Washington state’s innovative Floodplains by Design program is leading the way toward holistic river and floodplain management, bringing together all the benefits of investing in river restoration: communities protected from flooding, thriving farms, habitat for salmon and other wildlife, clean water, and recreational opportunities.
Members of the panel from left: Josh Baldi, Brendan McCluskey, Celinda Adair, Sara O’Brien, Anne-Marie Marshall-Dody, Matt Fuchs. Bob Carey moderating. ©TNC
That’s what King County Executive Dow Constantine told regional floodplain managers and planners at a panel discussion co-hosted by The Nature Conservancy and Pew Charitable Trusts December 17.
Since 2000, flooding has been the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, accounting for more than $845 billion in damages. Flooding is Washington state’s most costly disaster, according to the state Department of Ecology, and it will grow worse with a changing climate.
Pew recently released a report on leading innovative programs to reduce flood risk and mitigate for disaster. Washington’s Floodplains by Design program was highlighted in that report as one of the country’s leaders in this realm.
TNC staff tour a Floodplains by Design project on the Puyallup River in Pierce County. ©TNC
The panel, keynoted by former Federal Emergency Management Agency James Lee Witt, brought together regional experts from Oregon and Washington to talk about how they’re approaching these issues. Moderated by Bob Carey, the Conservancy’s Strategic Partnerships Director for Washington, the panel included Matt Fuchs, Pew Charitable Trusts; Celinda Adair, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development; Sara O’Brien, Willamette Partnerships; Brendan McCluskey, King County Office of Emergency Management; Josh Baldi, King County; and Anne-Marie Marshall-Dody, Pierce County.
Another new national study by Nature Conservancy scientists shows that restoring floodplains is cost-effective. Every $1 spent on protecting floodplains saves $5 in avoided damage.
