Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority

Southwest Washington

The Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority, a collaborative basin-wide entity, was established by the Washington state legislature in response to frequent flooding in the basin, especially the December 2007 flood which caused extensive damage throughout the area. The goal of the Flood Authority is to develop a basin-wide package of project to help mitigate flood damage.

ESA is serving as facilitator for the Flood Authority, facilitating Flood Authority meetings and coordinating with the Corps of Engineers Twin Cities Project and the General Investigation for the Chehalis basin. ESA has worked with the Flood Authority to prepare a basin-wide Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan that identifies flood problems and potential solutions. We are coordinating projects and studies that the Flood Authority is undertaking such as designing an early warning system for the basin, evaluating potential upstream storage facilities, collecting LiDAR data, and developing recommendations for regulatory improvements. ESA is also assisting the Flood Authority with the process of establishing a permanent governance structure such as a flood district.