Flood Policy on the Chehalis River in Lewis County, Washington: Who Makes the Decisions?

Appendix VI Survey Results

Appendix VI Survey Results

Appendix VI Survey Results

The survey conducted as part of this project was developed to measure public attitudes about the flooding issue and about public participation in local government decision-making on flood policy in Lewis County. By gathering this information, the authors hope to shed light on the effectiveness of public participation programs in Lewis County, and to provide useful, unbiased information to the people of Lewis County as well as to Lewis County government.

The survey questionnaire, the text of which appears in Appendix IV, aimed to identify how the respondents had been affected by flooding, what the respondents perceive are the factors that contribute to flooding, and how Lewis County flood policy decisions are made. The survey questionnaire also provided space for written comments, all of which have been transcribed and presented in Appendix VI. Respondents' addresses were randomly selected from within nine Lewis County zip codes identified as areas affected by flooding. The survey was coded and mailed first-class to 388 addresses - both rural and urban - in Adna. Doty, Centralia, Chehalis, Curtis, Galvin, Napavine, Onalaska and Pe Ell.
Figure 1: Distribution of survey results by community.

Flooding is a Critical Issue

Figure 2: Flood experience of respondents.

The survey indicates that the percentage of people affected by flooding in the study area increased from 30 percent in the 1990 flood to 49 percent in the larger, more widespread and severe flooding of 1996. While 38 percent of respondents report that they had not been directly affected by either flood, that number could be misleading because some respondents may not consider some effects of flooding, such as losing access to shopping or to medical facilities. Of those who report suffering some flood loss, 29 percent say their land had flooded, and 15 percent report their homes had been flooded. More than a quarter of respondents say they suffered some loss of income due to flooding, either because of damage to their own business or to their place of employment or because they were unable to travel to work because of flooded roads.

Government Communication on Flood Policy Needs Improvement

Survey respondents are critical of Lewis County's policy of allowing filling in the floodplain to encourage development. While 57 percent of respondents say the weather was to blame for flooding, nearly three-fourths say filling land in the flood plain was to blame, and more than half say existing and new construction on the flood plain contributed to flooding.
Figure 3: Level of satisfaction with information about flooding.

When asked whether they are satisfied with the amount of information they receive about Lewis County's proposed flood control plans, the largest percentage of respondents - 45 percent - report a desire to receive more information. At the same time, 36 percent report they are somewhat satisfied with the amount of information they receive, and 11 percent said they get all the information they need. At 84 percent, the local newspaper is the primary source for flood policy-related information. Radio is reported as the source of information for 53 percent, and conversations with family and friends provides information for 34 percent. Just 9 percent of respondents say they get information directly from government publications, and 8 percent directly from government officials.

Because respondents were invited to mark more than one response in question 5, the people who get information from government publications might be expected to be the same people who learn about flood plans from government officials. By cross tabulating the survey results, it may be possible to discern whether people who report suffering flood losses are more motivated to seek out information from government sources.

Public Disenfranchisement from Flood Policy Development

While more than 60 percent of respondents say they talk about Lewis County government flood reduction plans with their friends and family members, more than 40 percent of respondents said they don't voice their opinions to government at all. However, more than 20 percent of respondents educate themselves about the issue by attending public meetings, and 13 percent write letters or make phone calls to Lewis County government.
Figure 4: Perceived level of influence among interest groups.

When asked how much influence different publics or agencies have on Lewis County flood control plans, Lewis County government and state and federal government are seen by almost one quarter of respondents as having the most influence on policy. 13 percent of respondents say local business organizations have great influence, and 9 percent saw individual businesses as having great influence. Public disenfranchisement from flood policy development is most evident in the fact that 28 percent of the respondents believe Lewis County residents have no influence on flood control decisions.
Figure 5: Respondents rate the top three issues county government should consider when making flood policy

Lewis County Flood Policy Fails to Reflect Public Values

Lewis County government has indicated that the driving force behind its flood policy decisions is the health of the local economy. However, the responses to question 8 indicate that constituents identify other considerations as more important. Just 18 percent of respondents indicate that maintaining the economy should be an important goal of flood control - nearly the same percentage as believe that keeping the river environment clean and safe for fish. 29 percent believe maintaining the local economy is not an important goal for flood policy. Respondents were not asked to indicate demographic information such as age or employment status, so it is impossible to know whether the low priority given to maintaining the economy reflects a larger proportion of older people in a community where younger workers may need to leave the area in search of economic opportunity.

