Sims says flood protection can't wait, proposes countywide district to shore up aging levees

An aging levee system protecting thousands of lives, billions of dollars in economic infrastructure and transportation corridors would get much-needed fixes under a new county-wide plan proposed today by King County Executive Ron Sims.

"We can't predict when the next storm will have our rivers raging and threatening to breach our levees, but we can act now by making an investment in a safer future," Sims said. "People's safety and our region's economy depend on sound flood protection, and our aging levees – many of them built of sand – must be strengthened."

King County's levees, dangerously saturated and in some cases damaged during 27 straight days of rain last winter, protect places such as the City of Snoqualmie, the Boeing manufacturing plant in Renton, the Southcenter shopping area in Tukwila, plus major transportation corridors throughout the county. A number of major levees are nearing the end of their engineered life spans and show signs of sloughing, cracking and slumping.

"Last summer's Katrina flooding disaster in the Gulf Coast and last winter's record rainfall here both underscore the importance of investing in and maintaining our most critical infrastructure," Sims said. "We must prepare for the wetter winters that scientists tell us are coming as a result of global warming, along with the possibility of more frequent, longer-lasting floods."

To make up for a backlog of needed repairs and improvements, Sims has submitted a plan to the County Council that identifies a range of $179 million to $335 million in priority repairs and upgrades over the next decade, and recommends creating a county-wide flood control district to fund the plan.

One example is a $2.36 million project to repair an eroding river bank along the Snoqualmie River that threatens to undermine the Tolt River water supply pipeline which provides 30 percent of Seattle's drinking water supply.

"This proposal could ultimately result in a comprehensive countywide flood control zone, which would give us the framework needed to repair and maintain over 500 levees and revetments in our county," said County Councilwoman Julia Patterson.

King County maintains a levee system that runs along 119 miles of rivers, protects lives and property located in the 25,000 acres of floodplain in King County and more than $7 billion in economic infrastructure.

Levees along the Snoqualmie River protect rural communities and farmlands; the Cedar River levee system protects communities, downtown Renton and the Boeing manufacturing plant; and levees along the Green River protect communities such as Auburn, Kent and Tukwila, plus a multitude of warehouses and other commercial properties.

"When you think about what's at stake – the lives, property and billions of dollars of infrastructure protected by these old levees – there is little question that we need to establish the dedicated funding that can make major fixes possible," said Tukwila Mayor Steve Mullet. "We look forward to working with King County on the review and implementation of its flood plan and the challenges of creating a county-wide flood control district."

Carnation Mayor Bill Paulsen said the potential flooding near his city is too serious to ignore.

"I am very pleased that Executive Sims has introduced a proposal to address this serious problem," Paulsen said. "Flooding affects all of us, small and large, and is a very important issue for our communities. We cannot afford to let our infrastructure deteriorate. I look forward to working with the County and other cities to address the flooding needs in our region."

Under the recommendation, the owner of a $300,000 home in King County would pay from $15 to $30 per year, depending on how much of the priority flood-protection work is funded.

Sims said the plan that he's sent to the County Council will enable King County to catch up with the backlog of work that its aging network of levees desperately needs, while remaining fiscally responsible. The plan also calls for acquiring frequently flooded properties and expanding operations at the King County Flood Warning Center.

The 2006 plan has several goals, including:

• Fixing and improving aging flood control structures, thereby reducing the current flood-protection maintenance backlog – more than $10 million per year;
• Ensuring that related projects and programs that protect public safety and the benefits of river corridors are adequately funded;
• Identifying and addressing new flood risks as they emerge.
  

Warmer climate conditions in Western Washington are predicted to result in precipitation falling as rain instead of snow, which could increase the magnitude of fall and winter flooding along King County's major rivers. Flood events may be more frequent and longer in duration.

Sims said research is under way by the University of Washington's Climate Impact Group on the effects of climate change on King County's levee system. Results of that research will be used by King County to help shape its long-term flood risk reduction strategies in response to climate change.

Sims' proposed 2006 King County Flood Hazard Management Program is available online at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/flood/fhrpupdate.htm.