SitNews - Stories in the News - Ketchikan, Alaska

Viewpoints: Letters / Opinions

Thomas Basin, Spruce Mill Sheet Pile Fix

By Charlie Freeman

 

April 08, 2017
Saturday PM


It is my understanding that the proposed fix for the rusted out sheet pile in front of the old Spruce Mill property is to dump rock and fill in front of it, on the basin side, to contain the sluff. This, if true, may well be the worst idea since the T-pier.

I'm an outboard mechanic with a high school education but even I know that when you reduce the area of flow, you increase the speed of that flow. Basic hydraulics, right? As I see it, that is a mud flat off those piles, the depth of which I do not know, but logic tells me that no matter how big of rock you put in, it will sink. Whatever is filled behind it will wash out and clog the flow even more.

Thomas Basin is hard enough already without making it worse. Now, it looks to me that the crux of the matter is cost. I understand that. In my time it was a waste water plant we did as cheap as we could, added cost $3 million. A water treatment plant we should of built at $20 million that's going to cost us double to get back to water you can drink. A dam we hoped to offset oil, that started at $13 million went to around $30milion and ended around $22 and doesn't offset oil. OK, too much "mea culpa". The point is the price doesn't make it right.

Let's try one right.

Charlie Freeman
Ketchikan, Alaska

 

About: Life long resident; 16 yrs. Ketchikan City Council and other public offices; water front business since 1955. Expertise? None really. The subject is ."

Received April 07, 2017 - Published April 08, 2017

 

 

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