potential damage to archaeological sites,
G.	Potential disturbance to existing structures, and
H.	Potential qround water pollution (83)."
It should be noted that each of the above criteria emphasizes a differ-
ent set of values, whether it be engineering feasibility, future
land use, cost considerations or environmental protection. Selection
of the specific disposal areas may require that trade-offs be made between
those varyina sets of values.
The following paragraphs basically describe each of the potential fill
areas based on information provided by the Regional Planning Council
of Clark County.
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Site 1 Northwest Shoreline West of Buckmire Slough: This 65
acre tract includes pasture land and vacant highway right-
of-way. Compared to other pasture land in the lowlands,
this area is not highly productive. In addition, it does
not receive significant wildlife use. The site is well
located for use for the west channel and Lake River sedi-
ment trap dredging.
Site 2 Northern Undeveloped Portion of Vancouver Lake Park:
This 47 acre site is now used for pasture but is designed
for future group picnic facilities and playfields in the pro-
posed Vancouver Lake Park Plan. It is within normal pumping
range for the west channel dredging.
Site 3 West Central Area West of Lower River Road to Buckmire Slough
This 71 acre tract is owned by Alcoa and zoned for heavy in-
dustry, although it is presently used for pasture and has numerous
low lying areas. The Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan calls for
agricultural use, but with possible conversion to heavy in-
dustry if conflict with surrounding land uses can be mitigated.
The Regional Planning Council recommended use of this site for
filling based on two considerations: 1) the narrow site is
located adjacent to Vancouver Lake Park and thus would be diffi-
cult to develop for heavy industry without adversely affecting
the park and, 2) since it is not among the most productive
pasture areas, it was thought that the temporary loss of pro-
ductivity might not be unacceptable to the owner. The site
is well situated for use in conjunction with dredging both the
west channel and the flushing channel sediment trap.
Site 4 Southwest Area West of Lower River Road: This 33 acre
strip is characterized by two low lying areas which provide
water fowl habitat. There is little existing agricultural
use. The area is zoned for heavy industry and Alcoa, the pre-
sent owner, may be unwilling to allow non-structural fill.
Without booster pumps, the site could be used only for dredging
the flushing channel sediment trap.
Site 5 Southwest Embayment and Shoreline: The southwest embay-
ment is very shallow -- one foot or less most of the year. It
is a spiney ray spawning area, but provides no bank fishing
access. The embayment is surrounded by a county park and would
be filled to create an addition to the park. It is intended to
create a rolling landscape with native plant materials and
to encourage only limited access, thus essentially allowing the
area to grow wild again with the few nature trails and view points.
The upland area includes a willow swamp, grassy marsh and open
meadow. The Regional Planning Council recognizes the wildlife
habitat provided at this site, but believes that use of the site
would allow other more valuable fish and wildlife areas to be
preserved or enhanced.
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TABLE 14
CHARACTERISTICS OF POTENTIAL DISPOSAL AREAS
Site Designation Description
Area (acres)
+20
Volume in Cubic Yards When Filled
to Elevation (MSC)
+25
+ 30
+ 32
1
2
3
4
5a
5b
6
7
Northwest Shoreline
West of Buckmire Slough	65
West-Central Shoreline
East of Lower River Road 47
West-Central Area West
of Lower River Road	71
Southwest Area West of
Lower River Road	33
Southwest Embayment
(Surface Elevation
below +6)	65
Southwest Shoreline
(Above Elevation +6)	83
South Shoreline	650
Northeast Shoreline	112
350,000
300,000
300,000
900,000 1,400,000 1,650,000
700,000 1,000,000 1,100,000
500,000 1,100,000 1,700,000 2,000,000
450,000
700,000
800,000
1,650,000	2,200,000	2,750,000	2,950,000
1,350,000	2,050,000	2,750,000	3,050,000
8,100,000	13,350,000	19,000,000	20,800,000
3,200,000	4,100,000	5,000,000	5,200,000
Note: Areas and volumes are approximate

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I
Site 6 South Shoreline: This 650 acre area is made up of
productive wetlands and farmlands, State Game Department
land, low lying sink holes, and a few vacant fields near
the lake. The lakeward boundary of the area conforms to
the line adopted by the Clark County Commissioners for a
proposed dike presently being considered by the Corps of
Engineers. The Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan designates
agriculture and open space as the future use for this area.
The provision of flood improvement dikes along this area is
closely tied to the use of the area for spoils disposal.
If flood protection is not provided, the property owners
may decide not to make any land available for fill.
Site 7 East Shoreline of the Lake: This area of 112 acres
would provide for deposition of up to 5 million cubic yards
of dredged material and would open up a major portion of the
east side of the lake to public access. It would connect
the Burnt Bridge Creek and Salmon Creek Greenways thus pro-
viding fishing access to this entire shoreline (84).
3. Non-Point Source Pollution Control Measures: As
discussed previously, the 208 Program currently being prepared
by the Regional Planning Council of Clark County is aimed at
reducing the flow of non-point source pollution from the
drainage basin into Vancouver Lake. The major interceptors
serving the Burnt Bridge Creek drainage area have been
constructed and collectors are now being built to serve individual
neighborhoods. The Regional Planning Council has proposed the
establishment of a drainage district to control the storm runoff
generated in the drainage basin, including a diversion of "first
flush" storm water to sanitary sewers. In addition, efforts to
control erosion, septic tanks, construction erosion and agricultural
runoff have also been proposed for adoption.
Although construction of improvements to Vancouver Lake Park are not
part of the proposed project, completion of lake rehabilitation would
serve as the impetus to begin those park improvements. Because of the
close tie between the proposed lake rehabilitation and the proposed park
development, the park will be evaluated as a secondary impact of the
proposed program. Specific park programs are discussed in Section II
and outlined on Figure 11.
Cost Estimates
The grant application submitted by the project sponsor (Port of Vancouver)
in April 1976, estimated the cost of the project to be $8,278,000. Of
that total, federal participation represented some $4,139,000. Since
that time, however, completion of the pilot dredge study and the Master
Plan for the Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake have altered the projected
52

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costs. Estimates made in the Pilot Dredge Study indicate that dredging
and disposal of lake bottom sediments is expected to cost about $1.25
per cubic yard. Thus, the total cost of the project would vary greatly
depending upon the amount of material to be dredged. The Port of Vancouver
is currently exploring a variety of dredging options in order to minimize
those costs. The following cost estimates are taken from the Master Plan
and reflect estimates prepared in May, 1977. The estimate does not include
the cost of engineering, administration, legal services and contingencies.
Land acquisition costs and costs associated with park improvements or
vegetative cover of dredged material have also not been included.
Dredging and Dike Construction for
removal of 8,100,000 cubic yards
of sediment -	$ 10,400,000
Dredging and Dike Construction for
removal of 15,400,000 cubic yards
of sediment -	$ 19,500,000
Flushing Channel Construction	430,000
Culvert Construction	520,000
TOTAL	$ 11,350,000 --$ 20,450,000
The Port of Vancouver and Regional Planning Council of Clark County have
proposed the above package of work elements in order to restore Vancouver
Lake to public use by improving its water quality. The proposal presented
by these two agencies requires dredging of approximately 12-15 million cubic
yards of lake bottom sediments. The entire package of aquatic improvments,
including dredging of 12-15 million cubic yards of material, are included wit'i-
in Alternative 2A and represent the project sponsor's proposed project.
The impacts discussion included within Alternative 2A will evaluate the
total package of proposed improvements.
In order to fully evaluate the proposed project, the Environmental Protection
Agency selected two alternatives which would affect the scale of the entire
development. Alternative 2B will evaluate the dredging of 8-10 million cubic
yards of material, while Alternative 2C will evaluate the dredging of under
6 million cubic yards. Other project features will remain the same for each
of these alternatives; therefore, the effects discussion will be limited to
the impacts of decreasing the quantity of material to be dredged and disposed.
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ALTERNATIVE 2A - DREDGING OF
12-15 MILLION CUBIC YARDS
Alternative 2A represents the dredging of 12-15 million cubic yards of bottom
sediments from Vancouver Lake. This is the amount of dredqinq that
would provide for the sailing course while maximizing water quality benefits.
The remainder of the project features are as discussed in the previous pages.
The effects of this alternative are discussed below.
Air Quality
Short Term
The air effluents created by the dredging machinery would have a negligible
effect on the Vancouver Lake airshed. No significant adverse impacts are
anticipated; however,specific projections cannot be made until the machinery
and methods to be used have been identified.
Long Term
Secondary impacts would occur primarily due to an increase in vehicular
traffic around the lake. The dredging of the lake would significantly
increase the recreational use of the lake, particularly for sailboating
and swimming, thus bringing more vehicles into the area. However, pro-
jected increases in vehicular traffic are not expected to significantly
decrease current air quality conditions. Industrial development in Clark
County, specifically as it affects particulate levels, will be closely
monitored by the Southwest Air Pollution Control Authority. Guidelines have
been adopted by that body which will require that any new industrial
developments be thoroughly analyzed to determine their short and long
term effects on the regional airshed.
Topography
The disposal of dredged materials would alter present topographic conditions
along the lake shore. Proposed disposal sites may experience an elevation
increase of from 10 feet to 22 feet. The maximum total increase proposed
would bring the Mean Sea Level elevation up to 32 feet, from a present 20
feet. This change in topography may have effects on certain upland vegeta-
tion types, but any such effects are expected to be negligible.
The configuration of the lake bottom would be that portrayed in Figure 12
if the study plan of 15.4 million cubic yards were to be dredged. Configura-
tion for 12 million cubic yards would be depths lessened by one foot through-
out the lake bed. The differential configuration described in the previous
section would be maintained to assist with the flushing characteristics.
Construction of the proposed flushing channel would create a 4,300 foot
long, 15 foot deep and 100 foot wide channel through presently level
ground. In addition a 100 foot wide crpss dike would extend outward from
the inland portions of these channels. Although the construction of the
flushing channel would change the land configuration, no adverse impacts would
be expected.
