MILL CREEK - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public meeting Oct. 30 in Stanwood, Wash., to launch a project to design long-term solutions for chronic dike failures on Leque Island.

Dikes built on the island in the early 1900's have failed multiple times over the past 10 years and have required costly temporary repairs. WDFW owns and manages Leque Island, which is part of the Skagit Wildlife Area.

Agency staff will provide background information, an overview of the project's alternatives analysis and design process, and an expected timeline for drafting conceptual designs and selecting a preferred alternative.

Meeting attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about the project and take a survey about how they use Leque Island. A citizen-based work group will be formed to look more closely at issues that arise throughout the design and alternatives analysis process.

As the project moves forward, WDFW will consider several concepts to address the failures. Those include rebuilding stronger dikes in various locations on the island, fortifying existing dikes, or removing them completely to restore natural tidal processes and salt marsh habitat.

The Oct. 30 public meeting will be held in the Stanwood Middle School cafeteria at 9405 271st St. NW Stanwood, Wash., and will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

This meeting marks the first step in the Leque Island Alternatives Analysis and Design Project, which WDFW has undertaken to address dike failure on the island.

An additional public meeting will be held once conceptual design alternatives are drafted.