The following is a release from the Washington state House of Representatives:

The Washington state House of Representatives released its proposed capital construction budget March 23, including $43 million for multi-benefit floodplain management projects through the Floodplains by Design initiative.

A coalition of advocates, from counties and cities to businesses and The Nature Conservancy are seeking $50 million in state capital budget dollars for the innovative Floodplains by Design program administered by the Department of Ecology.

The Boise Creek project would not be funded unless the Senate increased the appropriation to the full $50 million request.

Full funding would allow King County to to improve drainage of agricultural lands, improve salmon habitat and increase capacity of the creek through berm removal, bridge reconstruction, channel restoration and streamside planting.

Boise Creek was one of the top ranked projects this year, selected for the multiple benefits it will deliver including flood risk reduction, fish habitat restoration and other community priorities. Floodplains by Design champions a collaborative approach to meeting multiple objectives with limited public dollars.

“I am disappointed that the House did not recognize the tremendous benefits and long-term cost savings that Floodplains by Design and Boise Creek represent to King County,” said Mark Isaacson of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. “I hope that the Senate supports funding for the flood risk reduction and habitat benefits that Floodplains by Design provides.”

“As our climate changes and catastrophic flood events increase in both intensity and frequency, it is critical for Washington to take common sense steps that protect both communities and wildlife,” said Mike Stevens, Washington State Director of The Nature Conservancy. “That’s why the Conservancy, Department of Ecology and the Puget Sound Partnership developed Floodplains by Design — to support holistic, cost-effective approaches to floodplain management.”

What is Floodplains by Design?

Floodplains by Design is an ambitious public-private partnership working to reduce flood risks and restore habitat, while also supporting other floodplain priorities such as clean water, agriculture and recreation, along Washington’s major river corridors. Because Floodplains by Design projects are built collaboratively from the ground up and serve diverse interests, they enjoy broad support and deliver multiple benefits. For more information visit www.floodplainsbydesign.org.

Washington floodplains contain billions of dollars in property and infrastructure, and are home to Washington’s richest farmland and signature salmon runs. Flooding is becoming more frequent, severe and costly to Washington’s communities and businesses.