Summary

In recent years, local weather patterns have led to more frequent and intense flood events within communities across King County that are particularly flood prone. The increase of flood events in rural unincorporated areas has prompted King County Councilmember Dunn to begin addressing gaps and opportunities in the County’s response.

Story

In recent years, local weather patterns have led to more frequent and intense flood events within communities across King County that are particularly flood prone. The increase of flood events in rural unincorporated areas has prompted King County Councilmember Dunn to begin addressing gaps and opportunities in the County’s response.

“Current flood control practices tend to focus on reducing the flooding of our rivers,” Dunn said. “However, what we’ve seen in recent years is that when flooded creeks and tributaries cause stormwater infrastructure to overflow, that can be just as damaging to nearby people and property — particularly in rural areas. Yet, it’s unclear whose job it is to provide the flood control infrastructure that combats this type of flooding.”

To find a fix, Dunn secured funding in the 2023-2024 King County Budget, approved Tuesday, to fund a study of rural stormwater flooding that will provide a strategy to reduce risk of flooding that occurs outside of the major river system. The study can help to inform King County’s Flood Hazard Management Plan update. 

When flooding occurs in unincorporated areas in King County, it is often unclear what government entity is responsible for addressing it. While the King County Flood Control District primarily combats flooding along major river systems like the Cedar and Green Rivers, there are multiple additional agencies and initiatives within King County that create a patchwork system that works to mitigate flooding. For example, the Road Services Division of the Local Services Department manages ditches in the County road right-of-way, and the Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ Water and Land Resources Division and the King County Conservation District partner to provide assistance with maintaining ditches on private property through the Agricultural Drainage Assistance Program.   The County’s local stormwater program inspects and maintains stormwater facilities that are in public ownership. Still other stormwater facilities are the responsibility of homeowner’s associations and private landowners.

“This patchwork of government entities working on flooding issues has created a situation that isn’t very customer-oriented,” Dunn said. “When a homeowner has standing water across their property, or when they can’t access their home due to road closures, they don’t care who fixes it — they just want it fixed. Flooding too often creates an urgent situation that doesn’t leave a lot of time for negotiating whose job it is to do what.”

Recent flood events along rural area creeks illustrate that stormwater runoff and creek flooding can also damage roads, homes, and farmland. Rocks and debris shut down Issaquah-Hobart Road SE during the February 2020 flood event and flooding and erosion along Issaquah Creek threatened homes. Flooding in the May Creek basin near Renton also threatened homes and access.  Rural residents are often frustrated that it is not clear where to turn for assistance. 

By coordinating King County’s 2023-24 biennial budget with the Flood Control District’s 2023 budget, which was approved Nov. 8, Dunn was able to secure $150,000 to begin to address flooding from May Creek and $200,000 to continue to make improvements on Issaquah Creek. This is the type of piecemeal approach to flood control projects that Dunn hopes a new strategy with a system-wide approach to flood control will avoid in the future.  

With Dunn’s efforts, King County’s 2023-24 biennial budget earmarks an additional $100,000 to complete the rural flood study. The study is due to the King County Council by August 1, 2023.