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Feb. 10, 2004
Executive Sims transmits plan to protect more than 600 flood-prone homes in upper Snoqualmie Valley
King County Executive Ron Sims today forwarded a supplemental budget request of $1.3 million to
fund the county’s share in a project that will reduce serious flood hazards for people and property in the Snoqualmie area.
“Our residents in the Snoqualmie community are suffering continual flood losses and this project provides a unique
opportunity to work with the City of Snoqualmie and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to significantly reduce flooding and
damage there,” Sims said. “This funding represents a significant investment for King County, but one that is expected
to pay for itself in relatively short order.”
The Snoqualmie Flood Reduction 205 Project will involve riverbank excavation above Snoqualmie Falls,
essentially widening a bottleneck in the river channel. During high river flows, the bottleneck contributes to water backing up
and flooding hundreds of homes and businesses within and around the City of Snoqualmie.
Since signing the project agreement with the Corps and City of Snoqualmie in January 2003, the Corps
has developed plans and specifications for construction of the project. The plans and specifications have been advertised
for bids and contractors’ proposals are due to the Corps in February. The Corps expects to award the contracts in
March and to complete all project construction this summer.
“The 2004 construction schedule is very tight, but it is also very important,” Sims said, noting that
the project’s in-river excavation is strictly limited to occur within the “fish window” between July 1 and Sept. 15 in order to
protect Chinook salmon below Snoqualmie Falls.
The Corps has identified more than 650 flood-prone structures in the Snoqualmie area, including
three public schools, eight churches, 39 commercial structures, 25 mobile homes and 577 houses. Not only is the
project expected to provide significant public health and safety benefits by reducing the frequency, duration and depth of
flood water above Snoqualmie Falls, the Corps estimates the project will prevent damages of an estimated $837,000
per year on average that would otherwise have to be paid out for flood damage. The National Flood Insurance Program
has paid more claims in the City of Snoqualmie than in any other Washington city.
The ordinance will provide expenditure authority to the Water and Land Resources Division for the
project by the Corps. The request of $1,334,376 is necessary to meet local sponsorship obligations and includes
$390,395 of King County funds and $943,981 backed by outside revenues. Total cost of the project is estimated at roughly $7.3 million.
For more information on the project, please contact Rivers Section Senior Engineer Tom Bean, at
206-296-8377. Project information is also available for review on the Snoqualmie Flood Reduction Project Web site.
Updated: Feb. 10, 2004
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