Responses to issues raised at open houses

All levels of government are working together to address the flooding issues in the Chehalis River basin. The work that is being done can roughly be divided into four areas: preparation, response, recovery and prevention.

Preparation for the next storm is everyone’s responsibility, and education efforts are ongoing to help individuals and businesses take action now to protect themselves.

Flood response includes actions that are taken while flooding is occurring, and includes steps individuals can take to prepare themselves for possible floods.

Recovery work includes the ongoing efforts to help families and businesses recover from flooding that has already occurred. Help is still being provided to help residents recover from the flooding of December 2007.

Prevention efforts are underway to implement long-term projects to prevent flooding from occurring in the future. Work is being targeted to all parts of the basin to protect families and businesses from future flood events.

Chehalis River Flooding

The communities in Lewis, Thurston and Grays Harbor counties have experienced repeated flooding of the Chehalis River for many years, with major floods occurring in 1972, 1975, 1986, 1990, 1996, 2007 and 2009. These flood events caused extensive damage to private property, community buildings, bridges and roads. Damage from the 1996 flood was estimated at $151 million. Federal and state assistance programs, along with federal small business loans, have expended a combined total of $107.6 million toward disaster recovery from the December 2007 flood. This does not take into account individual losses covered by private insurance.

The toll on the lives of those who have been affected by repeated flooding is difficult to measure. The devastating effect on people in the community included loss of homes and businesses, lost wages, missed schooling, personal anguish, and the daunting task of clean up and rebuilding, which continues in many parts of the river basin.

“We need to take steps now to address the safety and security of homes and businesses throughout the Chehalis Basin. Protecting the freeway is part of the region’s commerce, but people must come first. Their lives, their homes and where they work need to be safe and secure.”
– Governor Chris Gregoire

“We continue to work with the state and local officials as we move forward with the Twin Cities Flood Damage Reduction Project. As we update the project with data from the 2007 flood, we will seek input from the community. The Corps stands ready to support the local communities with future flood fighting efforts.”
– Col. Anthony Wright, Corps of Engineers

“The Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority is working on flood hazard
management from a basin-wide perspective. The Chehalis River impacts communities from Pe Ell to Aberdeen. Our aim is to provide an open forum so cities, towns, counties and the Tribe can work together
effectively and reduce flood damage risks all along the river.”
– Ron Averill, Chair, Chehalis River Flood Control Authority