Chehalis Basin office presents options — dam, levees and restoration — for long‑term flood and fish strategy

Jeff, identified in the record as the basin office director, told Cosmopolis officials on Sept. 17 that the Chehalis Basin board is weighing multiple long‑range options to reduce flood risk and restore aquatic habitat across the region.

"Salmon runs have declined dramatically. They're about 80% of what they historically have been," Jeff said, framing the basin work as a joint fish‑and‑flood effort. He described how a severe 2007 flood prompted regional coordination and the eventual creation of the basin board and its office, which now administers state funds and partners with tribes, conservation districts and local governments.

The board has identified a preliminary suite of six strategy options. At the large‑scale end is a "flow‑through" dam concept that would normally remain open and close only when a catastrophic flood is predicted; a dam of that type would be designed to hold back water during extreme events and release it slowly afterward. Other options include a system of local levees and flood walls focused around Centralia and Chehalis, combinations of both approaches, or lower‑touch, on‑the‑ground actions such as habitat restoration and property acquisitions that provide both flood and environmental benefits.

Jeff said the full package was still conceptual and that environmental review was underway: he said the Washington Department of Ecology's draft environmental impact statement was due in November and that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' federal review was expected next spring. He also said the board is evaluating the Skookum/"Scoop and Chuck" dam (options include modification, removal, or leaving it in place) and that any change to dams would require careful work to preserve existing water rights.

Funding and project examples: Jeff said the board has passed through roughly $17 million in the last biennium for the North Shore Levee project and expects another tranche of funds to keep that project moving; he also pointed to completed local projects including pump stations, raised farm pads and dozens of habitat restoration projects (the office reported more than 140 completed projects protecting about 300 acres and more than 200 homes and businesses).

Public process and timeline: Jeff said technical experts are now evaluating the options and the board will seek more public input before making deliberations in 2026. He announced upcoming online and in‑person informational open houses and encouraged local governments and residents to use the project's website and newsletter to stay informed.

The basin office presentation was informational; no council action was taken at the meeting.