This illustration shows what the proposed Chehalis River dam near Pe Ell will look like under normal conditions, allowing the river to run without impediment.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the state Department of Ecology is extending the public comment period for the draft environmental impact statement of the proposed Chehalis River basin flood-damage reduction project to May 27, 2020. In person public hearings will now be online.
The full draft is available at fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/2006002.html.
The draft EIS evaluates the proposal by the Chehalis River Basin Flood Control Zone District to build a flood retention dam and temporary reservoir on the Chehalis River near Pe Ell, and make changes around the Chehalis-Centralia Airport that include raising the levee.
Ecology will maintain the April 2 hearing date but will shift to an online format and have rescheduled the March 31 event to an online April 21 meeting to take public comment.
To comment during at the upcoming online events, participants will need to register separately for the April 2 public hearing and the April 21 public meeting. Registration can be done in advance or at the time of the events. The public can also submit comments online at chehalisbasinstrategy.com/eis/comment-form/.
