Kittitas County Public Works and partners seek to develop an integrated vision / plan to reduce flood hazards and improve habitat along a three mile reach of the Yakima River near Ellensburg, Washington. The project reach extends from the Hansen Pits (a series of abandoned gravel pits) downstream to the mouth of the Yakima River Canyon. The goal is to identify flood reduction and habitat solutions that achieve landowner and community goals, are supported by a diverse group of stakeholders, and will be eligible to receive funding for implementation from multiple sources.

Role/Services: WSE was responsible for guiding the development of the plan and completion of the technical investigations required to identify flood hazards and the actions needed to reduce them. WSE worked with an environmental consultant who was responsible for identifying degraded habitat and actions to improve them. WSE and the environmental consultant worked with the County and Technical Advisory Group to screen the flood and habitat actions based upon a set of guiding principles. Based upon the outcome of this screening, a set of preferred actions was selected to form the corridor plan. WSE participated in multiple stakeholder meetings including briefings to the project Technical Advisory Group, meetings with individual landowners, and the public.

Outcome: The plan is complete and implementation has begun.

Yakima River Flood Hazard Reduction & Habitat Restoration Corridor Plan