Last week Tidewater Contractors (contractor to the Federal Highway Administration) continued to lift North Bank Lane near Fahys Creek. Two 36� permanent culverts were installed under the road to allow high floodplain flows east of Fahys Creek. In anticipation of the arrival of the Fahys Creek 15-foot culvert, Tidewater installed a temporary 36� diversion culvert that will pass the Fahys Creek flow around the construction site while the 65-piece culvert is built and installed. To accomplish the large culvert installation, North Bank Lane will be close beginning today and up to August 31st if necessary while the culvert is installed. Tidewater Contractors also placed 3’ of river-run gravel in the Redd Creek culvert to provide fish with a natural streambed through the culvert. Knife River Corporation (contractor to Ducks Unlimited) excavated the new sinuous creek channel up to the Redd Creek culvert and filled the old straight-lined ditch that previously served as the creek channel. Digging of new tidal channels throughout the restoration area occurred last week by Knife River, but was concentrated on the west end of the project area. Almost all major agricultural ditches have been filled now. Dry weather throughout July and August has helped tremendously to dry the work site after the very wet spring.

After nearly two weeks of delay Doyon Government Services and subcontractor Michels Directional Crossing began boring the east bore for the undergrounding of the powerline under the Coquille River. On Saturday evening the boring equipment emerged on the hillside above the south bank of the river and on Sunday they began to back ream the bore and pull in 10� diameter steel casing.