1. Actions and Activities Benefiting the Basin February 2013
Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority Education and Outreach Subcommittee
Actions and Activities Benefiting the Basin
February 2013

2. Purpose Today’s presentation . . . Topics covered . . .
Raise awareness
Improve communication (two-way)
Topics covered . . .
Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority
Flood Warning System
Hydraulic Analysis Model
Fish Studies
2012 Jobs Now Act Projects
2013 Proposed State Capital Budget
Looking Ahead . . .
Resources, Additional Information
Discussion, Questions
February 2013

3. 1. Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority
Formed in 2008
Purpose  Formal body focused on (1) flood hazard mitigation throughout the basin and (2) decisions that are . . .
informed by science
protective of Basin residents/communities
environmentally appropriate
Basin jurisdictions represented
Grays Harbor County
Lewis County
Thurston County
City of Aberdeen
City of Centralia
City of Chehalis
City of Cosmopolis
City of Montesano
City of Napavine
City of Oakville
Town of Pe Ell
Town of Bucoda
February 2013

4. 1. Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority
2007 Flood -- $938 million in damage (Basin-wide)
City of Centralia
STEVE RINGMAN / SEATTLE TIMES
February 2013

5. 1. Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority
2007 Flood -- $300 million in lost economic activity (Washington State)
City of Centralia
STEVE RINGMAN / SEATTLE TIMES
 BOB WALTER / EATONVILLENEWS.NET
Exit 77 (I-5) in Chehalis
STEVE RINGMAN / SEATTLE TIMES
February 2013

6. 1. Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority
2007 Flood – Other high flow events
I-5 closed 1990, 1996, 2007, 2009
Five largest events since 1986
Chehalis River Flow Volumes near Grand Mound ( )
(measured in cubic feet per second)
February 2013

7. 2. Flood Warning System www.chehalisriverflood.com
Front-facing website.
Back-end data collection and data synchronization system.
Improves forecasting and early-warning.
February 2013

8. 2. Flood Warning System Localized tracking, forecasting . . .
Chehalis River near Grand Mound
February 2013

9. 3. Hydraulic Analysis Model
Science-based model to inform decision-makers on the hydraulic effects of potential flood relief alternatives (at basin-wide and localized scales).
25 potential flood relief projects or project combinations were analyzed/evaluated with the model.
Covers mouth of the Chehalis River upstream to Pe Ell (108 miles).
February 2013

10. 3. Hydraulic Analysis Model
Example: Basin-wide effects analysis 1 of
(Chehalis Basin Flood Hazard Mitigation Alternatives Report, 12/2012)
February 2013

11. 3. Hydraulic Analysis Model
Example: Basin-wide effects analysis 2 of
(Chehalis Basin Flood Hazard Mitigation Alternatives Report, 12/2012)
February 2013

12. 3. Hydraulic Analysis Model
Example: Basin-wide effects analysis 3 of
(Chehalis Basin Flood Hazard Mitigation Alternatives Report, 12/2012)
February 2013

13. Flood Control-Only Dam Fish Habitat Enhancement Measures
4. Fish Studies
Two significant fish studies conducted in Upper Basin (WRIA 23).
Analyze effect of dam alternatives on Spring Chinook, Steelhead and Coho.
Prioritize potential fish habitat enhancement opportunities.
Findings . . .
Species
Multi-Purpose Dam
Flood Control-Only Dam
Fish Habitat Enhancement Measures
Spring Chinook
20% 
4% 
likely same as Coho
Steelhead
7% 
11% 
Coho
1% 
4-5% 
February 2013

14. Jobs Now Act Projects
$5,000,000 provided under 2012 Jobs Now Act.
$1,875, Repair/modification of levees and dikes.
$2,075, Modification of Sickman Ford bridge, and floodplain culverts. 
$50, Installation/calibration of rain gauge on Chehalis reservation.
$500, Construction of evacuation routes and critter pads.
$500, Improvements to areas affected by Satsop river.
Half the funds allocated to date.
Adna
Aberdeen
Bucoda
Chehalis Centralia Airport
See
Grays Harbor County
Montesano
WA Conservation Commission
February 2013

15. 6. 2013 Proposed State Capital Budget
Governor workgroup convened Fall 2012 to develop prioritized list of projects for 2013 state capital budget.
David Burnett, Chair of Chehalis Tribe
Vickie Raines, Chair of Flood Authority
Karen Valenzuela, Vice-chair of Flood Authority
Jay Gordon, WA Dairy Federation
J. Vander Stoep, Community Leader
Keith Phillips, Governor’s staff
Jim Kramer, Facilitator
2013 Proposed Capital Budget:
$9.2 million – Major capital project alternatives:
Upper basin water retention-engineering and design ($5.6 million)
I-5 protection options ($3.4 million)
$10.7 million – Local priority flood relief projects.
$4.4 million – Local multi-purpose projects (flood relief, fish enhancement).
$1.8 million -- Reduce damages to residential, other structures in floodplain.
$2.2 million – Technical assistance, program management, project permitting.
February 2013

