| February 22, 2002
News Release A gravel barge leased for a sewer overflow control project overturned at about 9 a.m. this morning outside of Myrtle Edwards Park. No injuries or environmental damage were reported. Safety personnel and engineers working for King County and the contractor were called immediately and remain on the scene to monitor to the situation. Workers noticed the vessel, which had no fuel aboard, was taking on water at about 7 a.m. The listing barge caused the material aboard to shift. When the gravel shifted, the barge overturned. Crews were able to remove heavy equipment, including a large loader, before the barge overturned. There was some minor damage to the adjoining construction barge and to a temporary pier. The Manson Construction Company was called in to free the overturned barge. It will be pushed up the Duwamish River to Manson's yard today, where land cranes will turn it upright and repairs will be made. The barge, owned by the Island Tug and Barge Company, was carrying gravel for the marine outfall contract of the Denny Way/Lake Union combined sewer overflow (CSO) control project. The project will significantly reduce discharges of combined sanitary sewage and stormwater released into Lake Union and Elliott Bay during heavy rains. Only two days of in-water work remained on the marine outfall portion of construction. Crews are assessing how the incident will affect the construction schedule and whether the gravel can be recovered. TheDenny Way CSO Project is a joint King County and City of Seattle effort. Currently, untreated combined sewer overflows are discharged about 50 times per year into Elliott Bay at Myrtle Edwards Park - an average of 405 million gallons per year. When the Denny Way Project is completed, untreated combined sewer overflows will be reduced to only once per year on average during storms and related heavy flows. Related Information
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