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The Clark County Park and Recreation Department hopes to use some of the
dredged materials to create topographical variety within the proposed
park areas, providing a range of park and recreation experiences and
vistas.
Soils
Short Term
Soils would be affected when they are either removed, or covered over
by land disposal activity. The dredged materials would take up to a
year to dewater and settle, thus making the dispoal sites unusable during
that time period. The structure of the underlying soils would be suffi-
cient to handle the disposal materials and local soils could be used for
diking purposes for disposal cells. If existing soils were not removed
(particularly the top 4 to 6 inches of organics), good top soil would
be permanently lost. If they were removed from the site, either for
relocation or eventual return to the site, the impact would be temporary.
Long Term
The long term effects that may occur at the disposal sites would depend
upon the re-use of the lake soils. Lake soils are of a substandard
quality, both for building purposes and agricultural purposes. The
physical and chemical characteristics of the lake soils must be enhanced
and properly managed before the soil characteristics could attain
existing dry land soil conditions. If the lake soils were placed on the
land and were not conditioned and enhanced, the soil would experience
shifting and settling, and could not support traffic or a diverse vegetation
for a few years. If the soil were conditioned to attain uniform dewatering,
settling, and compaction, the site could be developed for vehicular and
certain structural functions. The re-use of the soils for agricultural
purposes would require enhancement with fertilizers and other amendments.
Revegetation of disposal sites as soon as is practicable would alleviate
any long-term increase in erosion potential.
Hydrology and Flood Hazard
The implementation of Alternative 2A would result in significant changes
in the hydrology of Vancouver Lake, through the combination of dredging
to change the lake circulation patterns and construction of the flushing
channel to allow an inflow of Columbia River water.
During low flow periods the flushing channel would introduce approximately
500 cfs into Vancouver Lake from Columbia River. The flushing flow would
be one-directional into the lake since the flap gates would prevent reverse
flow back into Columbia River. During the summer, Lake River would continue
to flow in both directions, although the flow to the north would be increased
by about 35 percent. The circulation model prepared by Dames and Moore in
the Master Plan indicates that during the summer a tidal amplitude of approxi-
mately 0.7 foot would occur in the lake. Although this variation is several
55

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tines the present amplitude, it is still quite low. In it's present state,
Vancouver Lake responds to elevation changes in Lake River. With the flushing
connection, lake levels would also be influenced by the Columbia River at
River Mile 101, resulting in a slight increase in water elevation (0.2 to
0.3 foot) (85).
During low water nonsteady-state periods, the existing flow in Lake
River is two-directional with approximately the same flow rate in each
direction. The introduction of flushing flow would reduce the southerly
flow of Lake River and increase the northerly flow. The decrease in
the level of inflow is expected to be about 65 percent of the preflushing
flow, while the increase in the outflow is expected to be 140 percent of
the preflushing flow.
During high flow periods in Columbia River, the flow in Lake River would
be essentially one-directional to the north. At the southern extreme,
the rate of flow would be essentially the same as the'flushing channel
inflow. During high flow periods, the average water level in the lake
would be increased about 0.5 foot over present levels, while during low
flow periods it would be increased about 0.2 foot (86).
In the past, rapid flooding in the Columbia River has resulted in south-
ward progressing flood surges in Lake River. The construction of the
flushing channel should lessen the impact of this surge due to the
northward progressing flow through the flushing system (87).
The circulation and velocity model cited in the Master Plan for the
Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake indicates that the proposed dredging
plan would result in increased water circulation throughout the lake.
Of primary importance is the flushing action that would increase the
flow along the park beach, placing Columbia River water in close proximity
to the shoreline, and the channel along the east shoreline which will
divert Burnt Bridge Creek water directly to Lake River.
The 500-700 cfs flushed from Columbia River through Vancouver Lake
represents approximately .3 percent of the average Columbia River flow.
Private property owners around the lake have encouraged the Corps of
Engineers to proceed with the proposed diking improvements in order
to remove additional lands from the floodplain. Agricultural lands
may be available for placement of dredged materials if diking and flood
control is provided. Specific placement of the proposed dikes has
not yet been established, awaiting the outcome of EPA's on-going
Wetlands Classification Study.
The proposed project is not expected to have any effects on the down-
stream floodplains of Columbia River and Lake River. During extensive
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flooding conditions, the flow from Columbia River into Vancouver Lake
can be controlled so as not to increase the flow in Lake River above
existing flood levels.
Since the Corps of Engineers has not mapped the Vancouver Lake floodplain,
it is not currently possible to assess the effects of future lake flooding
on the disposal sites or the future recreation facilities. Dikes surrounding
the disposal sites would be built to sufficient height to provide the
necessary flood protection.
Water Quality
A variety of techniques have been employed to improve water quality in
lakes. Nutrient removal or diversion, dredging or flushing have sometimes
proven effective in reducing algal growth and associated water quality
problems (88). In the case of Vancouver Lake, three separate alterations
in the lake and its drainage basin are included within the proposed lake
rehabilitation program.
1.	Land use patterns and sewage handling practices are expected to change,
which will have an impact on the quality of water and the amounts of algal
nutrients and other contaminants transported into the lake.
2.	The proposed dredging program would increase the mean depth of the lake
and might alter the character of the sediments at the sediment-water interface.
3.	The proposed diversion of Columbia River water would alter the residence
time and circulation pattern of water in the lake, and would change the
concentration of algal nutrients in the lake.
Each of these modifications is considered separately in the following dis-
cussion, and finally all are considered simultaneously (since there is some
interaction among them) in an attempt to anticipate their potential impact
on water quality. It is not possible to predict precisely what the con-
sequences of each of these actions might be. However, the application
of selected theoretical models and comparisons with other lakes, makes it
reasonable to predict the general pattern of response to be expected.
208 Wastewater Management Program
The water quality of Vancouver Lake is directly influenced by the pattern of
land use in its drainage basin. Extensive urbanization in the Burnt Bridge
Creek drainage basin has led to the creek transporting increasingly greater
amounts of sediment, algal nutrients, and other materials into Vancouver
Lake, In addition, agricultural use of land around the lake also produces
sediment and algal nutrients which are transported to the lake.
The goal of the proposed 208 program in Burnt Bridge Creek is to bring the
water quality within the accepted state and federal water quality standards.
In order to achieve this, a variety of management and land use control
techniques have been proposed. Studies prepared during the 208 program
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indicated high phosphorus, septic tank intrusion and heavy metal levels
reached the stream due to surface storm runoff (89). In response to
that, the 208 Program proposes that the "first flush" storm runoff should
be diverted to the sanitary sewer system to alleviate that source of
stream contamination. In addition, a variety of land use, septic tank,
construction and erosion control measures have been proposed to further
assist in the attainment of existing state and federal water quality
standards. Until the proposed Burnt Bridge Creek Drainage Management
Plan has been implemented, the specific increases in water quality levels
cannot be evaluated. It is doubtful, however, that the proposed measures
will totally eliminate the deleterious effects of urban runoff on water
quality in Vancouver Lake. For that reason, proposed circulation within
the lake has been designed to move Burnt Bridge Creek water directly to
Lake River, allowing it only marginal contact with the remaining water in
the lake.
It is expected that implementation of the Burnt Bridge Creek Drainage
Management Plan, and the yet to be completed non-point source control
measures, will result in a decrease in the level of nutrients reaching
Vancouver Lake from those sources. Whether these nutrient sources will
be too low to support further algal growth is unknown.
Dredging and Removal of Bottom Sediments
Dredging would increase the mean depth of the lake and should improve the
character of the sediments exposed at the sediment-water interface.
The increase in mean depth resulting from dredging would be less than
three feet; however, the depth would not be uniform throughout the lake.
This increase in mean depth would reduce the tendency for wave action
to resuspend bottom sediment. At times, Vancouver Lake is noticeably
discolored by fine turbidity, probably largely derived from resuspended
fine sediment. Since wave induced turbulence declines exponentially
with depth, the proposed dredging may cause a considerable reduction
in the resuspension of sediment (90).
An increase in mean depth would also reduce the average amount of light
available for algal growth throughout the water column. However, it is
very doubtful that an increase in mean depth of less than three feet could
have a significant impact on algal growth. The lake would still be very
shallow, and in addition, any decrease in turbidity would increase light
availability.
Deepening the 1ake should, to some extent, alter the character of the
sediment exposed at the sediment-water interface. Sediment can, in
some instances, provide a source of nutrients to the overlying water,
and the leakage of phosphorus from the sediment can be considerable in
shallow lakes (91). However, it does not appear that the nutrient supply
in Vancouver Lake sediment is particularly high. The sediment is described
as blue or grey clay, silt and sand and, at least for agricultural purposes,
low in nitrogen and very low in phosphorus (92).
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There is some evidence, however, that at least the surface layer of sediment
currently supports algal growth (93). Removing this surface layer could
reduce the availability of nutrients from the sediment. Nonetheless,
supplies of nutrients already in the water from the drainage basin are
more than adequate to support algal blooms, so that removing sediment
bound nutrients could have little impact. In addition, the soil ex-
ploration program carried out during the preparation of the Master Plan
indicated that while the upper few inches of sediment "do generally contain
higher levels of nutrients than lower sediments, there is little variability
in nutrient levels below the upper active layer, and the levels of nutrients
in the lower zone are still significant (94)". The Master Plan goes on
to conclude that "because the levels of nutrients in the underlying sedi-
ments are significant and because the flushing water itself is expected
to contain substantial amounts of nutrients, it is our opinion that dredging
only to remove the interface soil would be of little lasting water quality
benefit (95)." Based on that conclusion the Master Plan presented a dredging
plan designed to improve lake circulation and to maximize recreational use
of the lake.
