570
including a record-breaking flood in 2007. The impacts of such floods have damaged infrastructure, food production, and the ability to provide food, water, sanitation, and energy. Floods are one concern, but the basin also suffers from drought and
degraded habitat for aquatic species, notably salmon. This, in turn, affects Native
tribes reliant on fish for food and culture.
After the 2007 flood, then-Governor Christine Gregoire allocated state funding
to create a local “Chehalis Basin Flood Authority” to find local solutions to the
impacts caused by the catastrophic flooding. This authority included elected officials, representatives from state and federal government, NGOs, Tribes, citizens,
and the interested public. Parties understood that doing nothing was not an option.
Because river boundaries cross political boundaries, however, collaborative work at
a local level was critical to break the Basin’s nearly century-long cycle of flood,
study, blame, and repeat.
Challenges with such a diverse group of parties included funding issues, distrust
between various stakeholders, and strong emotional ties to the basin. Facilitated
flood policy workshops allowed people to voice their concerns and interests so others could understand their perspectives. Meeting locations were rotated within the
Basin and tours provided people a chance to talk with each. Over time, finding common ground on various management options eased tension between community
members and elected officials. A small but diverse work group eventually developed
a plan to reduce flood damage and restore aquatic species simultaneously (Governor’s
Chehalis Basin Work Group 2014).
The more informal work group prepared recommendations for the state
Legislature, resulting in the Governor officially convening the Chehalis Basin Work
Group to work on large-scale capital projects, land use management, and effective
flood warning systems. The Work Group included six Basin representatives, elected
officials, citizens, and tribal leaders (Chehalis Basin Strategy 2016). State agencies
collaborated with the Work Group members to seek stakeholder input and design a
comprehensive environmental strategy for the basin. Including all relevant stakeholders was vital because potential solutions and funding options were not possible
without constructive dialogue (Washington Department of Ecology 2015).
Building relationships at workshops and initiating tough conversations allowed
participants to address issues one at a time through the help of various facilitators.
The combined efforts of the locally driven effort resulted in significant funding; the
2013–2015 biennium capital budget included $28.2 million dollars to implement
the Work Group’s recommendations (William D. Ruckelshaus Center 2015). Today,
work continues to implement proposed solutions for flood risk reduction and ecosystem restoration (Fig. 20.9).
20.3.4.2 Example #2: Louisiana Speaks
Work post-Hurricane Katrina offers another way stakeholder engagement can be
implemented. After Hurricane Katrina and the less discussed Hurricane Rita in
2005, Louisiana developed a hands-on approach to repair the battered coast and
help over a million displaced people. The “Louisiana Speaks” initiative aimed to
L. B. Fowler and R. T. Caccese
including a record-breaking flood in 2007. The impacts of such floods have damaged infrastructure, food production, and the ability to provide food, water, sanitation, and energy. Floods are one concern, but the basin also suffers from drought and
degraded habitat for aquatic species, notably salmon. This, in turn, affects Native
tribes reliant on fish for food and culture.
After the 2007 flood, then-Governor Christine Gregoire allocated state funding
to create a local “Chehalis Basin Flood Authority” to find local solutions to the
impacts caused by the catastrophic flooding. This authority included elected officials, representatives from state and federal government, NGOs, Tribes, citizens,
and the interested public. Parties understood that doing nothing was not an option.
Because river boundaries cross political boundaries, however, collaborative work at
a local level was critical to break the Basin’s nearly century-long cycle of flood,
study, blame, and repeat.
Challenges with such a diverse group of parties included funding issues, distrust
between various stakeholders, and strong emotional ties to the basin. Facilitated
flood policy workshops allowed people to voice their concerns and interests so others could understand their perspectives. Meeting locations were rotated within the
Basin and tours provided people a chance to talk with each. Over time, finding common ground on various management options eased tension between community
members and elected officials. A small but diverse work group eventually developed
a plan to reduce flood damage and restore aquatic species simultaneously (Governor’s
Chehalis Basin Work Group 2014).
The more informal work group prepared recommendations for the state
Legislature, resulting in the Governor officially convening the Chehalis Basin Work
Group to work on large-scale capital projects, land use management, and effective
flood warning systems. The Work Group included six Basin representatives, elected
officials, citizens, and tribal leaders (Chehalis Basin Strategy 2016). State agencies
collaborated with the Work Group members to seek stakeholder input and design a
comprehensive environmental strategy for the basin. Including all relevant stakeholders was vital because potential solutions and funding options were not possible
without constructive dialogue (Washington Department of Ecology 2015).
Building relationships at workshops and initiating tough conversations allowed
participants to address issues one at a time through the help of various facilitators.
The combined efforts of the locally driven effort resulted in significant funding; the
2013–2015 biennium capital budget included $28.2 million dollars to implement
the Work Group’s recommendations (William D. Ruckelshaus Center 2015). Today,
work continues to implement proposed solutions for flood risk reduction and ecosystem restoration (Fig. 20.9).
20.3.4.2 Example #2: Louisiana Speaks
Work post-Hurricane Katrina offers another way stakeholder engagement can be
implemented. After Hurricane Katrina and the less discussed Hurricane Rita in
2005, Louisiana developed a hands-on approach to repair the battered coast and
help over a million displaced people. The “Louisiana Speaks” initiative aimed to
L. B. Fowler and R. T. Caccese