By John Henderer, The Chronicle, 9/29/99
An environmental review of plans to address Twin Cities' flooding likely will last up to two more years, officials told a small crowd of devoted flood-study followers Tuesday in Chehalis.
Led by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Centralia-Chehalis Flood Damage Reduction Study has shifted into a review of environmental issues.
During the past three years, a Lewis County consultant devised a multi-faceted plan to address Chehalis River flooding near Centralia and Chehalis.
The plan calls for installing a rubber weir atop the Skookumchuck Dam, excavating the Chehalis River bank near the Mellen Street Bridge in west Centralia, and routing floodwaters onto farmers' fields.
The Chehalis Indian Tribe has proposed a series of upper Chehalis River Basin flow restriction structures.
Actual construction must await scrutiny of alternatives, along with environmental, social and economic issues.
That will push construction start-up into 2002 - under the rosiest scenario.
The Corps assumed leadership of the project within the last year after Lewis County consultants Pacific International Engineering found the Federal Highway Administration could not come up with money to continue the company's work.
Pacific International continues work on flood plain mapping and other issues, financed largely by grants from the state Department of Transportation. Initiative 695 could jeopardize some of this money, but the county won authorization earlier this month to proceed with its study until the initiative's fate is known.
Initiative 695, which will be on November's general election ballot, would reduce the annual state vehicle licensing fee to $30 per vehicle, reduce the amount of money available to local government, and require voter approval for all tax increases.
Corps project manager Forrest Brooks said the military agency has legal authority to continue studies as a consequence of a 1986 authorization for flood-control work on the Skookumchuck Dam.
But the Corps cannot simply start on dam modifications. It must first consider environmental effects on fish, wetlands and other issues.
As part of its work to prepare an environmental impact statement and to determine the scope of its review, the Corps solicited study topic ideas from about 40 citizens gathered at W.F. West High School Tuesday evening.
Several people offered their ideas about what should be done.
A handful of Pe Ell- and Doty-area residents said local governments should move people out of the flood plain and let the water run its course.
''The simple fact is it's going to flood,'' said Sidney LaPorte, Doty. ''Let's just build outside where it floods and let it flood.''
Scott Smith, who bought his Chehalis-area home two years ago, had other ideas.
Smith said flooding affected his property as recently as last Thanksgiving Day, turning it into an ''island.''
Turning to some audience members, Smith said, ''If you and you or any of you other people that live upstream want to buy my house, you can have the thing.''
Issues the Corps already plans to study include flooding characteristics, effects on fish and wildlife habitat, effects on wetlands, effects on riparian areas, effects on cultural resources, effects on transportation, and hazardous materials in the project area.
Some citizens expressed hope for quick action.
Marty Garman, Centralia, said Skookumchuck River floodwaters lapped at his home on North Pearl Street five times within the last year.
He asked Corps officials to use their prior authority and simply construct the changes to the Skookumchuck Dam.
''I've got one river that comes over the road and hits my house at high velocity,'' Garman said.
One woman, Delite Larson, Chehalis, passed around a photo of floodwaters near the Darigold plant on Chehalis Avenue in Chehalis. The photo was taken during last Thanksgiving Day's flood.
The area never used to flood as badly as it has recently, she said.
Corps officials will meet at 7 p.m. today at Rochester High School, 19800 Carper Road S.W., to solicit more study ideas.
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John Henderer covers county government and environmental issues for The Chronicle. He can be reached by e-mail at jhenderer@chronline.com or by calling 807-8239.
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