There have been very few studies of the effectiveness of dredging on water
quality in lakes, although there is some evidence that dredging can improve
water quality in certain instances (96). However, the lack of any extensive
literature and the lack of sufficient data on Vancouver Lake make it im-
possible to anticipate precisely what the impact of dredging Vancouver Lake
might be.
The Pilot Dredge Study and Master Plan for Rehabilitation of Vancouver
Lake evaluated the short-term effects of dredging on the water quality
in Vancouver Lake. The following discussion is based on the findings
presented in those reports (97). Dredging may affect surface water
quality at the point of excavation and in the area were discharge from
the disposal site returns to the lake. Generally, only minor effects
limited to short-term increased turbidity, occur at the dredge head. A
monitoring program was carried out during the pilot dredging of Vancouver
Lake to determine the effects of dredging discharge on the lake. Mercury
was found to occur in significant quantities (0.6-1.1 ug/L) in the dredge
disposal effluent. Subsequent bioassays of specimen fish, including
bottom feeders found very little incorporation of mercury, however.
The mercury would probably settle to the lake bottom within a relatively
short radius of the effluent discharge from the retention point (98).
Zinc and copper were also detected in significant quantities in the
disposal pond effluent; however, subsequent fish specimen bioassays
indicated that the residues of these metals were comparable to or less than
concentrations found in a limited sampling of the same species from other
parts of the country. Like mercury, zinc and copper are expected to absorb
onto particulate matter in the disposal pond effluent to a great extent,
hence settling within a short distance of the discharge (99).
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Diversion of Columbia River Water Into Vancouver Lake
Diversion of Columbia River into Vancouver Lake could be expected to
significantly alter the limnological conditions of the lake. The mineral
composition of the lake could be expected to improve and to closely resemble
Columbia River water, since the volume of flow being considered for flushing
(600 cfs) would greatly exceed the present flow through the lake (approxi-
mately 50 cfs from a combination of stream flow, groundwater flow and
precipitation.) Flushing water introduced from Columbia River would tend
to deposit coarser sediments as the flow entered Vancouver Lake. As a con-
sequence the proposed sediment traps located at the inlet of the flushing
channel to the lake would gradually become shallower. Analysis by Dames
and Moore indicated that about 35,000 cubic yards of suspended sediment
would enter the lake annually. They further estimated that this sediment
would accumulate in the sediment trap to a thickness of about 2 feet
within ten years. This rate of sediment accumulation could be reduced
by excluding flushing water from the lake during periods of high sedi-
ment content in Columbia River (100).
The benefits of flushing in reducing the tendency for a lake to become ex-
cessively eutrophic or to produce excessive algal growth stem from two separate
influences. First, if the water used to dilute a lake is low in nutrients, the
concentration of nutrients will be lowered, which can lead directly to reduced
algal growth rates (101). Second, if the flushing rate is great enough, algae
may simply be so rapidly washed out that they are unable to develoD significant
populations (102).
The diversion of Columbia River water into Vancouver Lake can assist in reducing,
to some extent, eutrophic conditions in the lake. Nutrient dilution has
been shown to be an effective technique for Green Lake, Seattle, Washington
and to be of some benefit for Moses Lake, Washington, where Columbia River was
used as dilution water (103). However, the Columbia River at Vancouver, Wash-
ington, at times carries relatively high concentrations of algal nutrients
(78 ug P/l for average total phosphorus, and 254 g NO^-N and 70 ug NH3-N/I average
nitrate and ammonia nitrogen). These amounts of nutrients are sufficient to
Dromote rapid alqal qrowth. Any nitrogen and phosphorus derived from the drainage
basin or bottom sediment would only add to the nutrient supply. The Control Plan
for the basin will work towards minimizing these supplies.
As shown in Table 15 the nutrient content of Columbia River varies seasonally,
thus flow into the lake could be regulated to minimize the entry of sediment
into Vancouver Lake. The total phosphorus category is the most relevant to
this analysis since it is the most widely used measure of nutrient enrich-
ment. Recent sources have stated that it is therefore more relevant to
the question of increasing algal productivity to view the phosphorus
concentrations in terms of total phosphorus, since most of the phosphorus is
bound in the particulate components at any given time (104)." The majority
of the recent models also use total phosphorus as the major nutrient indicator.
Although nitrogen levels can also be used as an indication of potential
algal productivity, significant nitrogen-fixing algae currently exist in
Vancouver Lake indicating that the presence of high levels of nitrogen
are not necesseary for algal production.
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TABLE 15
Columbia River Nutrient Content
mg/1
Nitrogen Ortho Phosphate
Total
Phosphorus
At Bonneville (above Vancouver)
May - October
Nov. - April
0.080
0.363
0.029
0.034
0.074
0.084
At Longview Bridge (below Vancouver)
May - October
Nov. - April
0.163
0.530
0.011
0.060
0.122
0.417
Control of alqal qrowth conditions by displacement would require very
high rates of dilution. Algal growth rates can easily exceed one doubling
every two days; therefore, control of algal growth by washout is effective
only when the entire volume of a lake is replaced in two or three days (105).
It would require a flushing flow in excess of 1500 cfs to replace the
entire volume of Vancouver Lake in three days at minimum lake volume (mean
depth of four feet).
It has been suggested that diversion of Columbia River water into
Vancouver Lake would drastically reduce algal growth in the lake (106).
Since the Columbia River supports a considerable population of algae, sucn
a prediction is questionable (107). In addition, algal growth in Columbia
River is believed to be largely determined by light availability (108). The
much shallower depth of Vancouver Lake would prevent the light limitation
evident in the Columbia River, and it is expected that algal production
within the lake would continue.
Combined Effects of Dredging & Diversion of Columbia River Water
Since 1966 a variety of studies have been performed to determine the most
feasible method to clean up Vancouver Lake and make it available for public
use and enjoyment. The first full scale study was prepared by the
College of Engineering Research at Washington State University and recommended
three major steps to restore lake water quality: 1) control of pollution
entering the lake, 2) dredging of the lake to remove nutrient rich bottom
sediments and increase recreational potential, and 3) introduce flushing
flow of Columbia River water into the lake. A subsequent study prepared
by Stevens, Thompson and Runyan further refined these recommendations and
suggested that dredging the lake could also serve to enhance circulation
within the lake (109). The most recent study, Master Plan for the Rehabi
litation of Vancouver Lake was recently completed by Dames and Moore.
This report suggests that the same three steps be taken to enhance lake
water quality, but that the major purpose of dredging be to allow more exten-
sive recreational use and to improve water circulation within the lake (110).
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None of these reports suggests that the combined restoration efforts would
convert Vancouver Lake into a pristine, clear body of water, but they all
project that the water quality within the lake would be improved to the
extent that increased recreational use would be possible.
Dredging Vancouver Lake would increase both the mean depth of the lake,
and the hydraulic residence time. Diversion of Columbia River water into
the lake via the proposed channel would, in turn, decrease the hydraulic
residence time and introduce additional supplies of algal nutrients,
although at substantially lower concentrations. All of these alternatives
can be considered simultaneously using the "Nutrient Loading Concept"
developed by R. A. Vollenweider and his co-workers (111). In developing the
parameters of this model, a range of conditions are considered in order
to assess the predicted impact of a variety of alternative procedures.
These alternatives are outlined in the following Tables 16 and 17 and
then presented graphically in Figure 13 to compare with Vollenweider's model.
TABLE 16
PHOSPHORUS LOADING FROM COLUMBIA RIVER
Added Flow
from Columbia	Phosphorus Loading
River	(gP/m^/yr)
Assumed phosphorus	100 cfs	0.339
concentration in
inflow of	600 cfs	2.035
40 ug P/L*
1,000 cfs	3.395
Assumed phosphorus	100 cfs 0.764
concentration in
inflow of	600 cfs 4.578
90 ug P/L*
1,000 cfs	7.640
~Representative values for high and low concentrations of phosphorus
observed in Columbia River (Beak 1977).
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EUTROPHIC
90jjg P/l
40pg P/l
OLIGOTROPHIC
i	v	1—i—»—m
~I	1	«	1	MM
~1	1—I—I I I I I	
100
	1	r
10
Z/T,
w
13 Annual Phosphorus Loading to Vancouver Lake using
Columbia River water for flushing at various rates.
(Adapted from Vollenweider and Dillon 1974).

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TABLE 17
RELATIONSHIP OF MEAN	DEPTH AND RESIDENCE TIME
Added Flow	Residence
From Columbia	Time Depth/Residence
River (cfs)	(Year) Time
Mean Depth
Before Dredging
1 Meter 100	0.118 8.5
600	0.0193 51.8
1,000	0.0118 85.5
Mean Depth
After Dredging
3 Meters 100	0.353 8.5
600	0.0589 50.9
1,000	0.0353 84.8
Volume at one meter depth = 1.052	x 10? m3
Volume at three meter depth = 3.156 x 107 m^
The results of these calculations are presented in Figure 13, which
includes lines indicating admissible and dangerous levels of phosphorus
loading. The shaded area in the figure represents the expected status
of the lake due to nutrient loading from the proposed addition of
Columbia River water alone. It is clear from this graph that the greater
the addition of Columbia River water, the more eutrophic the lake may be
expected to become. When existing sources of phosphorus loading (from
the existing drainage basin and from sediment in the lake) are included
in the nutrient budget, the Vollenweider model predicts that Vancouver
Lake would remain a eutrophic lake, with or without dredging, and with
or without the addition of flushing water.
The pattern of dredging and the position of the proposed flushing channel
are designed to promote "short circuiting" of the flow from Burnt Bridge
Creek directly to the outflow, Lake River, and also to provide a flushing
current of Columbia River water along the swimming beach at the park.
This flow pattern would help reduce bacteria populations in the rest of the
lake and provide the cleanest possible water along the swimming beach.
