Page 12 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - April 2023

CHEHALIS TRIBAL NEWSLETTER

The Confederated Tribes NEWSLETTER STAFF
of the Chehalis Reservation, Frazier Myer, Audra J. Hill and the
‘People of the Sands’ Information Technology Team

Articles and opinions expressed TRIBAL CENTER
are not necessarily those of this
publication or the Chehalis Tribal Main line: 360-273-5911
Business Committee. Address: 420 Howanut Road

SUBMISSIONS Oakville, WA 98568
Tribal members are encouraged Office: 360-709-1726 BUSINESS COMMITTEE chehalistribe.org
to submit birthday and anniversary Fax: 360-273-5914 © copyright 2023
wishes, letters, articles, photos Chairman: Dustin Klatush
and drawings to be considered VISION STATEMENT Vice Chairman: The Chehalis Tribal
for publication in the newsletter To be a thriving, Leroy Boyd Newsletter is a
(materials are subject to editing). self-sufficient, sovereign Treasurer: Sheilah Bray publication of the
Contributing writers, artists and people, honoring our past Secretary: Charlotte Lopez Confederated Tribes
photographers include Chehalis and serving current and Fifth Council Member: of the Chehalis
tribal community members/staff. future generations. Rachelle Wells-Ferguson Reservation

12
River flood plan aims to reduce damages

LAND committee
works on alternatives
to proposed Chehalis
River dam

Contributed by Glen Connelly,
Natural Resources Director

Many of you have probably
heard that there are people in
Lewis County who are promoting
a dam to try to control flooding on
the upper Chehalis River.
However, the
Local Actions
Non-Dam
Committee
(LAND)
is evaluating
options to the
proposed flood
retention dam
and working to
come up with a large-scale plan to Strategies are being explored to ease drastic flooding in areas
limit damages created by flooding. such as Howanut Road along the Chehalis River.
The committee is made up GET IN TOUCH
of those who represent interests a bunch of small projects that handle temporary flooding
in Lewis County, environmental will help people, businesses and or modifying agricultural
protection professionals and people wildlife survive flooding. fields to stay flooded longer to
who represent tribal interests. I am The final plan is likely to keep water from flowing into Members of the Chehalis tribal
one of the co-chairs. feature projects such as raising neighborhoods. community can check out the
We have hired a consulting hundreds of homes, buying out LAND is engaging with city Chehalis Basin Strategy’s website
team lead by MIG to help us structures that are in dangerous and county planners, residents, at www.chehalisbasinland.com
design the plan. MIG and its areas, building small levees or businesses, experts from state to learn more about the LAND
team are creating maps to show routing flood waters around agencies and local and tribal Committee’s efforts to help people
where flood damages occur, then pinch points and purchasing governments to find sustainable in the upper Chehalis Basin. For
gathering input from people in nearby land to give floodwaters ways to limit damages from more information, contact Glenn
affected communities to produce room to spread out. flooding that won’t cause major Connelly at 360-273-5911 or
alternatives. Other projects might include environmental or cultural cdnr@chehalistribe.org.
The goal is to come up with flood proofing structures to impacts.