Navy Digs Deeper On Sub Testing Site Drive For Solid Earth At Bayview Adds Time, Costs To Project

Wed., June 24, 1998

By Julie Titone juliet@spokesman.com

The construction of a huge building over Lake Pend Oreille will cost more and take a bit longer than expected.

The mud on the lake bed turned out to be much deeper than expected, meaning workers must dig farther to find the solid ground they need to secure 120 pilings.

“The samples taken didn’t provide an accurate enough picture of the soil,” said Lt. Cmdr. Dave Pierce of the Navy’s Acoustic Research Attachment at Bayview. “We’re having to go significantly deeper than we thought.”

The noise of pile drivers is an ironic one at this research station, where scientists use large-scale models to see how quiet they can make submarines. The model subs will be docked in the new building, officially called the Model Engineering and Support Facility.

Pile driving, Pierce noted, is “always somewhat of a gamble.”

In this case, engineers expected to hit solid earth within 36 to 80 feet of the mud line. Instead, they’re having to go 115 to 130 feet below the mud.

The water in the bay is up to 70 feet deep.

The extra work will add about $1 million to the $7 million taxpayers are spending on the building.

It also will add some five weeks to the construction schedule. Now, the work should be done by the third week of June 1999.

The problem was discovered in mid-May, said Pat Callendar, public affairs officer for the Navy’s engineering office in Poulsbo, Wash.

There are 11 construction workers and four managers on the project, Callendar said.

The contractor expects to complete the piles and pile caps by the end of the 1998 construction season.

The precast deck panels and structural steel not. There have been some complaints, said Don Mosher, owner of Don’s Cafe.

But he thinks they’re exaggerated.

“It’s not bad at all,” Mosher said.

Navy officials warned the community to expect some noise.

Liz Justus, president of the resort town’s Chamber of Commerce, said some people are wondering why they don’t hear more of a racket.

The noise isn’t as bad as the Navy suggested it might be, said Justus, owner of the Makin’ Waves beauty salon.

“It’s no big toot unless you’re standing right down there on top of it.”

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