Reducing property damage is viewed as the most important goal of flood policy (23 percent), followed closely by preserving land for agriculture (22 percent) and reducing health hazards (20 percent).

Policy Considerations Reflect Dichotomy in Public Values

To be fair, developing flood policy in Lewis County is a challenge due to competing demands from the public. As a result, it's not surprising that Lewis County often chooses to do little or nothing at all in terms of developing policy that is sure to generate public controversy because of a clash with public values and beliefs around private property rights, distrust of government, opposition to taxation and protection of existing investment in the community. Clearly, restricting the use of private property by imposing stricter land use regulations, prohibiting filling in the flood plain and other policies could prove unpopular in Lewis County

Question 9 asked respondents to rate the top three concerns that Lewis County government should consider when making flood policy. While respondents list preventing flooding from getting worse (58 percent), reducing flood damage (51 percent) and protecting private property rights (48 percent) as the top concerns, they also indicate strong support (45 percent) for passing new land use laws that prevent new construction from making flooding worse. Only 33 percent include avoiding tax increases as an issue the county should keep in mind when developing flood policy, and at 10 percent, attracting new businesses receives the lowest priority.

Land Use Restrictions Could Strengthen - Not Weaken the Local Economy

This strong show of support for changes in land use laws could give Lewis County the political will to proceed with changes to its land use regulations. Changing the laws may be a political challenge, but one that is not insurmountable. A county government-initiated education outreach effort aimed at communicating the benefits of such changes to the community as a whole could further strengthen support for policy changes. New flood policy that pursues the priorities of the public at large and effectively contains the flooding problem could improve the community's perception of government responsiveness. New land use policy could also improve business confidence, attracting continued investment in the local economy.

Written Comments

Below is a compilation of written comments made by survey participants in response to question 10, which is included below. The community where the respondent lives is noted in italics.

10. Please use the space below and the back of this page to write any additional comments about flooding and Lewis County government's plans to address the issue.