The Master Plan indicates, however, that in order to increase water
quality to the level required for water contact sports, it may be necessary
to provide a supply of cleaner water (preferably from a groundwater
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source) along the swimming beach (112). The reduced residence time of
water in the lake could prevent the accumulation of a large standing popu-
lation of algal. Since the inflowing Columbia River water would be some-
what cooler, it would tend to flow into the lake on the bottom and could
displace or prevent major surface accumulations of algae out of the
lake. Thus, although nutrient supplies would support rapid algal growth,
the additional flow could reduce any deleterious impacts.
Vancouver Lake can be expected to remain a eutrophic body of water after
dredging and with the addition of Columbia River water because there would be
a sufficient supply of nutrients, sufficient residence time (15-20 days)
and sufficient light availability to ensure significant algal production.
However, the shorter residence time of water in the lake would reduce the
tendancy for large standing crops of algae to develop. Although the
lake would still be considered eutrophic (30-100 ug P/l), the proposed
restoration procedures would halt its movement towards a hypereutrophic
condition (in excess of 100 ug P/l). As Columbia River water quality is
improved and nutrient sources from the watershed are eliminated, the nutrient
levels are expected to continue to decline.
It is important to note that neither eutrophic conditions, nor the presence
of algae render a lake unusable for recreation purposes. In fact, many
of the most widely used recreational lakes in both Washington and Oregon
are characterized by both conditions.
The State of Washington has not established specific standards of coliform
levels for water contact recreation. However, within the State's Lake
classification total coliform levels are not to exceed 240/100 ml with
20 percent not to be greater than 1,000/100 ml if fecal coliform is
present (113). Present conditions in Vancouver Lake indicate that maximum
coliform levels approximate 100,000/100 ml total coliform, while 10-40
percent of the total coliforms are fecal coliforms. The coliform bacteria
counts in the Columbia River, while far better than the existing conditions
in Vancouver Lake, sometimes approach marginal levels for water contact
recreation (mean is 2,600-1,000/100 ml) (114). On the basis of
those estimates, the Master Plan for Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake
recommends that water quality in the vicinity of the swimming beach be
enhanced during swimming season by the discharge of ground water to the
swimming area (115). The Master Plan estimates that a single well with a
capacity of about 1,000 gallons per minute (gpm) could be used to pump
water to the surface where it could be directed to two discharge points
along the beach. "The flow of well water would act both to dilute and
displace the lake water. Since the well water should have very low concen-
trations of coliform bacteria, it should significantly increase the quality
of water at the beach (116)." Water quality and coliform levels along the
beach would be monitored and groundwater would be diverted to the beach as
necessary.
Fisheries
Short Term
The construction of the flushing channel would cause considerable turbidity
both at Columbia River and Vancouver Lake. The increased turbidity could
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adversely affect Columbia River fish runs and nearby downstream fishing.
However, these effects would be temporary and the extent of the impacts
would be dependent upon the time of year of the construction activities.
Maintenance dredging of the flushing channel sediment trap within the
lake would be required every 10 years (117). No estimates have been prepared
for maintenance dredging within the flushing channel itself.
In-lake impacts would occur where the dredging takes place (at the pipe-
line head) and at certain disposal sites. The effects of the actual
dredging are expected to be slight, although the spread of turbidity
would be greatly affected by specific wind and current conditions. The
disposal of dredged materials in Mulligan Slough, the south embayment and
along the northeast shore would have adverse impacts upon the fisheries.
Disposal in these areas would destroy feeding and spawning areas. If
disposal in wetland areas of Mulligan Slough occurred in spring or early
summer, it would destroy considerable numbers of fish.
Return waters from the dewatering process would have a short term impact
on the lake fish, but this is expected to be minimal. Removal of the lake
bottom sediments would eliminate certain toxics from the fish environment
which should have a favorable impact on local populations.
Washington State University conducted surveys in 1967-68 that involved
bottom sampling in various parts of the lake. The benthic organisms
collected included Naididae, Chironomid and Nematoma worms. No other
epifaunal or infaunal organisms were collected. The most common organisms
were worms of the family Naididae which characteristically inhabit shallow
and turbulent waters. Dredging would eliminate such organisms from specific
areas of the lake during the short-term. Repopulation would be expected.
Columbia River water is expected to warm at the rate of approximately
1°C. per day upon entering Vancouver Lake. Thus in six days time, the
water is expected to warm 6°C. (10°F.). It is anticipated that this warming
factor would be sufficient to increase the Columbia River waters to
meet the spawning needs of the spiny-rayed fishes in the lake.
Long Term
The flushing channel could permanently alter nearby Columbia River shore
contours, which may affect immediate area fisheries. This effect should
be minimal, however. The Washington State Department of Fisheries believes
that the flushing channel may lure migrating salmonids, which would
disrupt their natural migration processes. Juvenile salmonids, if allowed
to enter the lake, would probably fall prey to resident spiny-rayed fishes.
The Department of Fisheries has indicated that screening of the flushing
channel would probably be necessary in order to prevent juvenile salmonids
from entering the lake during their fall downstream migration. Screening
criteria for water diversions typically require that screen openings should
not exceed 1/8 inch in the narrow direction, and approach velocities should
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not exceed 0.5 feet per second as measured at the gross area of the screen.
These screens would be placed at the entrance to the flushing channel, where
the Columbia River water entered the channel. The construction of these
fish screens would entail considerable engineering desiqn, impacts or
costs of which cannot now be determined. The possibility also exists of
closing the culvert gates at key times during the salmon runs in order to
prevent their entry into the lake.
The deepening of the lake may ennance the over-all fish habitat, miredsinq
tne carrying capacity of the lake and diversifying available niches.
Where a pilot dredge study hole was dredged in the southwest corner
of the lake, it was found that a marked number of lake fishes soon moved
into the deeper waters. Deeper waters, thus an increased total environment,
may encourage an increase in size of resident fishes.
If the spiny-ray fish population in Vancouver Lake were enhanced due to lake
rehabilitation, the Washington State Department of Fisheries believes that
an adverse impact upon the salmon fisheries of Lake River could occur (118).
During the spring season juvenile salmon migrate down Salmon Creek and
through Lake River on their way to the Columbia River. These small fingerlings
would be susceptible to predation by larger spiny-ray fishes, primarily bass.
An increased spiny-ray population in Vancouver Lake could result in an in-
creased spiny-ray population in Lake River 019).
The placement of dredged materials in Mulligan Slough or its surrounding
wetland areas, would have a significant adverse impact on the lake fisheries.
Disposal in these areas would permanently destroy the most important
spawning areas of the entire lake. There are few areas in Vancouver Lake,
Lake River, or Burnt Bridge Creek that have comparable conditions, and
none offer so large an area. The specific role played by Mulligan Slough
will be more evident after completion of the on-going wetlands inventory.
Vegetation and Wildlife
Short Term
Alternative 2A would have varying effects on the local vegetation and wildlife.
The construction of the flushing channel would destroy vegetation and
habitat, but should not cause significant losses. The channel would
primarily cut through pastureland and open areas. Vegetation loss would
be minimal, and though some mammals would be lost, most of them could
easily relocate.
The dredging of the lake should cause minimal effects on waterfowl, given
that dredging activities were not undertaken by several dredges at once.
The lake is large enough for visiting waterfowl to stay away from, and
thus not be disturbed by, the dredging.
The disposal of dredged materials in Mulligan Slough and other recognized
important wildlife areas would cause immediate disturbance to local wild-
life species. The destruction of nesting and feeding areas would seriously
impact waterfowl and songbirds, as these species would be forced to relo-
cate. Limited nesting areas are available to such waterfowl as woodducks,
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thus the destruction of any nesting areas could severely impact area populations.
Raptors and mammals would be affected by loss of habitat, but relocation
would be possible for predator/prey relationships. Most invertebrates
in the area would be lost, as would all wetland vegetation communities
in the areas of disposal.
Long Term
The flushing channel may affect seasonal mammalian movements in the area,
as the channel would present a very real barrier to certain species. The
channel would be too great for small mammals to circumvent (mice, squirrels,
oppossums, rabbits, skunks, and possibly raccoons). Although deer should
be able to swim the flushing channel, its presence would create a barrier
restricting their habitat.
The dredging of the lake should cause no significant problems for waterfowl,
except that feeding may be restricted for the "dabblers". Since the
pond ducks (dabblers) do not diver, they are restricted in the depth of
water available to them for feeding purposes. However, the deepening
of the lake may prove to be advantageous to the diving ducks, as they
prefer deeper waters in which they can actually dive for invertebrates
and small fish. Available feeding areas for the great blue heron would
be reduced, but adequate feeding would still be present along the entire
shoreline of the lake.
Increased recreational use of the lake, particularly in terms of boating,
would have an adverse impact on wildlife usage of the lake. Waterfowl
and waders would be more constantly disturbed by human activities, thus
inhibiting their use of the lake.
The long-term effects of dredged material disposal would be most marked
at Mulligan Slough, and on the west side of the lake. The inundation of
these areas would permanently destroy wetland habitat, which is important
to waterfowl, invertebrates, and certain flora. Nesting areas for wood
ducks, teal, and mallards would be lost. Favorable habitat for swallows,
warblers, vireos and flycatchers would be destroyed. These losses must
be considered significant because similar habitat is rapidly decreasing
in the urban regions. The diversity of the regional environment is
commensurate with the stability of that environment. (Evaluation of
the specific disposal sites is included within Alternative 3.)
Significant Wildlife Areas
Short Term
The construction of the flushing channel would result in short-term
adverse effects on the nearby fishing areas of the Columbia River noted
on the Significant Wildlife Areas Map, Figure 7. These areas, parti-
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cularly the site immediately adjacent to the channel area, would experience
excessive turbidity. These turbidity problems would occur until construction
in the area was completed.
The dredging of the lake would cause some adverse impacts on the lake
surface migration activity if dredging occurred during the migration
season. As long as several dredges were not working concurrently, the
impact should not be significant. The size of the lake should allow for
adequate space between waterfowl and dredge to minimize disturbance.
