Summary

King County is updating its management strategy for the Sammamish River corridor, including reducing flooding and improving conditions for fish and wildlife. Share ideas with the county through an online community survey open through July 31.

Story

King County, as service provider to the King County Flood Control District, wants to hear from people who live, work, or play along the Sammamish River as the county develops a new long-term strategy for reducing flood risks and protecting fish and wildlife along the river corridor.

An online survey is available through July 31 and offers an opportunity for people to share their experiences, priorities, and concerns about the Sammamish River corridor with King County as it develops a Sammamish River Capital Investment Strategy – a multi-year effort to bring river management practices up to date with current regulations.

The river is a federal flood project completed in 1964 to reduce springtime flooding of farmland that covered most of the Sammamish River valley. King County is responsible for the maintenance of the project.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rules for how King County should take care of the river and riverbanks – some of them dating back nearly 60 years – are no longer practical because they impact water quality and damage habitat for federally protected Chinook salmon.

The Sammamish River Capital Investment Strategy will result in an updated and more resilient approach to protecting water quality and habitat along the river. This approach is an example of the District’s ongoing commitment to integrated floodplain management and how the county is achieving multiple positive outcomes through its Clean Water Healthy Habitat Initiative.

King County is working with cities, tribes, and other partners and community members to examine existing conditions and identify planned and completed nearby projects that affect the Sammamish River, which flows from Lake Sammamish through the cities of Redmond, Woodinville, and Bothell before entering the northern end of Lake Washington at Kenmore. The county will also identify new projects addressing flood, habitat, agricultural and recreational needs, prioritizing them for future funding, and will work with the Corps of Engineers to update the operations and maintenance manual that guides how to care for the river and riverbanks.

King County expects to send a draft strategy to the King County Flood Control District for action in 2024.

Relevant links

• Take the Sammamish River CIS survey
• Sign up for the Sammamish River CIS Online Open House
• Sammamish River Capital Investment Strategy
• STORYMAP: Sammamish River History
• Clean Water Healthy Habitat
• King County Flood Control District

For more information, contact:

Saffa Bardaro, Water and Land Resources Division, 206-477-4610