Our Views: Take Time to Comment on a Flood Mitigation Project That Holds Great Promise

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It has been more than 12 years since the Chehalis River spilled out of its banks in ferocious fashion, tearing apart entire communities and cratering the finances of many households and businesses. 

To many, this is a familiar story that we all played a part in, whether it was victim, volunteer, rescuer, donor, onlooker or something else. To others who have moved into the area or grown up in the years since, though, it’s likely just that — a story. 

With the world’s eyes rightly turned toward the still unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, it might seem like a poor time to turn our attention to the possibility of a repeat natural disaster of the scale of the 2007 floods, but it would actually be irresponsible not to broach the topic. 

That’s because all science indicates that massive flooding will again occur in the Chehalis River Basin. As the adage goes, it’s not a matter of if, but when, and one project that holds tremendous promise for reducing the damage of such a disaster and potentially saving property and lives is at a critical juncture. 

From the fractured landscape of the 2007 flood rose a broad coalition of government leaders, farmers, tribes and other stakeholders. For years, they’ve worked together through various bodies, from the Chehalis Basin Flood Authority to the state-level Office of the Chehalis Basin. 

Their work — which we remain incredibly grateful for — resulted in the formation of the Chehalis Basin Strategy, a two-pronged approach developed to confront two very harsh realities in the basin — declining fish runs and the absolute certainty that devastating flooding will at some point in time again rock our communities. 

While a multi-million dollar plan to restore and protect aquatic species remains in development, all eyes are currently on a proposal to build a dam on the Chehalis River near Pe Ell. The public comment period for the state Department of Ecology’s draft environmental impact statement focused solely on the dam — with no consideration of the massive aquatic species plan or the projected impacts of global — is currently open. 

As reported by The Chronicle, the Quinault Indian Nation has come out against the draft statement, reasoning that predicted negative impacts on salmon provide little room for their support. 



At this time, it’s important to remember that Ecology’s environmental impact statement on the overall Chehalis Basin Strategy — a combination of aquatic species restoration projects, smaller flood mitigation projects and, yes, the dam — showed net benefits for both areas of concern. 

Studies also show that fish runs will decline with or without a dam due to climate change. 

In 2007, the loss of property and infrastructure was immense, with the final total far exceeding the initial estimates of around $170 million. 

Ecology’s research suggests 1,280 structures would be protected in Centralia alone with the construction of the dam, which would only hold back water at times when flooding is forecasted. It would provide protection for Interstate 5 as well. 

While we all do what we can for ourselves and others during a pandemic, please consider commenting in favor of moving forward with the Chehalis Basin Strategy. We’ve come too far toward a solution to simply drop a matter of life and death now. 

To provide a comment online, visit chehalisbasinstrategy.com/eis/comment-form/.To provide a comment by mail, address it to Chehalis River Basin Flood Damage Reduction Project EIS, Anchor QEA, 1201 Third Ave., Suite 2600, Seattle, WA 98101.