Perrinville Creek – Edmonds Environmental Council

Perrinville Creek: Critics accuse Edmonds of skirting environmental law

City responds to critics of the flow-diversion structure

By Brian Soergel
Edmondseditor@yourbeacon.net
Posted Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Link to Edmonds Beacon article

**Perrinville Creek after illegal blockage.**

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has granted the City of Edmonds an expedited permit allowing crews to begin debris-clearing work at the city’s controversial flow-diversion structure on lower Perrinville Creek – a move that environmental advocates say again sidesteps long-standing legal and safety obligations.

State approves Edmonds permit to do flood mitigation work on Perrinville Creek

The permit is the latest controversy in the years-long saga over Edmonds’ management of the stream.

by Eliza Aronson

November 17, 2025

Link to Everett Herald article

An overflow diversion structure sits along a section of Perrinville Creek near Talbot Road on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

EDMONDS — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a new permit to the city of Edmonds on Friday, allowing flood-prevention work to commence at a controversial flow diversion structure on Perrinville Creek.

State issues temporary permit for limited flood control work on Perrinville Creek

By Larry Vogel

November 19, 2025

Link to My Edmonds News article

During heavy rains the sediment traps get overwhelmed by high flows. The current temporary permit allows the city to clean the traps in advance of this fall’s rainy season. (Photo courtesy City of Edmonds)

There’s a new development in the decades-long tug-of-war between the City of Edmonds, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), environmental groups and adjacent property owners to balance flood control and fish passage on lower Perrinville Creek. The DFW has issued a limited temporary permit to allow the City of Edmonds to clear accumulated debris from the city’s existing sediment trap/overflow structures, with the aim of mitigating potential flooding during the upcoming rainy season. The permit expires on Jan. 13, 2026, and work must be completed by that time.

Perrinville Creek: A sad case of politics and wasted taxpayer money

Posted Friday, August 8, 2025 8:15 am
By Diane Buckshnis
Edmonds Resident, Former City Councilmember, EEC Vice President and Treasurer

Link to Edmonds Beacon article

Perrinville Creek was once a thriving, salmon-bearing stream that flowed through Edmonds and Lynnwood. Community groups like the Edmonds Stream Team used it as a teaching creek; it was a vibrant artery in our region’s watershed and a living example of environmental stewardship.

Edmonds Environmental Council files fish passage complaint

The nonprofit claims the city is breaking state law with the placement of diverters in Perrinville Creek, urges the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to enforce previous orders.

by Eliza Aronson
Monday, July 21, 2025

Link to Everett Herald article

An overflow diversion structure sits along a section of Perrinville Creek near Talbot Road in Edmonds, Washington on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

EEC files complaint on blocking of Perrinville fish passage

By Edmonds Beacon staff
July 17, 2025

Link to Edmonds Beacon article

Perrinville Creek blocked by the City of Edmonds — Perrinville Creek after blockage. (Photo courtesy Edmonds Environmental Council)

Perrinville Creek before blockage. — Perrinville Creek after blockage. (Photo courtesy Edmonds Environmental Council)

The Edmonds Environmental Council last week filed a complaint with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on what it says is the City of Edmonds’ “ongoing refusal” to restore fish passage in lower Perrinville Creek.

Edmonds Environmental Council files complaint against city regarding fish passage at Perrinville Creek

By Larry Vogel
July 15, 2025

Link to My Edmonds News article

These concrete boxes are designed to catch sediment coming down Perrinville Creek during high flows. According to the Edmonds Environmental Council complaint, they also form an insurmountable barrier to returning adult salmon.

The Edmonds Environmental Council (EEC) on Monday filed a formal complaint with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) against the City of Edmonds over what it maintains is an illegal diversion of the lower portion of Perrinville Creek that prevents the return of adult coho salmon.

Baby salmon head out to sea. Then they do something unexpected, new research shows

April 30, 2025
By Lynda V. Mapes
Seattle Times environment reporter

Link to Seattle Times article

Coho salmon smolts are collected in a fish trap as researchers assess local salmon populations in an Olympic Peninsula stream. (Karrie Hanson)

Edmonds Rotary, Perrinville neighbors help repopulate streams with salmon

by Joe Scordino
April 7th, 2025

Volunteers used a “bucket brigade” to get coho babies down to Perrinville Creek. (Photos courtesy Joe Scordino)

Edmonds Hearing Examiner decides on Perrinville Creek saga

The examiner revoked the city’s Determination of Non-Significance, forcing Edmonds to address infrastructure issues on the creek

By by Eliza Aronson
Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Perrinville creek diversion structures and blockage

Link to Everett Herald article

EDMONDS — The city of Edmonds has work to do on Perrinville Creek.

On Friday, City Hearing Examiner Phil Olbrechts decided city staff must address safety issues about a corroded pipe that connects the last few hundred feet of stream to Puget Sound, and consequently restore fish passage along the lower portion of the creek.

Examiner to decide route of Perrinville Creek

by Eliza Aronson
Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Closing arguments were submitted last week in a hearing that could determine if the creek will be passable for salmon in the next three years.

Guest View – Perrinville pipe under tracks could spell disaster

Posted Saturday, November 23, 2024

By Bill Lider
Lider Engineering

One of the most important duties of City government is to protect the health and safety of its residents. Besides the obvious police and fire protection, it is the Public Works department’s duty to assure the safety of its residents, too.

While potholes in public roads can be ignored or put off for a long time, or roads can be closed pending repairs, the rail traffic on the Edmonds waterfront cannot. Every day, tens of thousands of gallons of hazardous, toxic, and explosive materials move up and down the Edmonds waterfront.

‘Give them a chance’: The fight to bring salmon back to Edmonds stream

For years, locals have begged the city to remove fish barriers in Perrinville Creek. A federal grant could help.

by Ta’Leah Van Sistine
Saturday, September 21, 2024 6:30am

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/give-them-a-chance-the-fight-to-bring-salmon-back-to-edmonds-stream/

An overflow diversion structure sits along a section of Perrinville Creek near Talbot Road on Monday in Edmonds. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Future stewards lend a hand to baby salmon

My Edmonds News
Posted: May 27, 2024

Last week marked the final releases this year of “baby” coho salmon from Edmonds’ Willow Creek Salmon Hatchery into local streams to help the salmon populations in Puget Sound. On hand to help were community volunteers including future stewards of the environment and even Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen.

Lucy-and-Theo-Kopp-take-special-care-in-releasing-salmon-into-lower-Shell-Creek

Perrinville Creek SEPA DNS – Bernhoft- PLN2024-0020 SEPA DNS

May 14, 2024

1 PLN2024-0020 SEPA DNS and Checklist Download