The disposal of dredged materials would cause adverse impacts on certain
areas of the lake shore. Mulligan Slough would be affected by the
destruction of various invertebrates and some small mammals (shrews,
moles, etc.). If disposal took place during the spring or early summer,
significant numbers of spiny rayed fish would be destroyed while they
were attempting to spawn or rear their young. Nesting songbirds and
waterfowl would lose their nests, and the riparian and aquatic vegetation
would be destroyed. The disposal of dredged materials in the Buckmire
Slough area would also destroy songbird and waterfowl habitat, with the
most adverse impacts occurring in the spring and early summer. Some
spawning areas may be destroyed in the northern portion of Buckmire
Slough.
Long Term
The deepening of the lake may change the migratory use of the lake by
waterfowl, but not to a significant extent. Dabblers may do more feeding
in the Shillapoo Lake area, because of difficulties in feeding in the
deeper lake waters. Divers, on the other hand, may find the deeper waters
more favorable.
The disposal of dredged materials in a portion of Mulligan Slough or adjacent
wetlands would seriously impact the wildlife characteristics of the area.
Spawning, nesting, and feeding for many and various species of vertebrates
and invertebrates occurs within these wetland areas annually. The area
must be considered the single most important eco-type within the entire
project area. It is the most important spiny rayed fish spawning area
and has the largest area of relatively undisturbed marshland and wetland.
It contains the thickest belts of riparian vegetation, which provide
important waterfowl and songbird nesting habitat. Also, the wetland
habitat produces vast amounts of mico-flora and micro-fauna that ultimately
plays an integral role in the life-processes of the entire lake eco-
system. The filling of a portion of this area would destroy an irreplaceable
biological resource of the Vancouver Lake environment.
Disposing of dredged materials adjacent to the Buckmire Slough area
would destroy wood duck and teal nesting grounds, as well as songbird
habitat and fish spawning areas. These areas are fairly heavily used
by the wildlife groups because there are not many alternative areas avail-
able in the vicinity. The spawning grounds are primarily located in
the northern part of Buckmire Slough. The avifauna habitats are shown
on the Significant Wildlife Areas map.
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Population Growth/Economic Base
The restoration of Vancouver Lake is not projected to have any significant
long-term effects upon local population growth. Creation of a more pleasant
lake environment could enhance the property values of those residential areas
that either view the lake or are within walking distance. However, this would
only result in a minor shift of population within the general western portion
of Vancouver.
The creation of a widely used recreation facility in close proximity to
the City of Vancouver could result in an increase in tourism to the area.
Local gas stations, grocery stores and convenience restaurants would benefit
from the recreationists visiting the lake during the summer months. The
Olympic sailing course could also be expected to draw large numbers of
spectators who would frequent local conriercial enterprises.
By 1980 it is projected that approximately 1,705,000 recreation occasions
would occur annually at Vancouver Lake Park if lake restoration efforts were
undertaken. This would result in recreation benefits of approximately
$4,000,009 (120). In addition, the construction of adjacent recreation
facilities such as a marina, golfcourse or baseball/softball facility would
expand the local economic base and generate additional revenues.
A previous plan for the flushing channel was designed to allow barge traffic
and a barge loading facility, or marinas and other related activities along
the channel. These plans have been abandoned and the present flushing
channel design would not accommodate such uses.
Land Use Plans and Policies
Selection of the 2A Alternative is consistent both with the adopted Vancouver
Lake Land Use Plan and the preliminary Clark County Comprehensive Plan Goals
and Guidelines. Both documents have designated this area for a mix of high
intensity recreational, agricultural and industrial activities. At the
present time, the agricultural activities within the project area specialize
in income-producing row and specialty crops. As long as these crops remain
profitable, conversion to more intensive uses would probably not occur. Both
the preliminary comprehensive plan and the Vancouver Lake Task Force report
outline strategies to be instituted by the county for preservation of agricul-
tural land. If these strategies are implemented, the intensification of
recreational activity within the area should not adversely affect the mainten-
ance of agricultural activities. Placement of dredged materials on currently
productive agricultural land would be contrary to the Vancouver Lake Land Use
Plan since it would remove that land from productive use for a period of time.
The sediments dredged from the lake are not expected to be of sufficient quali
for use as structural fill material. Therefore, placement of materials on
areas designated for future industrial use would render the land unusable for
that purpose and would be in contradiction to the intent of the Vancouver
Lake Land Use Plan.
208 Areawide Wastewater Management Program
Alternative 2A is the alternative recomnended by the Regional Planning Council
of Clark County in its 208 planning program. In combination with the control
of non-point source pollution, they believe this alternative would best achiev
Clark County's water quality and land use goals.
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Recreation
The restoration activities outlined in Alternative 2A would support
the recreation plans developed for Vancouver Lake by the Clark County
Park and Recreation Department. These plans include construction
of an Olympic sailing course in conjunction with the Vancouver Lake
Sailing Club, as well as development of a number of facilities at
Vancouver Lake Park including swimming, picnicking, play fields,
nature areas and a youth camp. The park has been designed to provide
a variety of both passive and active recreational options and it
appears that the planned facilities recognize the value and limita-
tions of the various habitats existing within the park boundaries.
Clark County Park and Recreation Department has indicated that they
expect that the Port of Vancouver would be involved in the implemen-
tation of the park master plan, but that the county would be respon-
sible for the operation and maintenance of the facilities once they
were constructed.
Selection of the 2A Alternative would allow both shoreline and in-
lake recreational activity. Dredging under this alternative would be
sufficient to allow the establishment of an Olympic sailing course in
the south central portion of the lake. The current county plans do
not call for motor boat use of the lake, which, if it were to occur,
would conflict with both sailing and fishing use of the lake, due to
the lake's rather uniform shallow depths. Some conflict between sailing and
fishing use of the lake could be expected to occur since the pilot dredge
study indicated that the fish moved quickly into the deeper dredged areas
of the lake. If the fishermen and sailing enthusiasts both wish to utilize
the same areas of the lake, some conflicts could be expected. However, these
could be minimized by the creation of use zones within the lake water areas.
Dredging of a deeper channel along the western shoreline and placement
of sand materials in that area would create an adequate swimming beach
for a large number of recreationists. Quiet water swimming areas are
much in demand in the metropolitan area, and the easy access to Vancouver
Lake should make it a popular warm weather picnicking and swimming area.
The Vancouver Lake Park Master Plan outlines recreation facilities
capable of accommodating a large number of recreationists. The park's
proximity to the Portland metropolitan area and the continually
increasing demand for water-related recreation areas support those
plans. If the case of Scoggins Reservoir is applicable to
Vancouver Lake, then initial use may surpass early estimates.
Park planners have been careful to provide parking facilities in a
manner that may limit the chance of over use of the facility.
Historical and Archaeological Resources
Before the placement of dredged materials can occur, an archaeological
inventory of the project area must be undertaken. Evidence of over
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40 archaeological sites within the area was determined by the Washington
Archaeological Research Center. The condition and significance of
these sites is currently unknown. In addition to the disposal of
dredged materials, increased recreational use and wave action along
the shorelines could have adverse impacts upon these sites.
Mitigating Measure
Measures to mitigate the short-term effects on dredging and the disposal
of the dredged material are discussed under Alternatives 3, 4 and 5.
Placement of screens on the flushing channel culverts to prevent juvenile
salmonids from entering the lake has been proposed by the Washington
State Department of Fisheries.
Short-term Resource Use vs. Long-Term Productivity
Economic, social and environmental systems are seldom static, but can
usually be viewed as a continuum moving from what they were in the past,
to what they will be in the future. A significant concept in the evalua-
tion of effects is: What effect does a potential project have upon those
trends? Does the project slow down, or speed up the trend, or does it
move the trend in another and different direction?
In the case of Vancouver Lake, we are faced with two distinct trends --
a natural system trend and a human trend. Over the past years Vancouver
Lake has evolved from an integral part of the Columbia River system, to
a highly eutrophic lake characterized by high levels of nutrients and
bacteria. The lake has continued to become shallower and if left in
its natural state would eventually infill to a greatly increased extent.
Although extensive wildlife habitat is available in the wetlands and
sloughs surrounding the lake, human use of the lake is very limited due
to its poor water quality. The lake's eutrophication process has been
encouraged by the extensive growth that has occurred within the Vancouver
area over the past 20 years. Increasing construction activity, storm
runoff and inadequate sewage disposal has added to the natural processes,
resulting in a decreasing level of lake water quality. In addition, the
population growth in Clark County and the Portland Metropolitan area
has created a clear demand for increased public facilities, including
recreation. Vancouver Lake's proximity to the urban area and under-
utilization has made it a focal point for future recreation plans.
The federal government through the implementation of the Environmental
Protection Agency's Clean Lakes Program has determined that public monies
should be expended to restore lakes such as Vancouver Lake. Thus federal
policy actively supports changing the natural systems in some lakes, when
those natural systems have been degraded by human activities, to improve
their water quality and, hence, their usability. In the short-term, the
restoration of the lake would result in localized decreases in water quality
as a result of the proposed dredging activity. Short-term losses of pro-
ductivity and wildlife habitat use would also be associated with the place-
ment of dredged materials on the lands surrounding the lake.
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The proposed restoration program and its maintenance would increase the
future usability of the lake for local and metropolitan area residents. By
decreasing the lake's long-term production of nutrients and its coliform
levels, future recreation uses can be greatly enhanced. The only major,
long-term adverse effect of the proposed project would result from the
destruction of significant wetland habitat through inundation with
dredged materials. The results of an on-going study are intended to
identify Class I and other significant wetland areas. Placement of
dredtjed materials on those lands would not support the President's
Executive Order concerning wetlands, as well as to EPA's wetlands policy.
The selection Drooess for determining specific dredqed material disposal
sites would be closely tied to a direct understanding of the tradeoffs and
relative values associated with a variety of land uses. Placement of
materials on Class I wetlands would not be supported by federal policy,
while placement of materials on productive farmlands or designated indus-
trial land would not be supported by the Vancouver Lake Land Use Plan.
