Stehekin's future remains uncertain as damaged road gets federal help

STEHEKIN, Chelan County - Some visitors go to Stehekin to see the natural beauty of the valley and surrounding North Cascades. Others are drawn by the allure of how a remote community lives a seemingly disconnected life at the northern tip of Lake Chelan.

It's a generally peaceful life in Stehekin. But tensions between residents and the federal agency that oversees the town have long lived in the waters of the Stehekin Valley, and recent floods carried issues to the surface.

Despite being located in Chelan County, Stehekin is a part of the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and therefore under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. When an atmospheric river caused catastrophic rain and flooding across the valley in December, residents had no choice but to wait for action from NPS.

People living along Company Creek Road were particularly affected due to a broken levee that caused the Stehekin River to redirect into a new channel where part of the residential road used to be. After months of waiting, NPS announced it would fund a million-dollar-plus temporary emergency road, but the construction plan is already facing hurdles. Questions of whether the levee will be rebuilt or if something will be done to restore the river to its original channel only add to the problem.

The situation has tested the strained relationship between Stehekin residents and the park service. Residents say that without a permanent fix that includes some kind of river management, the future of the town as they know it will be threatened.

"We're just holding our ground and saying … we're going to fight this because this is our home, and this is our dwelling place, and (the park service is) trying to take it away from us," David Kurth, a 33-year resident of the valley, said in March after his property reflooded.

The challenges being faced in this tiny Washington town have made their way up in the federal government, with one of Washington's U.S. senators obtaining a commitment from the head of the Department of Interior - which houses NPS - to complete a connected road and figure out a long-term solution for Stehekin's future. Despite the commitment the work is far from done, and debate between residents, environmentalists and NPS over how to proceed continues.

Reclaiming road from river

After the flooding began Dec. 10, permanent residents in Stehekin - of which there are fewer than 100 - waited months to hear from NPS on how it would address the broken levee and restore access for the more than two dozen residents living along the affected portion of Company Creek Road. Some residents were trapped for weeks, only able to hike out on the hillside to get to the rest of the town.

When the water levels came down, residents created a corduroy road of cut logs and packed dirt that provided access out on foot, serving as a temporary solution so long as the water levels remained low. Additionally, they began writing to NPS and other state and federal agencies, stating action needed to be taken ahead of spring runoff or the area would reflood.

"This is a very self-reliant community," Stehekin resident Krissa Jester said in February. It had been two months since the flooding without word from NPS. "We can't always wait for government resources because it's hard for (the government) to act quickly."

Chelan County had stepped in to offer help - even initially footing a $522,500 bill to start barging material for road and/or levee repairs in February - but because Stehekin isn't under the county's jurisdiction, it was limited to the role of facilitator. It hosted community meetings through February and March that were sometimes attended by NPS staff. At these meetings, Stehekin residents reiterated the need for immediate action and questioned NPS' slow response.

As spring runoff neared in early March, NPS announced that federal funds were available to build a new temporary emergency access road on the destroyed part of Company Creek. Over the course of several weeks, NPS developed and shared its design for the road without a levee or protective structures. Many residents expressed anger and skepticism at the proposal.

"We just want to go on the record that we don't believe this is an adequate fix," said John Wilsey, who's also vice president of nonprofit Stehekin Heritage, at one of the March meetings.

Danika Globokar, the former North Cascades National Park superintendent, told the community the funding available could only be used to construct a road. NPS staff said in a March meeting the road was a short-term solution and that it would cost an estimated $1.5 million to $2 million with a cap of $3 million.

Another point of contention during meetings was how to connect the new emergency road to the old Company Creek Road, which requires crossing about 200 to 300 feet of private property across two lots. NPS said federal funds can't be used for construction on private property, and did not come to an agreement with owners before beginning construction.

In March, NPS suggested that the emergency road might not connect to give those farther up Company Creek access to their homes.

Water levels rose in late March, reflooding several properties and delaying the start of construction. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which partnered with NPS for the work, ultimately began construction the week of April 13. In an email to The Seattle Times, an NPS spokesperson said the project is "expected to be completed within a few weeks."

On April 29, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., asked Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum for a commitment to complete a connected road and implement a long-term solution for the region.

"Yes and yes," Burgum responded. "I understand we do have a particular issue here where we've got federal (land) and federal (land) and then a chunk of private (land) in between that we're working with the private folks to make sure that we've, across these different land ownerships, that we can get a permanent solution figured out."

Joe Kitchell owns one of the properties that needs to be crossed to connect the roads. He has said he will not allow anyone to build on his property without an agreement that meets his requirements. He said there has been no progress and limited discussions with NPS over the past months. In an email to The Times, an NPS spokesperson said the agency "continues to coordinate with Chelan County and local property owners."

The first of Kitchell's requirements is that he won't pay for the road, meaning the state may need to fund it. The second is that it must be built in the river, which is now on his property line.

"The reason … for me as far as putting it in the river is that, first of all, I want my land back," Kitchell said. "Second of all, my goal is to prove the point that you actually can work in the river and it's totally legal, and there's nothing they can do about it. So if I can do it, or the state can do it on my property, the park (service) can too and it will work."

Long-term plan needed

Right now, discussions are focused on connecting the roads. But the long-standing debate of future river management will once again become the focus when it comes to a long-term plan.

Many permanent residents say NPS has an obligation to rebuild the levee, citing NPS-produced documents that said the agency would maintain the Company Creek Road in its alignment. Environmentalists believe otherwise.

Phil Fenner, president of the North Cascades Conservation Council, a conservation organization, said in March that the NPS plan for Company Creek Road is "more than generous." Both he and Vice President Carolyn McConnell - who's a third-generation owner of a property at the furthest point of Company Creek Road - said residents must learn to live with the river and accept that previous attempts to constrain it have historically failed. Fenner added that any action taken to interfere with the river to provide access for residents on the road is "excessive, unnecessary, undesirable and well, basically, illegal."

McConnell said she wants a solution that keeps the area safe for residents but doesn't think that the river should be moved.

Many residents in Stehekin say action must be taken to manage the river so people can continue to live along Company Creek. They said they don't want to see the river damaged, but if action isn't taken they risk losing their homes - which, by extension, could threaten the existence of Stehekin.

"So much of what is provided in Stehekin is done so by the community," said Kitchell, who built one of the area's private passenger ferries. "That's what makes the place special and what provides access. If you lose that community, the valley's done."

Residents know it will take a long time before the federal government proposes a plan to move forward any action in the river. Burgum's verbal commitment marks a small step at the start of a long road.

"We want to trust the government will follow through with their promise to make it right," said Jeannetta Kurth, David Kurth's wife. "Until we see it, I'm afraid we're a little skeptical."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that Carolyn McConnell seeks a solution for Company Creek Road that keeps Stehekin safe without moving the river.

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