Stop putting fill in areas that flood. Stop building and paving lots in floodplains. - Galvin
I think you should dredge the river to make room for the water to go, and use the gravel for road work. - Galvin
Dredge high spots in river channel. - Galvin
We are rural Lewis County residents living in Doty, Wash. We have lived here for years. We believe the main cause of the flooding problem is the Centralia and Chehalis areas constantly approving new development not only in the areas that have flooding problems, but in areas that are almost always covered with water during the rainy season. A prime example is the Wal-Mart store and the Airport Oasis gas station and food center. Both of these developments brought in tons of fill dirt to raise the level of their property. They needed to do this to bring them above the almost constant groundwater that was present in both locations. All this did was pave over more of the flood plain. Maybe these two locations won't flood as often because they raised their property level, but this has just displaced the water that would normally be there and caused other areas to flood - areas that did not flood before.
We feel that the city governments of Centralia and Chehalis and their citizens are being viewed as more important than the rural county residents. Central-la and Chehalis continue to approve new development, which causes the flooding problem to worsen. Then they look out to our rural area to place a dam. I live right next to the Chehalis River near Elk Creek. My property has never flooded! Yet according to some of the information I have seen, they want to put a dam in my front yard! It is very upsetting to think that my neighbors and I might have to move and change our standard of living because people in Centralia and Chehalis are constantly allowed to build in the flood plain. Many people that live out here in the rural areas have lived here their entire lives. Many live in homes that their grandparents built. Centralia and Chehalis need to take responsibility for the problems that they cause. It is too easy for them to simply keep doing what they want and say "build a dam" and ruin the property and the lifestyle of others who built their homes on high, dry land.
We feel that because they (Centralia and Chehalis residents) are many and we (rural residents) are few, they are listened to and we are not. All the building in the flood plain does not just affect the Centralia and Chehalis areas. It is slowing down the river and causing more and more flooding out in the rural areas. A few years ago when it flooded, we (the Doty area) were only cut off from the Chehalis and Centralia area. Now we are also cut off from Pe Ell. This makes the Doty area like an island. We become cut off from everyone else. This can be inconvenient when you need to buy groceries, but it becomes serious when there is an emergency and you need medical assistance. We have only one volunteer EMT in Doty and a fire department staffed only with volunteers. These volunteers do an excellent job but they can't handle serious medical situations alone. The EMT has only his skills - there is no ambulance or aid car filled with equipment.
So as you can see, the rural residents are also affected by and concerned with the flooding issue. We just ask those in the Centralia and Chehalis areas to their part - stop development in the flood plain. Please don't continue building where you shouldn't and simply say "build a dam." A dam is not a simple solution to us, the rural residents. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this survey. - Doty
The people and towns of Centralia and Chehalis need to take responsibility for overbuilding and filling instead of blaming the flooding on outlying areas. - Doty
Putting in more dams would hurt a lot of us people, just to help other people in the city. If it wasn't for us, those people would not get our business. They are the ones who fill in all those places with dirt and other stuff. They hurt themselves. - Doty
1 do not live where it floods but have children that have flooded out and cannot get in or out of their property. - Doty
The county commissioners do not listen to people, they are mostly interested in any business that has enough money, thus allowing that business to build wherever they wish. - Doty
We feel the people in west Lewis County should not be flooded to save Chehalis and Centralia from floods. Stop the building on filled lands in the flood plain. - Doty
The only way to stop it now is by cleaning out the silt in the Chehalis River from the slow point of Chehalis to where it starts running again at Independence. The people put dams on some other rivers around here, and all it has really done is kill all the fish reproduction areas off. You want business around here, have them build out of the flood plains. The whole town of Chehalis should be wetlands, anyway. - Doty
Lewis County Commissioners are only interested I growth of the area. They continue to fill in the flood plain! As long as FEMA continues to "ball out" the commissioners, we will not have a workable flood project. They refuse to listen to property owners on the rivers. I have no faith in the commissioners, their engineers or their methods of flood control. -Doty
(1) Anytime it approaches a phase 11 [flood] and Highway 6 at Adna is flooded. (2) Once Highway 6 is flooded my employees can't get to work and we can't get out. (3) The river needs to be dredged to remove the 60-plus years of silt. In the mile upstream from Adna, the river bed has eroded lower 5-8 feet and the stream bed has moved side to side 25-60 feet in the last 25 years. That is a lot of dirt going downstream somewhere. - Adna
It is time to realize that the river was here first. If people don't like the flooding, they should move out of the flood plain. - Adna
I do not feel Qualified to make comments, except to say that this is something that should be carefully and painstakingly planned. There should be no rush to satisfy loudmouth screamers or pushy people. These plans need to benefit the community as a whole and not end up doing more damage in the long run. - Adna
Rails to Trails has deep drainage ditches that the railroad kept up. The state is not keeping them up, so they are filling in. After the '96 flood they were cleaned out before the fall of '97. Haven't been cleaned out since - guess what we'll be looking forward to. The state wanted this land, they need to take care of. - Adna
