MOUNT ST. HELENS — The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine chose a 10-person committee to develop a decision-making framework related to the long-term management of the Spirit Lake/Toutle River system.
Since the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption, the natural flow of water from Spirit Lake into the Toutle River has been blocked. To avoid a catastrophic flood, a tunnel was constructed to allow outflow, but the tunnel is at risk of failure. Emergency repairs are being made, but a long-term solution is needed. The study will produce a decision framework for management plans.
“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s work to identify sustainable outflow options from Spirit Lake will pay dividends for generations to follow,” Gina Owens, forest supervisor for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, said in a news release. “This effort is a critical piece to the complex effort to provide for Spirit Lake outflow within this dynamic, volcanic landscape.”
The first of four committee meetings will be June 21 and 22 at the Red Lion Hotel in Kelso. The public is invited to attend the committee’s information-gathering sessions. Participation to those and the field site visits are allowed on a first-come, first-served basis. The meetings are also available over the internet.
