November 7, 2003 News Release Residents, property owners in flood-prone areas benefit as King County readies for winter's rising waters A number of things may explain why record-setting rainfall on October 20 did not cause major problems in King County floodplains the way similar massive storms did in 1990 and 1995. Natural hydrologic conditions certainly helped, but the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks is also certain its flood hazard reduction and surface water management efforts have contributed to much safer conditions for people and property in King County floodplains. King County's Flood Hazard Reduction and Capital Improvement programs are continually engaged in projects to reduce flood hazards and maintain levees, buying out or elevating chronically flooded homes, and updating floodplain maps to identify hazardous areas. Those efforts have helped King County earn the highest Community Rating System rating of any county in the United States, and that means reduced flood insurance premiums for King County residents. King County is recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its outstanding floodplain management program with a Class 4 Community Rating System rating. The rating means flood hazard insurance policy holders in unincorporated King County save 30 percent on annual premium costs, averaging more than $125 per policy per year. This translates into an annual savings of approximately $180,000 for King County property owners. King County's Flood Hazard Reduction program maintains more than 500 flood protection facilities, which help protect citizens and property owners from major river flooding. County staff work year round to inspect, repair and monitor these facilities, which reduce flood damages and protect public safety along King County's major rivers. The major river systems in King County are the South Fork Skykomish, Snoqualmie, Sammamish, Cedar, Green and White. Since 1990, the county has repaired or upgraded 180 flood protection facilities at a cost of roughly $17 million. More than $10 million of that total was leveraged from federal, state and other grant funding. In the last three years alone, the Flood Hazard Reduction Section has finalized four major levee repair projects costing more than $1.3 million on the lower Green River within the Green River Flood Control Zone District. These four bank stabilization projects were completed to repair and significantly enhance the structurally stability of the Desimone, Pipeline, Segale and Narita levees as a result damages sustained during flood events in 1995 and 1996, while at the same time providing floodplain habitat restoration. Also protecting people and property was King County's nationally-recognized Flood Warning Center which, when rivers rise to certain levels, alerts citizens, other public agencies, and businesses on a seven-day, 24-hour basis with information on flooding, road closures and other flood-related data such as weather forecasts and dam operations. The county has also successfully leveraged federal and state disaster funds to acquire 34 chronically-flooded homes since 1990; 31 of those since 1995. All flood buy-out homes are demolished and removed from the floodplain, thereby providing improved flood storage and conveyance, as well as riparian corridor open space. What's more, since 2000 the county has helped local residents elevate 11 homes over FEMA's 100-year floodplain elevation standard. The Water and Land Division's Capital Improvement Program is also engaged in dozens of projects that protect people and property from flooding. For example: During October's rainstorm, the King County Parks and Water and Land divisions worked with Roads Division Maintenance staff to prevent flooding of roads and a school near Hicks Lake in White Center's Lakewood Park. New pumps were installed at the lake to deal with run-off from this urban drainage basin. A Renton community threatened by severe erosion in the Madsen Creek area was provided protection, in part, by one of the biggest installments of large woody debris in King County's history. The work, completed in the last two years, is helping to prevent landslides and erosion by stabilizing slopes and controlling fast-moving stream flows. And two years ago, more than a dozen homes and 800 acres of farmland were protected from floodwaters in Enumclaw when an old failing drainage pipe was replaced using high-tech pipe-bursting technology. The $400,000 project to replace the ready-to-collapse pipe accomplished a key element in flood protection efforts. During the October 20 downpour, the county's Drainage Complaint Line fielded only 10 calls that required investigation by Surface Water Services staff. About 25 more came in the days after as a result of the rain. By contrast, King County investigated several hundred complaints in the January 1990 storm event. King County provides storm and surface water services and water quality management services in both the urban and rural areas of King County. The Water and Land Resources Division's Stormwater Services Section conducts inspection, maintenance, repairs and retrofits to flow control ponds, vaults and pipes during the summer to prepare for the rainy season. Services include updating the County's design standards for stormwater facilities, inspection and maintenance of public stormwater facilities, inspection of private stormwater facilities, enforcement of the County's drainage and water quality codes, and investigation of drainage, flooding, erosion and water quality problems reported by citizens. Improvements to the county's Stormwater Services have resulted in bigger and better facilities being more closely monitored and maintained. Improvements have included more timely response and resolution to flooding, erosion, and drainage issues. The county's improved Surface Water Design Manual, which sets the standards for design of stormwater facilities required on new developments, is now the template for dozens of jurisdictions across Western Washington and is a nationally recognized model. Related Information News Releases

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