Man charged for trying to redirect river in Mason County
Oct 30, 2014, 12:09 PM | Updated: 2:29 pm
A man is charged for trying to alter the course of the Tahuya River channel near his home in Mason County. (Google Maps)
(Google Maps)
A man faces three criminal charges for trying to alter the course of a river near his home in Mason County.
Prosecutors said William Cayo Sr. used an excavator and bulldozer to fill the Tahuya River channel and redirect the flow of water without any permits.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) biologists said approximately one-and-a-half acres of river bed were moved in February 2013.
Cayo is charged with violation of the water pollution control act, violation of the shoreline management act, and conducting unpermitted hydraulic activities.
The state Attorney General’s office said a property owner can work with the county or other agencies on shoreline projects, but “unpermitted and improperly designed work in a riverbed or on a shoreline” can kill fish, pollute the river, and damage nearby properties.