Lewis County needs to dredge the rivers about 20-40 feet deep or more, and build more ponding basins so that the river will not ride fast. I think that by building ponding basins it will allow the river to flow easy. Dredging and building a ponding basin will solve the flood problems. Also storm drainage needs to be cleaned out. - Adna
Please instead of mailing out surveys and reminders, get politicians (local and County) to get in agreement on what needs to be done and get it done! - Adna
I don't think we should be able to alter the rivers, dredging or dams, leave it in its natural state - if you can call it that now. People should learn to live with it and not be able to alter it for their purposed. I'm opposed to taxes on everyone that is not part of the problem. - Adna
If people build in a flood plain, they should expect to get flooded now and then. No amount of flood control would have kept the area from flooding in 1996, No dams should be built. The water has to go somewhere, and if you truly think you or anyone else can or ever will be able to control it, you are fooling yourself. -Adna
The fill for new businesses should be mandated to come from newly created waterways in lakes and ponds. - Adna
I feel flood control is important, but not if it is going to skyrocket our taxes. -Adna
How do we address flooding issues [caused by] by neighboring properties? Need a venue. Thank you. - Adna
Because of mismanagement of development and construction in Lewis County by the planning commission, the low-lying areas of the valley flood. If they dredge the river in those areas, it would minimize the river leaving its banks in a flood. - Onalaska
If they would quit cutting down trees and not continue to develop housing projects maybe that would help to curtail the flooding. - Centralia
Set flood plain boundaries and make them stick. Do not permit building and development. Farming and agricultural OK. - Centralia
A lot of people are making a lot of money doing surveys, yet do and accomplish nothing. - Centralia
I don't really know much about their plans, but it seems as though not much is happening about preventing flooding around here. They just keep on building up flood plains and we keep getting more flooding in residential areas! - Centralia
Clearcutting upstream increases runoff. Laws against filling in flood plains have not bee enforced. - Centralia
The government moves slowly. Building continues in known areas that will flood. This pushes water into areas that have never flooded. Rivers are not maintained. Could be dredged one side at a time, alternating years. China Creek is more weeds and probably sand than "creek" space (one example). - Centralia
Everyone is worried about the fish and I don't believe that it would hurt one thing to dredge the river and let if flow like it used to. Clean out China Creek, too. That would help Centralia. The amount of fill that has been put in lowlands in Lewis County has not made a hill of beans of difference. - Centralia
My problem is solved. The freeway bought me out and now I live high on a hill looking at all three mountains. It's a terrible feeling, knowing you live in a flood zone and there are no restrictions on filling in the flood plain and city and county government continue to encourage new businesses, which in turn causes a worse flooding potential. I talked to the Chehalis building inspector about filling in for construction in the flood plain. He told me it has no effect. I told him any time you take fill from a hill and put it in flood areas it has a big effect. - Centralia
Frankly, I am very disappointed with the county's position and cooperation with the whole issue. "Let's spend money for flooding where my second cousin has vacation property in east county." C'mon, the "good 'ol boy" process has to stop.
Why not take the City of Centralia's lead and implement a grant program of some kind to be of some benefit to the citizens in Lewis County who could have used the help in time of need. I personally spent $15,000 of my own money to alleviate my flooding situation. Folks just across the street from myself in the Centralia city limits acquired a loan or grant of a significant amount to help out. Where was my county government? Still trying to decide what to do with my land without proper compensation? Bullshit, I say!
This Lewis County government needs to work on being a service to the citizens instead of seeing if and how many times they can get their hands into out pockets. After attending a meeting or public forum, if you wish with the Flood Advisory Council, which I know you are familiar with, I support the dredging of the Chehalis and mouth of the Skookumchuck. Not long ago a volcano blew, sending ash everywhere. Where do you think all of that ash ended up? That's a no-brainer . Restore fish habitat at the same time, or is it really true that two government entities can't work in cooperation with each other? The so-called "flood control" dam (Skookumchuck River) deemed so in the '60s when it was built, should be modified some way or any way to alleviate flooding in the lowlands. How about power generation with adequate concerns for salmon runs. Let's pull ourselves into the millennium instead of it running over it.
As far as funding, what is more important than keeping your head above the water? - Centralia
Have you checked into the total amount of money spent by Centralia, Chehalis, Lewis County on studies done in the last 50 years concerning what could or should be done to prevent the flooding and damage done every few years by flooding in our area? Maybe your study should start there! P.S.: We have lived here more than 50 years! - Centralia
Put our jail inmates to work cleaning up China Creek and along the river banks where access is. It might help the river run a smoother course. It has been almost 10 years or more of surveys and talks - lots of money wasted. The problem should have been solved by now or started on a successful project. - Centralia
If we don't do something you just as well put a "4 sale" sign up in Centralia, Chehalis, Lewis County and sell it all to the highest bidder. - Centralia
Although I haven't lived here very long, I hear my neighbors complain about the flooding all the time. They think the rivers need to be dredged. - Centralia
We live in flood plains! Things won't change much, no matter what you do. If you live near water, these things happen. - Centralia
Has been discussed in a couple of meetings we have attended that they need to dredge/clean the rivers and creeks. All the silt and crap that has built up over the years needs to be cleaned, and this will make our rivers deeper. Centralia area has had massive building and dirt fill in the large areas that used to hold the flood waters, and now that water is going into residential areas. - Centralia
