COUNTY WORKING ON FERNDALE'S EMERGENCY PROJECT REQUEST

The city of Ferndale is asking for emergency measures to be taken."This is all completely flooded with just a little bit of rain," City Manager Jay Parrish said. The council approved a letter written by Parrish asking the County to move a phase in the Salt River Restoration Project to a sooner date."Hopefully we'll be able to implement this summer,” District 1 Supervisor Rex Bohn said. “What it does is it relieves a little bit of Port Kenyon and the Francis Creek drainage right along there and opens it up in the first phase a little bit sooner."  Bohn said that part of the project was originally set for 2014, but they’re now aiming for this August."You know get it flowing so we can give them a little relief, that they're going to see in 2014 but we're hopefully going to try and catch that when they're doing the first phase this year," Bohn said. Areas around the city’s creeks see the worst flooding, but Parrish said it’s the silt that’s making it tough for the farmers and community members who rely on the land, to make a living."Every year, you're given a new surface on your field that doesn't grow grass very well," Parrish said. If the emergency project happens, phase one would include opening up Francis Creek near Port Kenyon.