Irreversible and Irretrievable Resource Commitments
The major resource commitments involved in lake restoration would be
the inundation of the disposal sites with lake bottom sediments and the
funds spent during the dredging and construction activities. If wetland
areas were covered with dredged materials, a significant habitat area would
be lost to the local and regional ecosystem. The placement of dredged
materials on other lands around the lake would result in short-term losses
of productivity and use, until the soils were settled and prepared for a
new use. The commitment of the approximate $15,000,000 necessary to
complete the proposed project must be weighed against the benefits in
both enhanced water quality and recreation opportunities that would result
from the proposed program.
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ALTERNATIVE 2B - DREDGING OF 8-10
MILLION CUBIC YARDS
Alternative 2B suggests that 8-10 million cubic yards of material be dredged
from Vancouver Lake, as opposed to the 12-15 million cubic vards outlinpd
in Alternative 2A. This dredging plan would allow maximum dredging for
circulation, but would not include dredging of the Olympic sailing course,
which would result in decreased spoils disposal near Site 5 and 6. The
remainder of the dredging and spoils disposal would occur as outlined in
Alternative 2A. Only those areas in which impacts would differ between
Alternatives 2A and 2B are discussed below. The estimated cost of
Alternative 2B would be approximately $12,500,000.
Air Quality
The dredging of 8-10 million cubic yards of lake bottom sediments would
have the same qeneral impacts as would occur if the project involved the
dredging of 12-15 million cubic yards. The total emissions would be slightly
less, due to less operating time required by the dredge machinery,
and possibly less vehicular traffic due to the elimination of the sailing
race course. However, these differences would probably be negligible.
Topography
The dredging of 8-10 million cubic yards would lessen the total amount of
fill material that would be deposited on Sites 5 and 5. Thus, the topo-
graphic change from existing conditions to post-disposal conditions
would be less marked. No significant effects should be anticipated.
Soils
The same relative effects could be expected from Alternative 2B as were
outlined in Alternative 2A. Where the native soils were buried, they
would be permanently lost. If scraped to the side for reuse or reloca-
tion, the impact would be temporary.
Hydrology and Flood Hazards
The general hydrological effects that are discussed in Alternative 2A
would apply under selection of this alternative.
There would be no impacts on the flood hazard potential.
Mater Quality
Because the hydrologic conditions within the lake would remain as they
were with Alternative 2A, no change would be expected from those pre-
dicted for that alternative. Sufficient sediments would still be removed
from the lake to possibly decrease the existing nutrient load, and the
channels along both shorelines would provide increased circulation.
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Due to lessening the volume of water in the lake, it is possible that
the residence time would be shortened somewhat. However, it is doubtful
if the shortened residence time would be sufficient to provide any
noticeable effects.
Fisheries
There would be very little difference in the impacts experienced between
this alternative and alternative 2A. A little less deep water habitat
would be available to the fishes and the water could remain slightly
warmer. However, these changes would not be expected to be significant.
Vegetation and Wildlife
Alternative 2B would have less impact upon the vegetation and wildlife
than Alternative 2A due to the reduction by 3-7 million cubic yards in the
amount of lake bottom materials to be dredged and disposed. This smaller
quantity of dredged material would result in the destruction of less
vegetation and wildlife, particularly in Sites 5 and 6. Since Site 5
and 6 both contain signficant wetland habitats, disposal of less material
on these sites would greatly decrease any adverse effects that could
result from the destruction of wetland habitat.
Significant Wildlife Areas
Decreased recreational use of the lake, particularly in the southern
portion, would increase the use of the lake by migratory waterfowl. The
large, shallow area in the south central portion of the lake would
provide suitable habitat for migrating waterfowl to use for loafing and
feeding.
If Alternative 2B would eliminate the need to fill significant wetland
areas within Sites 5 and 6, any adverse impacts related to project con-
struction would be significantly lessened. (A discussion of specific
dredged material disposal effects relating to the individual sites can
be found in Alternative 3.)
208 Areawide Wastewater Management Program
Selection of Alternative 2B would allow implementation of the lake
rehabilitation portion of Clark County's 208 program. Although the
recreation benefits would be decreased over those to be realized in
Alternative 2A, the water quality benefits for both alternatives would
remain the same.
Recreation
Selection of Alternative 2B would result in elimination of the Olympic
sailing course at Vancouver Lake. No projections have been prepared to
determine what portion of the recreation visits would be affected by
elimination of that use. Selection of this alternative would not affect
any other planned uses at Vancouver Lake Park.
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Archaeological and Historical Resources
Selection of Alternative 2B would result in significant reductions in
the amount of dredged materials to be placed along the southern
shore. This would substantially decrease any potential adverse
effects upon archaeological sites in that portion of the shoreline.
Mitigating Measures
Measure to mitigate the short-term effects of dredging and the disposal
of the dredged materials are discussed under Alternatives 3, 4 and 5.
Placement of screens on the flushing channel is discussed under Alter-
native 2A.
Short-term Resource Use vs. Long-term Productivity
Alternative 2B would maximize water quality benefits, but decrease
by 25% the amount of dredged materials requiring disposal. This could,
potentially, result in a substantial decrease in the amount of land to
be covered by dredged materials. Selection of this alternative would
decrease the long-term recreation potential of the lake by prohibiting
the construction of the Olympic sailing course, which was projected to
draw a large number of participants and observers.
Irreversible and Irretrievable Resource Commitments
The selection of Alternative 2B over Alternative 2A would result in
a decrease in the resources that would be committed to the proposed
project. Elimination of dredging in the south central portion of the
lake would substantially decrease the amount of dredged materials to be
placed in the vicinity of Mulligans Slough and the south embayment
(Sites 6 and 5). These areas are believed to contain significant wet-
land habitats, preservation of which is strongly encouraged in federal
policy.
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ALTERNATIVE 2C - DREDGING OF 6
MILLION CUBIC YARDS AND UNDER
Selection of Alternative 2C would result in the dredging of only 6 or less
million cubic yards of material from Vancouver Lake, a reduction of 50-75
percent of the amount proposed in Alternative 2A. No hydrologic,
engineering or recreation studies have been prepared to indicate where
the dredging would occur, or what types of recreation facilities would
correspond to this level of dredging activity. For the purposes of
this analysis it is assumed that the highest priority for dredging
would be the channels along both shorelines to promote adequate flushing
of the swimming beach area and short-circuiting of flows from Burnt
Bridge Creek. Only those impacts which would be substantially different
from the impacts expected for Alternatives 2A and 2B are discussed
below.
Hydrology
In the Master Plan for Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake, Dames and Moore
indicated that 8.1 million cubic yards would be the minimum amount of
dredging that would achieve the circulation and flow objectives they
established (121). Therefore, it is believed that dredging 6 million cubic
yards or less would not be adequate to promote flushing of the swimming
beach and the short-circuiting of the flow from Burnt Bridge Creek. The
exact hydrologic and circulation changes that would occur as a result of
that dredging level are not known, but they would not be sufficient to
achieve the water quality benefits that comprise the project objectives.
Mater Quality
If hydrologic flow conditions within the lake were not altered by imple-
mentation of this alternative, no change in the eutrophic processes of
the lake would be expected to occur. This alternative would not provide
for removal of bottom sediments, other than those immediately adjacent
to the west and east shorelines. Therefore, it would be expected that
substantial nutrient sources would remain in the lake. If Alternative
2C were selected, it is questionable whether any long-term changes in
Vancouver Lake water quality would occur.
Fisheries
Alternative 2C would represent a shallower lake, and thus a smaller
aquatic environment available to the fishes.
Vegetation and Wildlife
Selection of Alternative 2C represents a significant reduction in the
amount of land necessary for the disposal of dredged material, and hence
a significant reduction in the amount of vegetation and wildlife to be
destroyed by the activity. The specific effects would be determined by
the location of the dredged disposal sites.
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Significant Wildlife Areas
Impacts of the selection of Alternative 2C would be dependent upon the
areas used for the disposal of dredged materials. If the materials were
placed in areas outlined on the Significant Wildlife Areas map then the
impacts would be similar to those discussed in the Alternative 2A impacts
discussion. However, if other sites were utilized, then adverse impacts
would be significantly reduced.
Short-term Resource Use vs. Long-term Productivity
Since the dredging of 6 million cubic yards would not provide signifi-
cant water quality benefits, it is questionable whether the long-term
quality and use of the lake would be enhanced. The Dames and Moore
Master Plan believes that dredging is necessary in addition to the
construction of the flushing channel in order to meet the water quality
and recreation objectives. Selection of Alternative 2C would probably
not contribute to the achievement of those objectives.
Irreversible and Irretrievable Resource Commitments
The funding costs of Alternative 2C have not been calculated, but are
estimated to be approximately $8,000,000 -$9,000,000. The commitment of
funds necessary to complete this level of development must be weighed
against the benefits to be gained, if any. Any wetland areas covered by
dredged materials would be irretrievably lost to that habitat use.
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ALTERNATIVE 3 - DISPOSAL MATERIAL PLACEMENT
The Master Plan for the Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake proposes the
use of seven general disposal sites. Each of these sites is described
on pages 50-52 of this section. These disposal areas are very general
in nature since negotiations for use of the sites have not been under-
taken. The choice of a project alternative (Alternative 2A, 2B or 2C)
would determine the size and location of the necessary disposal sites.
The sites proposed within the Master Plan are a combination of upland,
wetland, shoreline and in-water sites. The comparative effects of
using such sites are described below.
Alternative 3A - Land Disposal
Land disposal sites comprise both upland and wetland sites. The speci-
fic lands that would be covered by dredged materials are not currently
known. However, the effect of placing materials on general sites can
be addressed. The amount of land to be covered with dredged material
is dependent upon the amount of material to be dredged and the time
frame over which dredging would occur.