After seeing just a glimpse of what the flooding was like, I moved from the area. I feel that no new buildings would open up in that area. It is too bad, because it is so beautiful during the not-so-wet months. - Centralia
There is a lot of demand on our flood plain - too many people, too many shopping centers, too much development. Building on a known flood plain is crazy, but (like Wal-Mart) if they fill enough they just back the river up higher to places that didn't flood before. The bottom line is the dollar. If developers have enough money they develop flood plains. - Centralia
Local home owners in flood areas are mainly families with modest incomes. It takes years to replace their loss from flooding. My daughter became sick from the stress. She was fortunate - I had a large home [with space for her family] - so many young families have no one to help. Good luck in your research. - Chehalis
On a daily basis I see more and more buildings and fill being places in definite flood plains, and I still hear the local officials complain about flooding. Who approves their permits, or does the dollar do the answering? Seems to me if you continue to place rocks in a bucket of water, the water will spill over the top of the bucket. I understand the flooding is not all from filling in the flood plain, but this is one step that does not appear to have been taken too seriously. Big businesses, like Wal-Mart for example, must have a great influence somewhere or they would not have been able to fill and occupy a virtually unused portion of the primary flood plain. - Chehalis
Dredge the river, water temperature will be cooler, less flooding, better long-term habitat for fish. - Chehalis
1 don't have any confidence in our ability to significantly reduce flooding in our area. In 1990, there was an unusually long period of sustained heavy rainfall and warm weather, causing a huge runoff of melting snowpack, and a very high tide at the mouth of the Chehalis. When nature behaves this way, there is very little man can do. We just have to accept that. Too many people think government and enough money will solve all our problems. Sometimes you just have to suffer and move on with your life. - Chehalis
No new regulations. No more taxes that support unwanted programs. No new special interest land boundaries. - Chehalis
1 feel the government spends way too much money on "studying" the problem. The creek we live by is so full of fallen trees and other debris that it would be a miracle if it didn't flood with heavy rains. The river is in the same condition. They say dredging will harm the environment for this fish, but I can't believe that flooding is any better for them. - Chehalis
The flooding issue is very complex, but I believe the county government is more concerned about protecting the industry of the area than reducing flooding and its impact on local citizenry. - Chehalis
Stop filling the flood plain. The rainfall in '90 and '96 were record highs meaning excessive water. The Chehalis-Centralia urban areas have filled areas of land where flood water historically filled. This building in flood plain and excessive rainfall displaces water. End result: flooding in areas that previously did not flood. Continue filling in the flood plain and what will result in the future? More flooding, but in new areas that previously did not flood. Solution - stop filling and build out of the flood plain. You know this solution would not cost anyone any money, and the county, etc. could keep spending funds on studies by engineers that are unrealistic and will fail anyway. - Chehalis
The little creek across the highway from me floods when it rains a lot. It has never flooded my property, but could if it rains for long. It does get into the basement of my neighbor next door. Please keep in mind to control flooding. I'm too old to fight flooding (80 years old). Thank you. - Chehalis
It is unreasonable to continue to request federal/state assistance while the county continues to allow fill and development in the flood plain, thereby aiding deterioration of flooding. Business that fill enough to flood adjacent property that never flooded before should be financially liable. - Chehalis
1 do not think you can reduce flooding without an impact to the residents (increased taxes) or less development. The major political players in this county are not ready to take the steps necessary to negate more flooding. One of these players (Rep. DeBolt) has stated the authorities are in no hurry to do a comprehensive and up-to-date study on wetlands and boundaries of the flood plain. To do so would probably reduce what little economic development there is. In the meantime, the flood plain continues to be filled for questionable development (fast food and convenience stores) that pay minimum wage. That's Lewis County development! - Chehalis
Stop filling in flood plains! The overall damage or benefit to community and environment is far more important than private property rights! - Chehalis
I live on the North Fork of the Newaukum River (24 years). Before we moved here, the county took gravel out of the bar, which is on a bend of the river, sometimes, I'm told, as much as 15 feet deep! The point I'm trying to make is, all these rivers are filling up with rock and fallen trees, so I believe that at certain times of the year (when it least impacts fish) some of this gravel should be removed. Thanks. -Chehalis
1 grew up in the Adna, Boisfort, Pe Ell area of the Chehalis River. I have heard from my elders (settlers before 1940) that people dredged and protected the river banks on their own property until state laws would not let them do so. Local farmers have lost acreage because they could not clear the river and protect their land. - Chehalis
Flooding occurs because only so much water will flow through the river at Oakville (hourglass effect). - Chehalis
Use grants to fund the search for preventative solution options and costs. Use grants to avoid tax increases. Use legislative budgeting processes to get project direct funding (i.e.; line items). - Location unknown: coding removed
It appears to me flooding is talked to death and nothing is done until the next flood comes along. No one wants to assume the responsibility to move flood abatement forward. - Location unknown: coding removed

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