Flood Control District adopts amended budget to fund emergency repairs; Lake Sammamish dock funding split from package

The King County Flood Control District on Feb. 10 adopted a revised 2026 budget amendment to pay for emergency repairs and to add urgent flood‑related capital work identified after the December 2025 storms.

Executive Director Michelle Clark told supervisors that the substitute resolution FCD 2026‑03.2 would allocate $689,770 to the Lake Sammamish dock and shoreline pilot grants program (the pilot had $800,000 in its account and 17 applications totaling $1,184,305), reimburse just under $3,000,000 in emergency December repairs from unspent 2025 appropriations, and add about $7,266,543 in proposed 2026 capital repair needs, including a $1,000,000 acquisition line for homes on the White River in Pacific.

"All of the items on the list are proposed for inclusion in this 2026 budget amendment as the direct result of damage sustained during the December flood event," Clark said. She noted 16 emergency actions were implemented and that two cooperation agreements with the U.S. Army Corps were signed to support Green and White River repairs.

Supervisor Rod Dombowski sought to divide the resolution and strike section 5, which listed the Lake Sammamish dock grant awards, arguing the district now faces urgent repair needs that should take priority. Board members debated the pilot’s purpose: proponents described the program as a modest, experimental grant to test floating docks and other shoreline measures where a major structural project (Willowmoor) may not be feasible; opponents said funds could be better used for immediate flood damage.

By voice vote the board approved the motion to separate (strike) section 5 from the striking amendment; the chair ruled the nays had it, and section 5 was removed from the amendment before final action.

Supervisor Fain offered Amendment 1, which directs the executive director to obtain a focused study of downstream impacts of water releases from Howard Hanson Dam during the December event (reviewing rapid drawdowns, release volume/duration and mitigation strategies). Clark said staff expected to complete the work within existing budgets and to present a scope and milestones to the executive committee on March 4; the amendment passed unanimously.

The clerk called roll on the amended substitute resolution; the result was 8 ayes, 0 nos with Supervisor Mosqueda excused. The resolution, as amended, was adopted and staff said they will use undesignated fund balance and, if needed, bonding or reprioritization to cover the costs. Clark said the $3 million in emergency expenses would come from 2025 unspent appropriations and that additional work will be presented for reprioritization in 2026 if necessary.

What passed: the adopted amendment funds immediate post‑flood emergency repairs, includes a list of identified capital repairs for 2026, establishes funding paths (undesigned fund balance and potential bonding), and directs a focused Howard Hanson study. What did not remain in the final package: the roll‑call action removed the specific Lake Sammamish grant list that had been part of the striking amendment.

The board later adopted two ministerial items to expand the executive committee and reorganize the board for committee membership; both passed 8–0 with Supervisor Mosqueda excused. The meeting adjourned after the votes.