Land disposal of the dredged materials could result in increases of land
elevations of up to 22 feet. The depth of the disposal material would
be primarily dependent upon the topography of the specific disposal
site, and the length of time over which the dredging occurred. If the
dredging were to occur in increments over 5 to 10 years, it is possible
that disposal depths could be increased, due to compaction of the dis-
posal material. In other words, a given disposal site can accomodate
more dredged materials if the materials are placed incrementally on
the site so that compaction can occur between placements. Disposal
of dredged materials on the upland, floodplain and wetland areas adja-
cent to Vancouver Lake would markedly alter the visual aspects of
the land. Due to the future recreation uses planned for the area,
particularly on Sites 1, 2, 3 and 7, it is expected that these topo-
graphic changes would be scaled to achieve a pleasing aesthetic envir-
onment.
Land disposal will significantly alter the existing soils conditions,
especially where those existing soils are buried. Impacts would be
lessened in those areas where the topsoil was removed and stock-
piled until it could later be returned to the site. Lake bottom
soils consist primarily of clayey silt, sandy silt and silty fine
sand. They are considered from poor to fair for use as structural
fill and from fair to good for use as non-structural fill and
agricultural fill.. However, they are of poorer quality than the
soils on adjacent agricultural land.
Lake sediments have poor soil structure and would be characterized
by poor internal drainage. In order to be acceptable for agricultural
uses, the soils must be enhanced for root penetration, drainage and
nutrient content. For structural uses, the soils would require
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compaction for the full depth of the soil and appropriate drying to within
the recommended compaction standards. Moderate strength and moderate
compressibility could be expected from these soils if property compacted.
Intended uses and locations must be examined in detail with considera-
tion given to both the characteristics of the lake soils and the under-
lying soils. Where heavy loads are planned in the future, this exami-
nation is of particular importance.
Sites 1 and 2 are primarily in upland pasture usage and do not receive
significant wildlife use. Site 2 is a part of Vancouver Lake Park, planned
for future park development. Placement of dredged materials on these
two sites would be expected to have no long-term adverse effects. Site
1 could be returned to pasturage after the proper compaction and soil
reconditioning occurred. The site would be non-productive during the
short-term, but should return to productive use within 3 to 4 years
after the completion of disposal activities. Dredged materials placed
on Site 2 would be used to create a varied landscape to accomodate
recreation activities and enhance the park setting.
Site 3 is currently used for pasture and is predominantly an upland
site. Numerous low lying areas occur throughout the site which will
be studied for wetland classification. The property is owned by Alcoa
and could eventually be rezoned for industrial use. However, the Clark
County Regional Planning Council staff believes that such rezoning may
not be feasible due to the site's close proximity to Vancouver Lake Park.
The site's pasture production is not considered to be as important as
other areas around the lake; therefore, short-term effects during
the disposal and compaction processes would not be significant.
Site 4 is characterized by two distinct wetland areas which provide
water fowl habitat. The class and role of these wetland areas will
be determined during the on-going wetlands classification program.
If these wetlands are determined to be Class I wetlands or to play a
significant habitat role, filling of the site would have long-term
adverse effects and would be in contradiction with EPA wetlands policy
and Presidential directives. The land is currently zoned for industrial
use and the property owner may not wish to have dredged materials placed
on the site due to their inadequacy for structural use.
Site 5 includes a willow swamp, grassy marsh and open meadow. The ex-
tent of wetlands in the site will be determined during the current
wetlands study. Wetland habitat would be lost if the area were to be
filled. The site would be allowed to revegetate naturally after dis-
posal and future use would be limited to nature trails and view points.
Site 6 includes a large portion of Mulligan's Slough and productive
farmlands. This 650 acre area is zoned for agricultural and open space
uses. If the Corps of Engineers diking improvements are constructed as pre-
sently designed, a portion of the wetland areas would be cut off from their
major water source. The extent and importance of the wetlands within
this site are currently being studied. It is believed that this area
contains some of the most significant wetland and marsh habitat in
the Vancouver area and plays a significant role in the local ecosystem.
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If that is the case, filling of portions of Mulligan Slough would result
in significant long term adverse effects. Future agricultural use would
be curtailed until adequate compaction and soil conditioning had occurred.
The chemical state of the heavy metals and pesticides found in the dredged
material sediments has not yet been fully determined. The Soil Conser-
vation Service, in conjunction with Dames and Moore, intend to perform
experimental plantings on the existing dredged materials to better det-
ermine any retardation or crop limitations that the spoils may inflict
upon various plant types.
Alternative 3B - Shore!ine/In-Water Disposal
The disposal of materials on the shoreline or in-water would eliminate
fish habitat and possible waterfowl habitat. Lakeshore vegetation
would be lost, with Site 7 experiencing minimal such losses. Water-
fowl habitat loss should be mimmal at Site 7 and loss of fishery
habitat is not expected to be significant. The area outlined within
Site 7 is not known as an important spawning area, although migrating
salmonids move through that portion of the lake towards Burnt Bridge
Creek. However, these migration patterns can be easily altered.
The embayment included within Site 5 is currently a spiny-rayed spawning
area. Filling of the embayment would convert a water-habitat to an
upland habitat, and would thus represent a loss in total aquatic habitat.
In total, shoreline and in-water disposal within Sites 5 and 7 would
allow substantially increased recreational and public access to those
portions of the lake shoreline. In the area of Site 7, the width of
the shoreline would be increased by several hundred feet.
Mitigating Measures
Proposed use of shoreline disposal sites must take into consideration
the biological seasons, as in-water diking projects and outfall may
have significant effects on spawning and migration.
Dike construction must be durable and consist of relatively clean
materials. The cleanest sands and gravels available from Columbia
River dredging operations exemplify such possible material. Subsequent
diking stages can consist of dredged materials, depending upon specific
conditions and needs.
Dames and Moore and the Regional Planning Council of Clark County studied
the entire area in and around Vancouver Lake for possible deposition of
dredged material. The objectives in reviewing each site were: 1) to mini-
mize dredging cost, 2) to complement future planned use for the site, and
3) to minimize adverse environmental impacts. The sites discussed above
were selected as the most feasible based on those three criteria. Many sites
were considered and discarded because they were characterized by wetland and
other valuable wildlife habitats, highly productive crop growing soils or
were planned for future industrial use. The Regional Planning Council
believes that the potential sites listed above are the most feasible for
disposal use.
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ALTERNATIVE 4 - DREDGING METHODS
At the present time Vancouver Lake cannot be used for diversified re-
creational purposes due to its shallow depths and poor water quality.
To deepen the lake, thus enhance its recreational functions and appeal
to a broader spectrum of citizens, the lake sediments must be removed.
Based on current technology, dredging appears to be the most viable
method to achieve that goal. This would involve removal of lake sedi-
ments by means of one of a variety of dredging methods.
The Dames and Moore Pilot Dredge Study explored various possible methods
of dredging that could be applied to the Vancouver Lake conditions.
Excavating type dredges, such as power shovels, drag lines and clam
shells (bucket-type equipment) were considered. The major advantage
in the use of this type of equipment is the minimized amount of time
necessary for dewatering. However, these methods cause excessive
turbidity, and would be very costly since the materials would have
to be loaded on barges to be transported to shore.
New types of dredging equipment were considered, particularly the oozer
and the pneuma pump systems. These methods are especially beneficial
when highly contaminated material is to be dredged. The bottom sedi-
ments are forced into small cylinders, then pumped or sucked up a
pipeline and piped to the disposal site. These methods achieve a
relatively high ratio of solids to water, thus reducing the decanting
process (which in turn reduces the amount of turbidity and pollutants
in the outfall process). If the lake sediments were found to be
more chemically polluted than expected, these systems would probably
offer the least amount of pollution re-circulation. Although these
two methods are more expensive to utilize than is hydraulic pipeline
dredging, their use could result in decreased land acquisition costs
since they achieve a higher ratio of solids to water, resulting in
more rapid compaction. The oozer system in particular, is still
being considered for use by the Port of Vancouver.
The hydraulic suction dredge was determined by Dames and Moore to be
the most suitable method for dredging in Vancouver Lake and they used
it during the Pilot Dredge Study. This method consists of a pipeline
which scans the bottom of the lake, sucking up the nearby sediments
and piping the material to the disposal site. An eight-inch (eight-
inch diameter at head of pipeline) hydraulic dredge was used in the
Pilot Dredge Study, though larger dredges are available. The dredge
used draws 28 inches, requires about that much depth for proper opera-
tion, and can pump the material 3,500 feet horizontally. Booster
pumps can increase the possible pumping distances, but at considerable
cost.
Hydraulic dredging results in two primary impacts. First, the dredge
causes increased turbidity in the water during operation. As the pipe-
line cuts and scans the bottom, fine material becomes suspended in the
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near vicinity. Wind and wave action can spread this turbidity beyond
the actual dredging area. This increased turbidity would be short term
and is discussed in the Water Qualtiy effects portion of Alternative
2A. It would cause temporary problems for localized fish and inver-
tebrates, but the impact should be minimal. Curtains could be used
to minimize the spread of the suspended materials, if that became a
serious problems. The second major short-term effect of dredging
occurs at the disposal site. During the dredging process, the hydrau-
lic pipeline draws in considerable quantities of water along with the
bottom sediments. During the Pilot Dredge Study the ratio of solids
to water was measured at approximately 17 percent by weight. Thus,
large amounts of water must be removed from the dredged materials,
causing pollution recycling, turbidity and extended decanting times.
Lake sediments must be disposed of carefully, so that the materials
would be properly contained and the dewatering process be managed to
minimize pollution recycling and turbidity. If well managed, the
effects on water quality and fisheries should be minimal.
