WORLAND – Washakie County Commissioners will meet with Worland Mayor Jim Gill and Washakie County Homeland Security and Emergency Management director Jeff Schweighart on Tuesday to discuss the removal of a sediment bar from the Big Horn River, to help alleviate future flood issues.

Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers met with local officials and county commissioners on April 3 to review flood details, and ultimately recommended the city and county could handle the removal of a sediment bar in the Big Horn River, which has been the cause of frequent ice jams and flooding.

In late February, Commission Chairman Terry Wolf asked the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), to consider using the Army Corp of Engineers to help Worland remove the sediment, referencing a section of the Water Infrastructure Improvements Act for the Nation, dealing specifically with flooding caused by ice jams.

Tom Johnson with the Army Corps noted that Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires a permit to remove material from the river, although the city and county would not need a permit to redistribute the sediment blocking the river, or transfer it to build berms.

Johnson recommended that as long as the bank was not altered, the county could dig out the sediment and transfer it to trucks, for further county use. Any sediment that fell in the process was considered spillage and was admissible without a permit. In all, the Army Corps would not need to be involved.

Also on the agenda, the commission will hear an update from Randy Chenoweth, with Road and Bridge. Chenoweth previously reported that the Lane 10 bridge should be restricted for truck traffic until repairs can be made.

After review, the commission last recommended removing the backfill material under the bridge, anchoring the bridge to the adjacent hill, and adding further drainage before refilling the enforcement banks. Chenowith recommended starting the project after the ground has dried up, later this year.

The commission will also tour the Washakie Medical Center at 11 a.m., to review construction and remodeling of the facility.

Washakie County Commissioners meet at 9 a.m. at the county courthouse. All meetings are open to public comment.