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Harney County to consider reengaging flood consultants after recent '100‑year' event; $3 million in mitigation funding awarded
Summary
County leaders discussed reopening work with consulting firm KleinSchmidt to reassess flood-mitigation alternatives after a recent 100‑year flood. Commissioners said the county was awarded $3,000,000 for mitigation pending the governor's signature and discussed prioritizing near-term channel fixes versus large long-range options.
Harney County Court discussed resuming work on flood mitigation on July 16 after recent high flows damaged infrastructure and highlighted areas where the canal and river channel have become constrained.
A county official told the court that the county had been awarded $3,000,000 in mitigation funding pending the governor’s signature. "For the record, we were awarded $3,000,000 for mitigation efforts," the official said during discussion of next steps. Commissioners and staff agreed that a short-term focus on the river channel between Highway 20 and Highway 78 may be needed because channel encroachment has reduced conveyance capacity.
Court members recommended first asking KleinSchmidt, the engineering team that previously prepared a comprehensive flood-mitigation study, whether newly available lidar or imagery can update the earlier alternatives without using a large share of the award for fresh study work. Staff suggested the county conduct targeted ground-truthing with landowners who have long familiarity with local drainage to verify whether previously developed alternatives (identified in the past study as high-priority options) still represent the best value under recent flood conditions.
Commissioners also asked that people who previously provided detailed public comment during the flood event be invited to offer input during the county’s technical review and public outreach so the planning process benefits from local knowledge.
Ending: The court directed staff to keep flood mitigation as a standing item under "old business" at the second meeting each month and to consider an initial phone contact with the prior consultant to confirm interest and available scope ahead of formally spending awarded funds.
