SMITH RIVER, CA — The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) signed a ceremonial agreement that will provide the Nation with $800,000 toward extensive improvements to a 50-year-old wastewater system serving low-income households at Xaa-wan’-k’wvt (Howonquet) Village and Resort in Smith River, California.
The Nation’s Tribal Council met with USACE representatives for a ceremonial signing of the agreement, exchange of gifts, and to enjoy a meal while taking in the view of the Smith River Estuary, just a few miles south of the California/Oregon border. Attendees discussed the wastewater system project planned for the area as well as Tolowa Dee-ni’ culture, history, and environmental practices.
“This is a historic partnership between the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will ultimately improve the health and well-being of our community as well as the surrounding environment,” Tribal Council Chairperson Jeri Lynn Thompson said. “This agreement is only the first step in securing overall funding for a project that will ultimately connect 150-plus low-income homes to a quality regional wastewater system by replacing the existing outdated, lagoon-based wastewater system.”
“We are extremely proud to partner with the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation on a project that I’m confident will greatly improve the living conditions of those who call this beautiful part of California home,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Shebesta, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District. “As an added benefit, the project will help assure the pristine environment of the Smith River watershed, and we look forward to bringing our collective expertise to the table.”
The Nation plans to replace wastewater infrastructure at Xaa-wan'-k'wvt Village and Resort, located at the Mouth of the Smith River, on the Pacific Ocean. The property, formerly known as the Ship Ashore Mobile Home Park, was purchased by the Nation in 2016, and renamed to Xaa-wan'-k'wvt Village & Resort, in recognition of the return of the historical Xaa-wan'-k'wvt Village, a municipality that provided the Tolowa people with governance, food, housing, and worship.
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While most of the infrastructure on the property has considerable deferred maintenance issues, this project is a priority for the Nation as the current wastewater system is an outdated lagoon system that does not meet current environmental regulatory standards and poses considerable health and safety concerns. The lagoon is a quarter mile from the Smith River Estuary and is an environmental risk and hazard. Without funds for system replacement, the current system could fail, leaving 150 households without wastewater disposal and could harm the environment.
The estimated cost of the project, which consists of wastewater collection replacement and wastewater treatment plant expansion, is approximately $25 million. The project is included as part of the Water Resources Development Act, passed by Congress in 2023. The partnership with USACE is hoped to provide 75 percent of the funding needed for the project. The Nation is seeking $6 to $7 million in additional funding from the state of California to complete the project.
Replacement of the outdated wastewater system has been a long-term goal of California’s North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board which, in 2018, funded a $500,000 preliminary engineering study to determine the best option for replacing the collection and treatment systems. This study determined the best option was to replace the existing collection systems and lift stations that carry wastewater 1.1 miles north to the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, owned and operated by the Nation. This would roughly double the capacity of the plant, a modern, membrane bio-reactor treatment plant that has been operating for 12-plus years with certified operators. The project is fully designed and permitted (including NEPA), and the Coastal Development Permit has been approved.
