King County Flood Hazard Management Plan Update

Public involvement

King County hosted public meetings on Dec. 4, 5 and 6 in Carnation, Renton and Auburn respectively. Below are the presentations and fact sheets that were used to inform the community about flood risk reduction strategies being proposed for the Flood Plan update.

Presentations

• Flood Plan Update Presentation, (PDF, 2MB)
• Snoqualmie-Skykomish Watershed Presentation, (PDF, 4MB)
• Cedar River, Sammamish River and Issaquah Creek Presentation, (PDF, 3MB)
• Green River Presentation, (PDF, 3MB)
• White River Presentation, (PDF, 3MB)

Basin flood strategy fact sheets, including accomplishments and proposed actions

• South Fork Skykomish, (PDF, 1MB)
• Lower Snoqualmie, (PDF, 2MB)
• Tolt River, (PDF, 1MB)
• Raging River, (PDF, 1MB)
• Upper Snoqualmie, (PDF, 2MB)
• North Fork Snoqualmie, (PDF, 2MB)
• South Fork Snoqualmie, (PDF, 2MB)
• Sammamish River and Issaquah Creek, (PDF, 5MB)
• Cedar River, (PDF, 2MB)
• Green River, (PDF, 3MB)
• White River, (PDF, 2MB)

Schedule: Updated Dec. 19, 2012

• September 2011 - Establish citizens committee.
• December 2011 - Begin citizens committee meetings.
• June 2012 - Revise risk assessment.
• August 2012 - Revise action plan.
• September 2012 - Prepare internal and citizens committee draft plan.
• Dec. 2012 - Public meetings to present proposed flood risk reduction strategies for each river basin.
• TBD - Proposed public and environmental review period for the Draft Flood Plan, including public meeting(s) (date and location to be announced).
• TBD - Provide responses to public comments.
• TBD - Transmit proposed Flood Plan to Flood District Board and King County Council.
• TBD - Action by Board and Council to adopt the King County Flood Hazard Management Plan.

About the Flood Plan

• The King County Flood Hazard Management Plan recommends contemporary strategies to reduce flood risks to tens of thousands of people, billions of dollars in economic infrastructure and major transportation corridors.
• King County is required to update its Flood Plan every five years. 
• The update will cover emerging issues such as levee certification and vegetation management along rivers and review social justice and how projects are prioritized.
• Update the plan ensures King County continues to receive its high rating for floodplain management by the National Flood Insurance Program – which results in a 40% discount in flood insurance premiums for unincorporated King County residents.
• Link to goals and objectives of the Flood Plan.

Scope of work for the Flood Plan update

The King County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors (external) approved Motion FCD11-03.1 that establishes the following scope of work for the update to the Flood Plan:

1. Update flood and channel migration hazard information.
2. Update risk and vulnerability assessments, including economic impacts.
3. Update the strategy and action plan for each basin.
4. Prepare issue papers and decision documents to facilitate potential policy development and updates by the Flood District on the following topics:
   • Risk reduction standards, appropriate levels of flood protection for each river system, and integrated basin-wide action plans;
   • Levee certification and accreditation;
   • Levee vegetation and PL 84-99 participation;
   • Coastal, small streams, and urban flooding;
   • Social justice and outreach to vulnerable populations in high risk flood zones;
   • Property acquisition and relocation approaches for residential and business properties;
   • Capital project prioritization, sequencing approach, criteria, and scoring;
   • Bioengineering; and
   • Gravel removal and sediment management.

For questions about the King County Flood Hazard Management Plan Update, please email WLR-rivers@kingcounty.gov.