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Cowlitz County · Dredger
Dredger prevailing wage in Cowlitz County, Washington
$79.35an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Leverman
$61.80 base wage + $17.55 fringe benefits
Cowlitz County uses the same dredge worker rates as 4 other counties. See all of them on one page.
On Washington public works in Cowlitz County, a dredge worker working as leverman must be paid at least $79.35 an hour in total: $61.80 in wages plus $17.55 in fringe benefits for health, pension, vacation, training and other plans. L&I's rate took effect September 2, 2026.
L&I published this rate on August 3, 2026 and it took effect September 2, 2026. Checked against L&I's wage lookup on October 24, 2026.
L&I lists 10 commercial dredge worker rates for Cowlitz County, from $70.83 to $79.35 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $61.80 + $17.55
The wage is the taxable hourly rate. The other lines are what Washington law calls "usual benefits": contributions to health, pension, vacation and holiday, apprenticeship and similar plans. A contractor that doesn't provide a benefit pays its value as wages instead (RCW 39.12.010).
| Base wage (taxable) | $61.80 |
| Health and welfare | $8.35 |
| Pension | $8.15 |
| Training | $1.05 |
| Total straight-time hourly rate | $79.35 |
Set from: collective bargaining agreement, Dredge Agreement Between Dixon Marine Services Inc. and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 701. Where a county has a collective bargaining agreement, L&I adopts its wage and benefits; with more than one, the higher rate prevails. Otherwise L&I uses wage surveys (RCW 39.12.015).
When does this rate change?
- Rates lock at the bid date. A project uses “the rates that are in effect on the date when bids by prime contractors are due”, and they stay for the life of the contract. If the contract isn't awarded within six months of the bid date, the award-date rates apply. Contracts without bids use the date they're signed (WAC 296-127-011).
- L&I publishes on the first business day of February and August, and rates take effect 30 days later. Corrections can be published at any time and also take effect 30 days later (WAC 296-127-011(1); L&I publications and corrections). L&I's next set is due February 1, 2027, effective March 3, 2027.
- L&I doesn't republish every rate each period. A rate stays until L&I changes it, so each one has its own date. This one was published August 3, 2026 and took effect September 2, 2026.
Every dredge worker rate in Cowlitz County
As L&I lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Leverman (hydraulic & Clamshell)$79.35
- Assistant Engineer$76.19
- Boatman (licensed)$76.19
- Mate$76.19
- Welder$76.19
- Fireman$74.70
- Tenderman (boatman Attending Dredge Plant)$74.70
- Fill Equipment Operator$73.53
- Assistant Mate (deckhand)$70.83
- Oiler$70.83
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Engineer | $58.64 | $17.55 | $76.19 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Assistant Mate (deckhand) | $53.28 | $17.55 | $70.83 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Boatman (licensed) | $58.64 | $17.55 | $76.19 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Fill Equipment Operator | $55.98 | $17.55 | $73.53 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Fireman | $57.15 | $17.55 | $74.70 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Leverman (hydraulic & Clamshell) | $61.80 | $17.55 | $79.35 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Mate | $58.64 | $17.55 | $76.19 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Oiler | $53.28 | $17.55 | $70.83 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Tenderman (boatman Attending Dredge Plant) | $57.15 | $17.55 | $74.70 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Welder | $58.64 | $17.55 | $76.19 | Sep 2, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon dredge worker rate in Cowlitz County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. When a contract requires both the state rate and the Davis-Bacon rate, paying the higher of the two meets both. The contract documents say which apply.
The federal determinations for Cowlitz County list no dredge worker classification.
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Washington Davis-Bacon changes
Holidays
L&I holiday code 5D:
Holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (8).
How Cowlitz County compares
The main dredge worker rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and in the nearest counties. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Washington
Base wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Cowlitz Countybase $61.80$79.35
- Clark Countybase $61.80$79.35
- Lewis Countybase $67.20$97.45
- Wahkiakum Countybase $61.80$79.35
Dredger rates in nearby counties
Current L&I rates. You pay the rate for the county where the work is done. The statute defines “locality” as “the largest city in the county wherein the physical work is being performed”, and L&I publishes rates county by county (RCW 39.12.010).
L&I's dredge worker rates for Cowlitz County are the same as in 4 other counties: Clark, Klickitat, Skamania, Wahkiakum.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Cowlitz County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis County | Leverman, Hydraulic | $67.20 | $97.45 | +$18.10 |
| Thurston County | Leverman, Hydraulic | $67.20 | $97.45 | +$18.10 |
| Pacific County | Leverman, Hydraulic | $67.20 | $97.45 | +$18.10 |
| Cowlitz County | Leverman (hydraulic & Clamshell) | $61.80 | $79.35 | |
| Clark County | Leverman (hydraulic & Clamshell) | $61.80 | $79.35 | same |
| Wahkiakum County | Leverman (hydraulic & Clamshell) | $61.80 | $79.35 | same |
| Skamania County | Leverman (hydraulic & Clamshell) | $61.80 | $79.35 | same |
Washington dredge worker prevailing wage by county, with a map
Notes on this rate
L&I's notes, in L&I's words. Some add premiums for hazardous work, special shifts or certifications.
- 8D Workers working with supplied air on hazmat projects receive an additional $1.00 per hour.
More from L&I on this rate
- L&I's prevailing wage lookup, for any county, trade and bid date
- Apprentices: registered apprentices are paid L&I's apprentice rate for the trade. Anyone without a registered agreement counts as a journey-level worker (RCW 39.12.021).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your wage to what your employer pays into health, pension and other plans for you, and compare it with $79.35. Each contractor files an L&I-approved Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages before it's paid, and an Affidavit of Wages Paid when the job is accepted (RCW 39.12.040). On contracts over $10,000 the approved intent and L&I's contact details are posted on the job site (RCW 39.12.020).
Source
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, prevailing wage lookup, Cowlitz County, Dredge Workers (DRED), L&I wage record 149906, published August 3, 2026, effective September 2, 2026: secure.lni.wa.gov/wagelookup/
Each figure comes from L&I's lookup and is checked against L&I's CSV export and a second, separate query. How we check · Download Cowlitz County as CSV · Report an error