16. 6. 2013 Proposed State Capital Budget
Local Projects 2013–
Location
Project
Benefit
Cost
Grays Harbor County
Satsop River Floodplain Restoration
Protects 8 agricultural landowners/businesses, and restores floodplain habitat.
$510,000
Elma-Porter Flood Mitigation Project
Protects 12 homes from flooding, provides safe passage of hundreds of workers from Satsop Business Park, commercial farms and Briggs Nursery.
$584,000
Wishkah Road (Kersh) Flood Levee
Provides safe passage and emergency services access to 60 homes. Provides flood storage and floodplain restoration.
$2,642,000
February 2013

17. 6. 2013 Proposed State Capital Budget
Local Projects 2013–
Location
Project
Benefit
Cost
Aberdeen
Market Street Dike
Protects 80 residences, 5 businesses and local adjacent streets.
$670,000
Wishkah River East Bank Dike and Dike Behind Burger King (Jobs Act Project)
Protects 30 residences, 30 businesses and State Hwy 101 and local streets.
$410,000
City of Cosmopolis
Mill Creek Dam Improvements
Protects 325 residents and 130 homes in Cosmopolis, 200 residents in S. Aberdeen and 2 significant businesses (Western Peterbuilt and D4 Sports).
$2,250,000
February 2013

18. 6. 2013 Proposed State Capital Budget
Local Projects 2013–
Location
Project
Benefit
Cost
Montesano
Mary’s River Lumber Bank Protection (Jobs Act Project)
Protects 120 jobs at Mary’s River Lumber Mill, State Hwy 107 (bridge) and Montesano Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plant.
$2,000,000
Bucoda
Bucoda Levee Improvement Project (Phase II) (Jobs Act Project)
Protects Bucoda wellhead and drinking water system (sole source of Town’s water for drinking and firefighting).
$305,000
Town of
Pe Ell
Pe Ell Wastewater Treatment Plant
Prevents raw sewage from entering the river during flooding.
$521,000
WA Conservation Commission
Livestock pads, evacuation routes
Protects livestock, equipment, pubic health (fewer dead animals in flood).
$850,000
February 2013

19. 6. 2013 Proposed State Capital Budget
Fish Projects 2013–
Project
Benefit
Cost
Allen Creek Restoration between Littlerock and Maytown
Environmental benefit for fish and wildlife. Channel reconnection and riparian restoration to store and attenuate flood flows.
$990,000
Near RM 78 on the Chehalis River
Riparian cover and off-channel storage and attenuate flood flows.
$861,000
Oxbow Lake Reconnection
Increase flood storage and attenuation in floodplain. Winter rearing for fish.
$1,149,000
Chehalis River Basin
List of priority projects for flood mitigation and fish enhancement work in the Basin.
$1,350,000
February 2013

20. 7. Looking Ahead . . .
Continue to focus on local small/mid-scale projects (like was done in with Jobs Now Act projects).
Major projects:
Upper Basin Dam – Evaluate design alternatives to determine permit feasibility, engineering safety and mitigation requirements by December 2014.
I-5, Airport, Twin Cities – Conduct design and engineering analysis on four protection alternatives.
Continue to improve existing tools (usability improvements to Flood Warning System).
Continue to be a galvanizing, present force for the Basin.
February 2013

21. 8. Resources, Additional Information
Visit Flood Authority’s Web Library for recent documents and products of note (click here).
Flood Warning System Brief Sheet
Flood Authority Funded Additional Flood Warning Gages
Hydraulic Model video presentation
Anchor QEA Fish Studies Summary
Jobs Now Act Projects
Governor’s Work Group Capital Budget Package
Flood Authority Supporting Documentation (All Proposed Projects, Tier I and Tier II)
Ruckelshaus Center’s Chehalis Basin Flood Hazard Mitigation Alternatives Report
Lewis County Flood Authority Website
State of Washington Flood Authority Website
This PPT (Actions and Activities Benefiting the Basin)
February 2013

22. Discussion, Questions
February 2013

23. Thank You!
Vickie Raines, Chair Chehalis Basin Flood Authority 360/
Edna Fund, Chair
Education and Outreach Subcommmittee (Flood Authority)
360/
Jim Kramer, Facilitator
Chehalis Basin Flood Authority
206/
Scott Boettcher, Staff
Chehalis Basin Flood Authority
360/
February 2013