Continuing support for basin-wide solution to flooding and aquatic species restoration. BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
IN THE MATTER OF: RESOLUTION NO. 21-046
CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR A BASIN-WIDE
SOLUTION TO FLOODING AND AQUATIC SPECIES
RESTORATION
WHEREAS, the Chehalis Basin, the second-largest watershed in Washington
State, suffers from the dual problems of catastrophic flooding and significant
degradation of aquatic species; and
WHEREAS, the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority ("Flood Authority") is
comprised of local government representatives from communities across the
Basin, including Lewis County, Thurston County, Grays Harbor County, the town of
Pe ElI and the cities of Centralia, Chehalis, Napavine, Hoquiam, Aberdeen,
Cosmopolis, Montesano, Oakville and Bucoda; and
WHEREAS, all of the communities are negatively affected by periodic Chehalis
River flooding in the Basin, the largest source of which originates from the
mainstem Chehalis River above Pe ElI; and
WHEREAS, Lewis County continues to support efforts to protect our families and
communities from the catastrophic floods that hit our Basin, and Lewis County
also continues to support aggressive habitat restoration projects to turn our
declining fishery into a vibrant fishery; and
WHEREAS, the Chehalis Basin strategy includes the Aberdeen-Hoquiam North
Shore and West Segment of the North Shore levee, continued development of
local flood and fish projects, a basin-wide aquatic species restoration plan, and a
potential flood storage facility that would retain 65,000 acre-feet of flood water
during catastrophic storms, thereby decreasing peak flood levels from Pe ElI to
Cosmopolis; and
WHEREAS, the Flood Authority stated its support for the Chehalis River Basin
Flood Control Zone District's proposed Chehalis River Basin Flood Damage
Reduction Project through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process on
April 21, 2020, noting that the institutional governance capacity existed in the
Basin to identify and implement sufficient "technically feasible and economically
practicable" mitigation as required (the "Final CRBFA Letter re DEIS 4-21-2020"
can be found in the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority's online library at https://
www.ezview.wa.gov/site/alias_1492/37643/local_resolutions.aspx); and
Page 1 of 3 Res. 21-046
WHEREAS, the Flood Authority again stated its support for the Chehalis River
Basin Flood Control Zone District's proposed Chehalis River Basin Flood Damage
Reduction Project through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process
on on November 13, 2020, noting that the District's project, if considered at a
Basin-wide scale along with other local flood damage reduction and habitat
restoration measures, would substantially benefit aquatic species and people,
property and livelihoods (the "CRBFA Letter Re NEPA DEIS 11-13-2020" can be
found in the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority's online library at https://
www.ezview.wa.gov/site/alias_1492/37643/local_resolutions.aspx); and
WHEREAS, in the NEPA Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) process,
the US Army Corps of Engineers reviewed 61 different alternatives for reducing
catastrophic flood damage and found that only those alternatives that included a
proposed water retention facility met the objective of flood damage reduction to a
level sufficient to proceed to full DEIS-level analysis, a view consistently held by
the Flood Authority as part of its long-standing support for balanced, Basin-wide
solutions to address flooding and aquatic species restoration in the Basin; and
WHEREAS, the state Department of Ecology's DEIS, as well the US Army Corps of
Engineers' DEIS, show the District's proposed Chehalis River Basin Flood Damage
Reduction Project would deliver significant reductions in catastrophic levels of
flooding for Basin communities and also would provide substantial reductions in
impact and flood inundation for thousands of structures, including homes,
schools, churches, small businesses, state highways and Interstate 5, provided
that adverse impacts, however negligible, are acceptably mitigated; and
WHEREAS, the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority, the Office of Chehalis Basin,
the Chehalis Basin Board, the Chehalis Basin Flood Control Zone District and the
Chehalis Basin Strategy together provide a well-structured governance and
funding framework that has delivered much positive "flood" and "fish" benefit to
the Basin since the catastrophic floods of 2007 and 2009; and
WHEREAS, this framework is essential to obtaining valued input and participation
from tribal partners, who have committed to working within this framework to find
solutions that benefit fish as well as all people; and
WHEREAS, these are challenging times with financial resources and capacities
stretched thin as a result of the global pandemic.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lewis County Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC) offers its continued support of the integrated processes
and actions outlined above of the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority, Office of
Chehalis Basin, Chehalis Basin Board, Chehalis Basin Flood Control Zone District,
and Chehalis Basin Strategy as the best way to continue to efficiently deliver the
most beneficial combination of flood hazard reduction and aquatic species
restoration all Basin citizens, stakeholders, and "flood" and "fish" interests
deserve.
DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 1st day of February, 2021.
Page 2 of 3 Res. 21-046
APPROVED AS TO FORM: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Jonathan Meyer, Prosecuting Attorney LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Eric Eisenberg Gary Stamper
By: Eric Eisenberg, Gary Stamper, Chair
Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
ATTEST: ``'`T''•"�'•. Lindsey R. Pollock, DVM
• 4 S
e :`\pX�l
Lfp,dsey R. Pollock, DVM, Vice Chair
SiNC
Rieva Lester • ;.s, - �,•. Sean D. Swope
Rieva Lester, • Sean D. Swope, Commissioner
Clerk of the Lewis County Board of
County Commissioners
Page 3 of 3 Res. 21-046
BOCC AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Resolution: BOCC Meeting Date: Feb. 1, 2021
Suggested Wording for Agenda Item: Agenda Type: Deliberation
Continuing support for a basin-wide solution to flooding and aquatic species restoration
Contact: Rieva Lester Phone:
Department: BOCC - Board of County Commissioners
Description:
Continuing support for a basin-wide solution to flooding and aquatic species restoration
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