Looking south on the Lower Duwamish Waterway. South Park bridge is in the distance/
Icon of ship-loading crane at the port

Construction News

We Are Cleaning Up the Lower Duwamish Waterway

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The second season of cleanup construction for the upper reach is complete!

Project contact information:

1.888.561.LDWG (1.888.561.5394)

What’s happening now:

March 6, 2026 update

Thank you for following along with updates during season 2 of cleanup construction in the upper reach, the southernmost two miles of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site. We are happy to report that in-water cleanup construction for season 2 is complete!

The construction contractor worked through Monday, March 2, to install an armored rock layer as part of an engineered cap at sediment management area (SMA) 12B. The engineered cap covers the contaminated sediments with layers of sand, gravel, and rock to contain and isolate the contamination.

During the summer, we’ll be preparing for season 3, the final season of cleanup construction in the upper reach. The remaining areas on the map will be cleaned up, with construction resuming in October 2026.

You can reach out to our team should you have questions or concerns. Reach out to us at info@ldwg.org or 1-888-561-LDWG (1-888-561-5394).

Environmental and Community Reporting:

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Lower Duwamish Waterway Upper Reach Cleanup Areas

As of March 6, 2026

What to Expect During Construction

Construction will take place in specific areas within the waterway’s upper reach, which extends from the South 102nd Street bridge downstream to the Duwamish Waterway Park.

In general, the public can expect to see:

  • Construction equipment working on the river, including tugboats, excavators on barges, and barges carrying material to and from work areas. 
  • The contractor will use barges to move dredged sediment from cleanup areas to the Duwamish Reload Facility (operated by Waste Management) located at 7400 8th Avenue South to transfer sediment from barge to railcars. The material will then be transported to a regulated landfill.  
  • People in smaller boats observing, doing surveys, monitoring water quality, and collecting samples.  
  • Lights for safe work during dark hours and noise related to construction equipment. 
  • Construction happening during both daytime and nighttime hours, with schedules shifting based on tides and the type of work being conducted.

Construction photos

A piece of construction equipment on an empty barge.
An empty barge at SMA 12B (Geosyntec, March 2, 2026)
Photo showing sheen recovery crews adjusting and maintaining oil-containment booms and bubble curtain used to capture and manage sheens observed as a result of dredging SMA 12B. Image shows three vessels, a boom on the water, and building in background. Looking north.
Sheen recovery crews adjusting and maintaining oil-containment booms and bubble curtain used to capture and manage sheens observed as a result of dredging SMA 12B (King County, January 23, 2026).
Photo of three people wearing safety vests. The people are looking at sediment core samples on a table. They are outside.
Crew processing sediment core and preparing samples for laboratory analysis to verify that contaminated sediment has been adequately removed (Geosyntec, December 27, 2025).
Photo of barge on waterway with two piles of large, clean rock.
Clean rock for the third and final layer of the engineered cap at SMA 12B (Geosyntec, February 26, 2026)

About the Construction 

King County, as a member of LDWG, hired Pacific Pile and Marine as the lead contractor to carry out cleanup construction in the upper reach.  

Construction in the upper reach will take place during the construction season over the next three years, ending in February 2027. The construction season is typically October through February each year. In-water construction activities are restricted to these months to protect certain fish species.  

All construction is done in Sediment Management Areas (SMAs) 2A, 2B, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11B and C1. In SMA 9, installation of sheet pile to stabilize the shore was completed in anticipation of dredging adjacent sediments. This sheet pile installation was completed in Season 1 (November 2024 – February 2025). During this first season, construction teams removed approximately 14,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, filling 222 rail cars. This is about 18% of the upper reach cleanup area.  

After the Lower Duwamish upper reach cleanup is complete, construction will continue downstream toward the south end of Harbor Island over the next decade. You can read more about the pollutants we will clean up from the river on our About the Contamination page.

Learn more about the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Site cleanup on the EPA website. 

Planned Construction Activities

You can expect the following construction activities:

  • Staging of equipment and materials: Setting up, organizing, and storing materials before use in construction.
  • Offloading: Transferring materials like dredged sediment from one mode of transportation to another, such as from a barge to a truck or train.
  • Transporting materials: Transporting dredged materials and debris from one location to another, including by barge, rail, or truck.
  • Disposing of contaminated materials: Disposing of contaminated materials at a permitted commercial landfill.
  • Surveying and inspections: Documenting the condition of the work sites and surrounding areas, as well as the progress of construction before, during, and after construction (including taking photographs).
  • Removing piling and debris: Temporarily removing the piling that supports Tribal fishing, removing piles no longer in use, and removing any debris from dredged areas.
  • Installing replacement piling and reinforcing structures: Replacing any Tribal fishing piling that are temporarily removed for construction access. Reinforcing any shoreline bulkheads to allow dredging next to the bulkhead.
  • River sampling: Collecting water samples to confirm that dredging is being conducted as required, to comply with water quality standards.
  • River sediment sampling: Collecting sediment samples to confirm dredging has removed the contaminated sediment as required.
  • Site cleanup and demobilization: Removing construction equipment and materials from the work site.

Communications and construction timeline for the Upper Reach

 

2024 2025 2026 2027
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Contractor hired
Contracting and Bid
Construction Submittals
Pre-construction Outreach
Construction Season 1 Construction Season 2 Construction Season 3
Ongoing Community Outreach and Communications

How EPA, LDWG, and the contractor will work to reduce the impact of cleanup construction on the community.

LDWG and the construction contractor, with the oversight of the EPA, will work to learn about and mitigate community concerns as practical through digital and in-person outreach such as responding to project emails and the project phone line, and by speaking with people at community events.

We are dedicated to limiting the impacts of construction on those who work, live, play, and gather in the area.

We welcome the community to contact the Cleanup Outreach Team with any concerns related to the cleanup. You may reach us via email at info@ldwg.org or by phone at 1-888-561-LDWG.

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