By Aaron Kunkler
The Chronicle
The Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority has approved a total of $6.5 million in funding for flood control projects in Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Montesano. These improvements rated placement on the authority’s 2015-19 project funding list of more than $18 million for potential and continuing projects.
The North Shore Levee in Aberdeen received $1.5 million to create a levee removing portions of Aberdeen and Hoquiam from the floodplain. Some $988,000 is already funded, bringing design funding to 60 percent completion. The additional $1.5 million would complete the design and permitting process with construction costs to be determined.
“I am very pleased that the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority has recognized the urgency of completing the North Shore Levee and has approved funding toward that end,” said Aberdeen Mayor Erik Larson. “We will continue to work diligently to bring flood relief to the residents of Aberdeen and Hoquiam.”
In Grays Harbor County, some $1.35 million was allocated for the construction of a road levee on Wishkah Road. Total construction of the project is $5.18 million with $3.83 held in reserve and these funds provide additional funding.
The largest budget item, however, was $5 million for the installation of a hardened structure on an overbank to deflect oncoming water along the Wynooche River near Montesano. The structure will protect a wastewater treatment facility along the river from erosion, preventing the plant from spilling raw sewage into the river.
Some $2.5 million was approved to be spent on construction costs for habitat and flood mitigation projects on China Creek, which would provide short-term storage of water flow during a flood, allowing China Creek to transport runoff from Centralia and reducing flooding to downtown businesses and main roads.
Four more projects were given placeholder status approval, meaning their funding is contingent on favorable evaluation in a final 2015-17 study.
These included more than $2.862 million for replacement of a culvert on Rice Road in Chehalis near Dillenbaugh Creek. The current culvert is too small for existing 25- and-100-year flood conditions. The project would install a larger culvert structure to lower flood water elevation, except for one section of the road southwest of the culvert, which would also be raised to mitigate flood damage and allow emergency crews to use it during floods.
More than $2.81 million was tentatively allocated to remove the Chehalis Wastewater Treatment Facility at 1191 NW Shoreline Drive. The roughly 10-acre abandoned plant has the potential to contaminate floodwater and could be removed and the grounds restored to serve as floodwater storage as a wetland.
Another culvert in Oakville could be used to reroute stormwater, which flows under Highway 12 to a closed system drainage in South Allen Street or State Street to discharge into Harris Creek. It was tentatively allocated more than $1.48 million.
Finally, a $595,000 project to upgrade drainage infrastructure along Interstate 5 near Napavine could help flooding on commercial properties on the east side if I-5 at Kirkland Road.
The approved projects were divided into two categories, with nearly $10.5 million going largely toward existing projects to complete or continue them. Nearly $7.75 million in additional funding was allocated to placeholder projects, which may receive funding if it is determined they are feasible and useful. A list of the projects was released on the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority website.
December’s Flood Authority meeting was canceled, with the next one occurring on Jan. 19 in Thurston County. A location was not provided at the time of publication.
The Flood Authority is composed of municipalities and counties in Lewis, Thurston and Grays Harbor counties and is tasked with finding local solutions to flooding in the Chehalis River flood basin.
Terri Harber of The Daily World contributed to this story.
