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Council reaffirms support for basin‑wide flood solution and aquatic species restoration
Summary
Centralia voted 7–0 to adopt Resolution 2815 reaffirming support for a basin‑wide approach to Chehalis River flooding and aquatic species restoration, including the flood authority’s preferred project elements and continued work on SEPA and related studies.
The Centralia City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2815 Wednesday to continue supporting a basin‑wide strategy for flood mitigation and aquatic species restoration coordinated through the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority and related Department of Ecology efforts.
Colonel Ron Averell, chair of the flood authority’s small projects committee, outlined the authority’s multi‑decade effort to identify flood mitigation that can protect communities and restore aquatic habitat. Averell described the development of a “free‑flow” dam concept and emphasized that the authority pairs flood mitigation with aquatic species restoration and that legislative appropriations have been split to support both objectives.
Averell acknowledged objections from tribal partners and other stakeholders and said the project team has worked to address concerns; he said the goal is completing SEPA by 2026 and then advancing project design and permitting. “We now need to show that we have community support for this, to drive it over,” Averell said.
Councilors voiced appreciation for the years of work and the paired focus on species restoration and flood control. The council passed Resolution 2815 by a 7–0 vote.
