1. Home Composting: Making "Black Gold"

    Composting is a little like baking a cake, and the WSU Lewis County Master Recycler Composter (MRC) Volunteers will teach you how to make compost or "black gold" in your own back yard! There are some basic science principles required to successfully create compost in the shortest possible time but the rest is art, allowing you to create a composting setup that works for you. The MRC volunteers invite you to attend a basic composting class at 11 a.m. April 18 at the Salkum Timberland Library. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about your own composting challenges as …


    Solid Waste - Feb. 6, 2026, 1:07 p.m.

  2. Sheriff Marine Patrol

    The Lewis County Sheriff's Office marine patrol unit and education program was created in the early 1980's in response to the increasing amount of recreational boaters. As recreational boating increased, so did the responsibilities of the marine unit. Today our primary responsibilities are education and enforcement. The Sheriff's Office has two lake vessels, a 20 foot Almar, and a 21 foot N.River. We have two primary inland lakes that we patrol: Lake Mayfield (2,250 sq. acres) and Riffe Lake (11,830 sq. acres). There are several other bodies of water including Mineral Lake, Lake Scanewea, and the Chehalis and Cowlitz Rivers. …


    Sheriff - March 27, 2013, 8:21 a.m.

  3. Court Records/Records Requests

    The Clerk's Office dockets, maintains and archives all documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court. This includes the following case types: * Case Type Public Access 1 Adult Criminal Open unless sealed by court 2 Civil Open unless sealed by court 3 Dissolution Open unless sealed by court 4 Probate/Guardianship Open unless sealed by court 5 Adoptions/Paternity Confidential 6 Mental Illness Confidential 7 Juvenile Dependencies Confidential 8 Juvenile Offender Open unless sealed by court Open files may be reviewed by the public at the Clerk's Office on the 2nd floor of the Law & Justice Center. Photocopies of documents are …


    Clerk - March 22, 2016, 8:05 a.m.

  4. Open Space Act

    RCW 84.34Land owners who wish current use assessment for property tax purposes on lands eligible for classification under the Open Space program, must submit an application to the Lewis County Assessor's Office by December 31st. Applications taken in the calendar year prior to December 31st are inspected in the next year and either approved or denied. If the application is approved, it is taxed in the subsequent year. It takes two years after application for it to affect your taxes.Provided that acreage is being used as originally intended, valuation of land for tax purposes under the Open Space Act is …


    Assessor - Dec. 11, 2015, 9:57 a.m.

  5. Community Litter Cleanup Program

    Inmate Litter ProgramThe Lewis County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Utility, operates a litter pick-up program that uses inmate labor from the Lewis County Jail.To report an illegal dump on Lewis County Right of Way or to report a County road in need of litter pickup, please call 360-740-1123 or 360-740-1451. Please have the road name with approximate mile posts available or location of the dump site to report.To report an illegal dump or a Washington State highway in need of litter pickup, please call the Washington Department of Ecology at 360-407-6351. Lewis County is not authorized to clean …


    Solid Waste - Aug. 13, 2014, 12:41 p.m.

  6. Lewis County Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) meets today

    The Lewis County Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) meets at 1:00 p.m. the second Wednesday of every other month in the new Lewis County Public Works Building, 57 W. Main St., Chehalis, WA 98532. If a regularly scheduled meeting lands on a holiday, the chairperson may elect to cancel the meeting or members may vote to meet on an alternate date.Meetings are open to the public, and also offered online via Zoom. Here is a link to the Lewis County SWAC page, where you can find information on meeting agendas, packets, and minutes. Please contact the Lewis County Solid Waste …


    Solid Waste - April 8, 2025, 1:03 p.m.

  7. Community Litter Cleanup Program

    Lewis County Litter ProgramThe Lewis County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Utility, operates a litter pick-up program.To report an illegal dump on Lewis County Right of Way or to report a County road in need of litter pickup, please call 360-740-1123, 360-740-1451, or email swu@lewiscountywa.gov. Please have the road name with approximate mile posts available or location of the dump site or litter to report.To report an illegal dump or a Washington State highway in need of litter pickup, please call the Washington Department of Ecology at 360-407-6351. Lewis County is not authorized to clean up litter on private …


    Solid Waste - Aug. 13, 2014, 12:41 p.m.

  8. Sandbags - Frequently Asked Questions

    WHAT IS A SANDBAG AND WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE? A sandbag is a sack made of burlap or woven polypropylene that is filled with sand or soil and used for such purposes as flood control and military fortification. Sand bags are an excellent choice for the construction of levees, berms, dikes and barricades for erosion control, flood walls, and traffic control. Sandbags may be used during emergencies when rivers threaten to over-flood, or a levee or dike is damaged. Quick action and bags on-hand could save countless dollars in personal and property damage. WHEN CAN SANDBAGS BE USED? The use …


    Emergency Management - Dec. 15, 2010, 11:44 a.m.

  9. Hirst Response

    On January 19, 2018, the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 6091 related to permit exempt wells for domestic uses. The legislation was intended to respond to the 2016 Washington State Supreme Court Hirst Decision.The flowchart and webmap below are intended to help residents understand how this law affects lands within Lewis County. Colors on the flowchart correspond to the colors on the map.Additional resources are located at the bottom of the webpage. Further information will be placed on the site as it becomes available.For more information, please email jeffrey.landrum@lewiscountywa.gov or call (360) 740-1249. Flowchart Map Lewis County WRIA Map (includes …


    Community Development - Jan. 26, 2018, 8:27 a.m.

  10. Lewis County District Court Mission

    The mission of the Lewis County District Court, as an independent and impartial branch of government, is to promote respect for law, society and individual rights; provide open, accessible and effective forums for dispute resolution; resolve legal matters in a just, efficient and timely manner and assure the dignified and fair treatment of all parties.Lewis County District Court is a Court of Limited Jurisdiction hearing the following types of cases:Criminal misdemeanors and gross misdemeanorsTraffic and non-traffic infractionsParking infractionsCivil matters for damages no greater than $100,000Small Claim matters for recovery of money no greater than $5,000 or $10,000Nuisance violationsName changesAnti-harassment Protection …


    District Court - Feb. 18, 2015, 9:05 a.m.