Landslide threatens power, water on Squak Mountain

A growing landslide on Squak Mountain is threatening to take out power and water to a hundred homes atop the hillside.

A growing landslide on Squak Mountain is threatening to take out power and water to a hundred homes atop the hillside.

Caused by heavy April rains, the soft soils are falling away along Mountainside Drive.

“The earth decided it was time,” said Sheldon Lynne, the deputy director of public works.

City crews closed a shoulder, as the guardrail posts are beginning to float above the hole, but so far the slide doesn’t threatened the road, he said.

People and homes are not in danger, he said.

If the 200-by-100-foot-wide slide encroaches on the road anymore, the water main could break. Telephone and power would follow after, effectively cutting off utilities to the Forest Rim neighborhood.

Forest Rim is isolated from the rest of the mountain by a long road that switchbacks through the forest.

Right now, the city simply doesn’t know how bad it could get, Lynne said.

Issaquah City Council approved $30,000 for a geotechnical study Monday to find out how bad the slide is and make recommendations on how to best repair it.