Office of Chehalis Basin representatives give presentation in Centralia and Chehalis

The Office of Chehalis Basin had a busy week bringing the organization's outreach presentation to the Lewis County Board of Commissioners business meeting as well as city council meetings in Centralia and Chehalis.

Chehalis Basin Board facilitator and Ross Strategic Director Ken Ghalambor led the presentation along with some backup from Chehalis Basin Board member J. Vander Stoep. The two presented to Lewis County Commissioners Lindsey Pollock, Sean Swope and Scott Brummer during the commissioners’ business meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The duo also teamed up for the presentation to the City of Chehalis on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Office of Chehalis Basin Lead Planner Nat Kale filled in for Ghalambor to lead the presentation to the City of Centralia on Tuesday, Aug. 26.

The presentation provided is the same that has been featured in a number of the office’s outreach events in recent months, including its virtual open house and tabling events at the Grays Harbor County Fair, the Southwest Washington Fair and Chehalis Fest.

During the short slideshow presentation, Ghalambor gave a short description, or reminder rather, of the role of the Office of Chehalis Basin guided by its oversight committee the Chehalis Basin Board. Brummer is a voting member of the Chehalis Basin Board.

“I think you’re all aware, in just the past decade, the Chehalis Basin Board and the Office of the Chehalis Basin have implemented more than 140 projects,” Ghalambor said. “Nearly 300 acres of habitat, over 200 homes and businesses have been protected on time and on budget.”

He went on to discuss the office's current comparative analysis process that is comparing the costs and benefits of long-term projects in the basin to eventually create an official long-term strategy for the Office of Chehalis Basin that will address both fish habitat restoration and flood damage reduction.

“Some of the main questions that the board’s looking to answer include how much money should be invested in Aquatic Species Restoration over the next 30 years,” Ghalambor said. “As I know most of you are aware, they’re also looking into large-scale flood damage reduction options.”

After the information session, Ghalambor fielded questions from the commissioners. During that time, Swope inquired about the inclusion of the Skookumchuck Dam in the comparative analysis, voicing concerns for the possibility of its removal and frustration that an issue he believed put to bed was still being considered.

“It’s almost a little frustrating, because we know that we have our water rights with that, and the future of our water is kind of tied up in that, and then you also have that with TransAlta being out there and potentially staying out there,” Swope said. “I just don't like it that it's even on the table per se … That's just one of those things that we only have so much water, and to remove that would be devastating.”

To the contrary, Ghalambor and Vander Stoep highlighted the importance of including all options in the comparative analysis to understand what the impacts of each action would be and truly know the costs and the benefits of any proposed large-scale projects.

“I think it's better to have that information in a credible report than not,” Vander Stoep said. “Then just have people guessing what that might cost. I support having it reviewed and the information put out.”

The Office of Chehalis Basin will continue its ongoing informational outreach campaign through the fall and has scheduled two in-person open houses coming up over the next two months. The first will be held at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis on Thursday, Sept. 25, and the second will be at Montesano City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

More information about the Office of Chehalis Basin’s long-term strategy development and comparative analysis process is available at https://tinyurl.com/yu9tc6jf.