Workers Divert Naches River

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Story Published: Nov 17, 2009 at 7:46 PM PDT

By Ryan Simms

NILE VALLEY -- Six weeks after one of the biggest landslides in recent history, state officials have successfully diverted the Naches River,

With raging rapids only a few feet away, construction crews conquered a daunting task; they diverted one of Washington's most wild and scenic rivers.

"Uncontrolled erosion on this landslide makes it unstable, so it was a big issue to get this river moved away from the landslide," says Don Whitehouse, of WSDOT.

And with several mega machines on hand, crews navigated the the Naches River toward a new, safer path. Recently increased snow melt put the river at risk of flooding.

"It would've gone over land, against Eagle Rock, wiped out the Nile bridge," says Yakima County's Vern Redifer.

With today's opening, the Naches River can hold ten times more water than just a few days ago.

Yakima County officials tell Action News today's diversion was a tremendous success.

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