Willow Creek Channel Being Cleaned of Trees and Debris

Muddy Conditions at Channel’s Bottom

The first few hours of a weeklong brush removal project got underway Thursday, July 25, by Torres Excavation.  The Torres company submitted the low bid to clear a mile long stretch of the Willow Valley Flood Channel and had three earth moving machines at the western most end of the project by mid day on Thursday. 

Long View of Terrain to be Cleared

Rudy Torres estimated it would take a week to clear the debris between the starting point east to Parmenter Street.  Torres said the bed of the channel is muddier than expected, so that may slow the initial part of the project to remove the build-up of trees and shrubs.

The contract with the city calls for removal of trees and any metal, clean out the channel of trees, vegetation and debris and all trees metal, vegetation and debris will be hauled to the Lamar Well Water Field. 

Concrete Barriers Snag Large Debris

Removal of the trees and debris will greatly improve any water flow resulting from flooding.  City Administrator, John Sutherland, had commented at an earlier city council meeting, that it had been several years since this comprehensive a cleaning project had been initiated.

By Russ Baldwin