October 21, 2002August 2, 2026

EXH AR016294: Prefiled Testimony of Charles Ellingson — Embankment Infiltration Modeling, Walker Creek and Miller Creek Fills, PCHB No. 01-160

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Prefiled testimony of Charles Ellingson submitted to the Pollution Control Hearings Board for the State of Washington in PCHB No. 01-160, Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) and Citizens Against Sea-Tac Expansion (CASE) v. State of Washington Department of Ecology and Port Of Seattle. Testimony covers embankment modeling methodology using an integrated model approach combining Hydrus models for vertical flow through fill and Slice models for flow beneath fill, applied to Walker Creek and Miller Creek embankment fills at Sea-Tac Airport third runway expansion. Topics include infiltration calculations, fill area and thickness, soil characterization of fill, spatial and temporal discretization, initial moisture conditions, and use of integrated flow estimates for low streamflow modeling and wetland hydrology assessment. Fill infiltration testing also addressed. AR 016294.

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As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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