The northeast end of Riffe Lake near the Kosmos Boat launch is seen on Feb. 17, 2017. Under Tacoma Power's new plan, Riffe Lake will only rise four feet above its typical winter level seen here from east end of the lake. The drawdown will be a 30-foot reduction of historic summer lake levels.
More than a year after Tacoma Power announced a plan to keep the Riffe Lake reservoir low for the foreseeable future, updates to lakeside recreation amenities have been slow to develop. That means that anglers, boaters, campers and swimmers are all facing uncertainties at the popular East Lewis County destination as we turn the corner into spring.
Concerns about the structural integrity of the dam’s spillway arms in the event of a significant earthquake striking near the dam prompted the change in water level management. Tacoma Power has said that if those 65-feet tall, 90-feet wide spillway arms were to fail during an earthquake, the reservoir would drain with a force of 230,000 cubic feet per second. Last year, Tacoma Power officials claimed that such a failure would inundate riverside communities downstream on the Cowlitz all the way to Longview. Former generation manager Pat McCarty even claimed that the flow could back up the Columbia River from its confluence with the Cowlitz and cause flooding issues upriver into Portland.
By reducing the volume of water behind the dam by about 30 feet in the summer, when the reservoir typically holds its largest volume, Tacoma Power believes that the consequences of such a spillway failure would not exceed those of natural flooding events. Their intention is to keep the water low until permanent repairs can be made to fortify the spillway piers. McCarty gave no specific timeline, but Tacoma Power has stated that the lowered waterway should be considered the “new normal” going forward.
While the alteration of Riffe Lake is being driven by public safety concerns, that does not relieve Tacoma Power of their obligation to provide recreational opportunities at Riffe Lake. Those obligations are detailed in the mitigation agreement that granted Tacoma Power permission to flood the towns of Kosmos and Riffe beneath the stifled waters of the Cowlitz River in order to generate power for people in Tacoma.
Last summer was the first time Riffe Lake was manually kept below 745 feet all season long, and the ramifications were felt by outdoors recreationists of all stripes. Campers found traditional riverside camping sites now located hundreds of feet from the water. Swimmers visited swimming areas that were set up on what had become dry land, and most anglers were unable to launch their boats all year since the lake level remained below the reach of designated established docks.
Last April, the district director for Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler’s office noted that Tacoma Power had recently committed to completing some of the needed upgrades to the offerings at Riffe Lake in time for the summer recreation season. Specifically, it was stated that Tacoma Power had the intent to have the Mossyrock Park swimming area adjusted to the new water level before summer’s end, with the nearby boat launch likely to be completed in time for summer 2017.
Then the summer of 2017 came and went without any upgrades or retrofits to match any recreational options to the new reality of the waterway. Eventually, the timeline to fix the swimming area was kicked back until the fall of 2017, and then again to winter. On Thursday, Tacoma Power sent an email to The Chronicle attempting to detail their progress.
Tacoma Power has explained that updates to the Mossyrock boat launch must be coordinated both seasonally and based on weather, which makes it one of the most time-sensitive projects to complete. Last April, Monika Sundbaum, spokesperson for Tacoma Power, noted that, “Construction for permanent improvements to the boat launch would need to happen this winter when the water is at its lowest level. In the meantime, we are also investigating if we can make any potential temporary improvements.”
According to the email sent by Sundbaum to The Chronicle on Thursday, Tacoma Power is indeed moving ahead with plans to put the Mossyrock Park boat launch back in business before summertime comes around again.
“We are currently rebuilding the boat launch. We must keep Riffe Lake's elevation low during construction. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, such as weather-related delays, the launch will be open to the public by Memorial Day weekend,” read the update from Tacoma Power.
Improvements to the launch are set to include the creation of two long lanes that will provide trailer access to the water’s edge at reservoir depths as low as 720 and 708 feet. The longer lane is intended to allow access by boat during the low flow months of summer and early fall thanks to an adjustable skid dock design that will allow the dock to adjust to the level of the lake. Additionally, the new boat launch will include a smoother driving surface on the ramp approach.
“A new concrete and asphalt surface will be easier for people to use and help decrease the time it takes for them to launch their boats,” read the release.
The Taidnapam North boat launch is already built to accommodate most low water scenarios, but not all of the Riffe Lake boat launches will be opened this year. Tacoma Power has stated that Taidnapam Park and Kosmos boat launches will remain closed without any kind of timeline as to when they may be brought back into commission.
Over at the Mossyrock Park swim area, the adjustments are once again proving slow when compared to public expectations.
“We have been moving forward with our plan to build the new swim area and are awaiting final permits,” read the most recent statement from Tacoma Power. “Ideally, it will be available by the beginning of June, but that could get pushed to the beginning of July, depending on permits and any unforeseen circumstances.”
Specific improvements to the swim area are set to include a better location and improved ADA compliant accessibility. In the email to The Chronicle, Tacoma Power said that the new location, slightly to the east from the old spot, will not only put the swimming area back in the water, it could also make the area more functional for day use.
“(The swimming area) is designed to be usable to 720 feet, so it should be available all summer unless there is a drought,” read the Tacoma Power statement.
Improvements for disabled visitors are supposed to include the addition of an ADA-accessible parking lot, a wheelchair-friendly trail leading from that parking lot to the swimming area, and a conveniently located portable toilet for ease of access.
According to Tacoma Power, no upgrades are planned for the various fishing areas around the lake. That includes the Fishing Bridge at Taidnapam on the north end of the lake that has been rendered useless thanks to the lower lake level.
Up to date information on the management actions of Tacoma Power, including lake levels and river flow measurements, can be found online at MyTPU.org/RiffeLake.