Due to the condition of the materials that would be dredged from the
lake, considerable enhancement would be necessary for future economic
use of the materials (agricultural, structural, etc.). This would
require dewatering of the material to levels applicable for the
various intended uses. The clam shells, drag lines and power shovels
would require the least amount of dewatering (thus less time, less
return flow, and reduced water quality problems at the disposal area.)
The pneuma and oozer methods would be more efficient than the excava-
tors at the dredge site, but less efficient at the disposal site.
These methods would require more time to decant than the excavators,
but would be more efficient than the hydradilic system ( 50 percent solids
versus 17 percent solids.) The hydraulic system would take the longest
time before serious efforts of enhancement of the dredged materials
could take place. The re-use of the materials for structural or ag-
ricultural purposes would take more than a year. Given enough time
and work with the dredged materials, they could be used for agricul-
tural and various structural purposes.
Mitigating Measures
The Master Plan for the Rehabilitation of Vancouver Lake suggests a
variety of mitigating measures that could be used to decrease the short
term effects of dredging on water quality. These include avoidance of
hot weather dredging, lengthening retention periods to allow for minimum
3 day water detention time, creating numerous cells within the storage
areas, use of chemical flocculants, limiting decantation and increasing
aeration.
82

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ALTERNATIVE 5 - DREDGED MATERIAL HANDLING METHODS
Dikes are necessary for containment purposes, for settling purposes to
improve the quality of the outfall water, and for material reclamation
projects. Dikes may be constructed from local soils, imported materials,
and sometimes from dredged materials. Native soils are preferred for
construction of initial dikes when the site is on land. Dikes constructed
in water ( as would be the case for Sites 5 and 7 ) typically function
best if constructed of foreign materials with specified characteristics.
A weir is a simple structure built into the disposal cell, or disposal
pond, that will allow the excess water to drain out (the outfall). The
weir should be designed to allow only that water which is the least
turbid to enter the outfall, thus causing minimal water quality problems
in the return flow to the lake. The design of the weir should be site
specific to accomodate existing conditions, with minimal return flow
pollution the major objective.
The construction of the dikes would cause the primary impacts on the
environment. Soils and existing vegetation would be at least temporarily
lost. Wildlife losses would depend upon the diversity and depth of the
habitat. If it is a particularly complex, or extensive habitat, the
environmental impact must be considered to be significant. If the habitat
is small and fairly common, wildlife can presumably relocate without
irretrievable losses. Vegetation and wildlife can be re-established
within three to seven years, depending upon specific conditions.
If the disposal materials were not physically conditioned for enhancement
purposes, the material would probably require a year's time before it
could support light traffic. The structure of the lake soils would not
support agricultural activities, unless they were conditioned. Thus, it
is expected that natural revegetation would be retarded. Therefore, to
reduce the environmental impact of dredged material disposal, the dis-
posal materials should be conditioned to improve their reuse capabilities.
"Casual" uses, such as parkland, playfields, beaches and landscaping,
would require minimal lake soils improvements and care. Such reuse pot-
entials should not be difficult, given proper planning and a good under-
standing of the soil limitations. Reuse for structural purposes (roads,
buildings, etc.) would require significant preparation.
Compaction of the material, after proper dewatering, would be necessary
for the full depth of the dredged soil. Such activity would require a
detailed examination of the specific soil characteristics not only of
the dredged material, but also of the underlying soil as well. Impacts
of structural reuse of the materials would depend primarily upon the
specific reuse.
For agricultural reuse, the dredged materials would require soil struc-
ture conditioning to improve drainage characteristics and root develop
83

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merit potential. This preparation might be likened to the opening up of
a new plot of land for agricultural use, in that six months to a year would
be spend preparing and enriching the soils. What impact this would have
on the land would depend upon the prior use. If this action were not
undertaken within the wildlife areas or thick vegetation zones as mapped
in Section II, the effects would either be minimal or advantageous.
Any in-water or shoreline disposal as in Sites 5 and 7 would be an
irreversible commitment of a natural resource. Site 7 could possibly
be replaced, through the development of more water area for the lake.
Sites 5 and 6 would be irretrievable commitments of the natural resources,
as the replacement of such habitat types would not be possible. Both
areas are used extensively for mating, spawning and nesting by various
wildlife species.
If the dredged materials were used for structural purposes, then the
land would be corram'tted to long-term or permanent structural use. If
agriculture is to be the re-use, then it is an addition to the local
natural resources.
To significantly reduce the adverse environmental impacts of the disposal
of dredged material, alternative sites should be found for Sites 5 and 6.
These areas are vital to the biological mechanics of the lake environment.
Important wildlife areas that occur on the west shore should be avoided
as well.
Construction of the dikes and cells should occur during dry weather to
minimize the impact of the heavy machinery on the wet soils. Construc-
tion activity during the Pilot Dredge Study occurred during wet periods,
and the machinery caused considerable disturbance to the soils and local
vegetation.
84

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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19,
20,
21,
22.
23,
24,
25.
26.
27.
FOOTNOTES
Port of Vancouver, April 1976.
Port of Vancouver, April 1976.
Bhagat and Osborn, 1971.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Mundorff, M. J., 1964.
Personal Communication, Claire Title, Clark County PUD.
KCM-WRE, 1976.
KCM-WRE, 1976.
Personal Communication, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1977.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Bhagat & Osborn, 1971.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Personal Communication, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1977.
Bhagat & Funk, 1968.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Wetzel, 1976.
Gibbs, 1970.
EPA STORET, 1974.
Klein, 1974.
Dames & Moore, 1976.

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28.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
29.	Hildebrand et. al., 1975.
30.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
31.	Bhagat & Funk, 1968.
32.	Wetzel, 1976.
33.	KCM-WRE, 1976.
34.	Dillon and Kirchner, 1975.
35.	Vollenweider and Dillon, 1974.
36.	Wilding and Schmidt, 1973; Bhagat et. al., 1972.
37.	Stoerraer, 1975.
38.	Bhagat & Funk, 1968.
39.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
40.	Bhagat & Funk, 1968.
41.	Bhagat and Funk, 1968.
42.	Bhagat and Funk, 1968.
43.	Personal Communication, Nancy Ellifrit, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1977.
44.	Personal Communication, Nancy Ellifrit, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1977.
45.	Dames & Moore, 1977; Bhagat & Funk, 1968.
46.	Bhagat et. al., 1972.
47.	Washington State Department of Ecology, 1975, KCM-WRE, 1976.
48.	Washington State Department of Ecology, 1974, cited in KCM-WRE, 1976.
49.	KCM-WRE, 1976.
50.	KCM-WRE, 1976.
51.	KCM-WRE, 1976.
52.	KCM-WRE, 1976.

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53.	Washington State Department of Ecology, 1975.
54.	Washington State Department of Ecology, 1975.
55.	KCM-WRE, 1976.
56.	Beak, 1977.
57.	Wetzel, 1976.
58.	Beak, 1977.
59.	U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1975.
60.	U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1975.
61.	EPA STORET, 1974.
62.	Wetzel, 1976.
63.	Beak, 1977.
64.	EPA STORET, 1974.
65.	Beak, 1977.
66.	Tailing, 1960.
67.	Hutchinson, 1967.
68.	Beak, 1977.
69.	Beak, 1977.
70.	Executive Order 11990, May 24, 1977.
71.	Regional Planning Council of Clark County, 1977.
72.	Regional Planning Council of Clark County, 1977.
73.	Regional Planning Council of Clark County, 1977.
74.	Clark County Resolution No. 1976-05-41.
75.	Clark County Parks Department, 1976.
76.	Oregon State Marine Board, 1972.
77.	Oregon State Marine Board, 1972.
78.	Oregon State Marine Board, 1972.

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79.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
80.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
81.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
82.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
83.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
84.	Regional Planning Council of Clark County, August 4, 1977.
85.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
86.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
87.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
88.	Ryding and Forsberg, 1976; Oglesby, 1969; Vollenweider & Dillon, 1974
89.	KCM-WRE, 1976.
90.	Wetzel, 1976.
91.	Ryding & Fosberg, 1976.
92.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
93.	Bhagat et. al., 1972.
94.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
95.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
96.	Personal Communication, Spencer Peterson, EPA, Corvallis, 1977.
97.	Dames & Moore, 1976, 1977.
98.	Dames & Moore, 1976, 1977.
99.	Dames & Moore, 1976, 1977.
100.	Dames & Moore, 1977.
101.	Welch, et. al., 1972.
102.	Dickman, 1969.
103.	Oglesby, 1969.
104.	Wetzel, 1976.

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105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
Uhlmann, 1971; Welch et. a 1., 1972; Dickman, 1969.
Bhagat et. al., 1972.
Beak, 1977.
Beak, 1977; Tallking, 1971.
Stevens, Thompson & Runyan, 1972.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Vollenweider & Dillon, 1974.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Washington State Department of Ecology, 1974.
Beak, 1977.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Dames & Moore, 1977.
Washington Department of Fisheries, Letter dated July 12, 1977.
Washington Department of Fisheries, Letter dated July 12, 1977.
Port of Vancouver, 1976.
Dames & Moore, 1977.

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AGENCY INFORMATION SOURCES
Washington Department of Fisheries
Clint Stockley
Lloyd Rothfus
Russ Jones
Washington Department of Game
Claude Stoddard
Fred Holmes
Hugh Null (Manager, Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge)
U.S. Soil Conservation Service
Jim Craig
Clark County PUD
Claire Tittle
Washington State University Extension Service
Paul Wesler
Washington State Department of Environmental Quality
Bob Bottman
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Nancy Ellifrit
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Larry Anderson
Kim Larson
Rob Rotham
Washington State University Archaeological Preservation
Dr. Daugherty
Environmental Protection Agency
A1 Ewing
Ed Eldridge
Spencer Peterson
Clark County Regional Planning Council
Steve O'Brien
Vicki Pflaumer
Clark County Parks Department
Vern Velsey
Jim Walsh (Mitchell & Associates, Consultants)
Port of Vancouver
Dick Gorini

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