King County, the City of Snoqualmie and the U.S. Corps of Engineers this week celebrated the signing of a project agreement designed to reduce serious flooding hazards in the Snoqualmie community.
The Snoqualmie 205 Flood Reduction Project cooperative agreement was signed by King County Executive Ron Sims, Snoqualmie Mayor Fuzzy Fletcher, and Corps of Engineers Col. Ralph Graves in Snoqualmie.
"We could not have done this alone," said Sims. "This is how it is supposed to work -- federal, county and city governments devoted to the task of reducing flooding impacts to peoples' lives and property in the upper Snoqualmie Valley."
The project will involve riverbank excavation above Snoqualmie Falls, essentially reducing a bottleneck in the river channel. During high river flows, the bottleneck consistently contributes to water backing up and flooding hundreds of homes and businesses within and around the City of Snoqualmie. The project will also remove a partially-failed railroad bridge that is no longer usable but catches debris during floods. Construction on some portions of the project is scheduled to begin in 2003.
Not only is the project expected to provide significant public health and safety benefits by reducing the frequency, duration and depth of flood water, 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 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.
Cost of the flood control project is estimated at $3.83 million dollars, of which the Corps would contribute $2.22 million. King County would contribute $894,000, and the City of Snoqualmie $717,000.
For more information, please contact Rivers Section Senior Engineer Tom Bean, at 206-296-8377. Project information is also available for review on the King County Web site at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/flood/205/205.htm.
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King County Executive Ron Sims with (from right) Snoqualmie Mayor Fuzzy Fletcher, King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert, U.S. Corps of Engineers Col. Ralph Graves and King County Councilmember David Irons celebrate the signing of the Snoqualmie 205 Flood Reduction Project, a cooperative project agreement designed to reduce serious flooding hazards in the Snoqualmie community.
[Enlarged view]
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