2015-17 Coordinated Investment for Floodplains
Budget Proposal
In 2013 Department of Ecology was successful in securing funding through
the Floodplain by Design effort. This resulted in an allocation of 33 million
dollars to advance integrated floodplain projects in Puget Sound and an
additional 11 million dollar competitive statewide Floodplain Management and
Control Competitive Grant Program.
Department of Ecology is now soliciting projects in order to craft a budget
proposal for the 2015-17 biennium. The goal of the program is twofold:

Significantly accelerate the reduction of flood risks and the
acceleration of floodplain ecosystem recovery while maintaining or
improving viable agricultural production, water quality, and open space
and recreational opportunities.

Improve the coordination and leveraging of state, federal and local
programs and funding directed towards floodplain efforts.
Department of Ecology recognizes that reducing flood risks and accelerating
floodplain ecosystem recovery will require increasing the support for local
efforts to build upon and further expand current actions that integrate
various floodplain interests. This program seeks to foster a broad multiobjective approach to floodplain management, combining efforts that have
previously been approached through single-issue programs focused on
reducing flood hazards, restoring floodplain habitat, or investing in other
floodplain activities. The capital budget proposal is envisioned to provide local
efforts the flexible funding necessary to fill in gaps left by single-purpose
grant sources and enable higher impact, locally driven approaches to
complex floodplain management issues.
Thus, Ecology is seeking projects that either enable project proponents and
their partners to envision and develop suites of actions that achieve greater
and more diverse local results or take on more impactful projects than may
have been feasible in the past. The most competitive submissions will be
those that most significantly advance flood risk reduction and ecosystem
protections and improvements while addressing other floodplain objectives,
as needed, within the river reach. Sometimes this can be accomplished in a
single project footprint – such as through a levee setback project that
improves flood storage/conveyance, restores habitat, creates recreational
access and improves water quality. However, integrated management may
also entail a reach-scale approach that involves implementing multiple
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actions that together achieve broader floodplain management goals. Project
sponsors are encouraged to pioneer new approaches to overcoming
longstanding barriers to establishing an integrated floodplain management
program that protects the lands and waters of the State, while enhancing the
long-term viability and resiliency of our natural resources and communities.
Eligible projects
Projects must reduce flood risks and protect or restore floodplain ecosystem
functions. Addressing other floodplain management objectives within the
river reach of the project is encouraged.
This program encourages innovative actions that lead to high impact results.
It is intended to be flexible in terms of both the phases and types of activities
that are eligible provided a strong case is made that they will lead to or
directly result in substantial on-the-ground results. Eligible project types
include:



Pre-Construction (e.g. Feasibility, Design)
Acquisition
Construction
Who can apply?
Counties, cities, federally recognized Indian tribes, special purpose districts
(i.e, port districts, flood control zone districts, flood control districts, and
diking and drainage districts), salmon recovery lead entities, regional
fisheries enhancement groups, conservation districts, and nonprofit
organizations.
Eligible Projects
Program priorities steer funding toward projects
Match requirements
Match required: 20% non-state dollars
Project funding caps
Our objective is to determine what is necessary in terms of additional
funding. No grant caps are set forth at this point in time.
Funding solicited
The funding package put forward to the governor and legislature will depend
in part on the demand and the quality of projects submitted. It is likely the
request will not be less than 50 million statewide for the 2015-2017
biennium. The final list of projects that receive funding will be determined by
the outcome of the 2015-17 legislative budget process.
Project Ranking Criteria:
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1. Project scope of work and budget: Projects are evaluated based on
significance of problem and effectiveness of proposal in advancing
multiple benefits, such as flood risk reduction, salmon recovery, water
quality improvements, habitat restoration, agricultural viability and
channel migration zone protection. (180 points)
a. Flood hazard/risk reduction element. (60 points) Reducing the
magnitude or frequency of flood damages to people, structures or
infrastructure. Projects will be evaluated on the significance of the
flood hazard, and the ability of the solution to address the hazard.
b. Floodplain ecosystem protection or restoration element. (60
points) Projects will be evaluated on both the significance of the
ecological benefit and the ability of the solution to address the overall
need in the project area or watershed. Examples include but are not
limited to reconnecting floodplains, salmon recovery actions, habitat
restoration, Channel Migration Zone protections, etc.
c. Other benefits. Projects that maintain or improve agricultural
viability, water quality, public open space/recreation access,
economic development, or other important local benefits or values.
Projects receive points based on the importance of the result
produced, the ability of the solution to address the overall
stakeholder need and the long-term improvement. (40 points)
◦ Agricultural viability (e.g. through reductions in flooding,
protection from development, improvement of drainage
infrastructure, etc.).
◦ Water quality improvement (e.g. through stormwater
infrastructure upgrades, treatment of a TMDL or 303d issue,
reduction in sediment, best management practices, etc.).
◦ Public access and recreation (e.g. through land acquisition, the
development of trails or other recreational infrastructure, etc.)
◦ Economic health (e.g. through improved economic vitality,
regulatory certainty, etc.).
◦ Other floodplain values or services of local importance.
d. Cost-effectiveness (20 points)
◦ Budget is appropriate to the project scope, designed for project
success.
◦ Clear plan for how the project will be continued or maintained
after the grant has been completed.
2. Long-term cost avoidance: (30 points)
a. Projects that minimize or eliminate future costs for maintenance,
operation, or emergency response. (15 points)
b. Projects that account for expected future changes to hydrology,
sediment regimes, or water supply resulting from other floodplain
management efforts, land use changes, extreme weather events, or
other causes. (15 points)
3. Planning basis for project: (25 points)
a. Projects are consistent with the intent of existing plans or are
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specifically identified through existing plans or work programs.
b. Stakeholders and decision-makers representing floodplain interests
located within the river reach or affected by the project have
provided letters of support explicitly endorsing the project and its
outcomes for their interests.
Note: Elements of the project may have been developed through more
than one planning process. Please identify the planning process used for
each major element if they are not from a common plan.
4. Readiness to proceed and complete the project: Projects are ready
to proceed with the scope of work, and sponsors have the capacity to
complete the project successfully and maintain it over time. (25 points)
a. Project schedule
b. Capacity of the sponsor organization(s)
5. Additional considerations: Additional points may be awarded for
the following.
a. Projects that could serve as pilot efforts or result in changes or
results with broader impacts to the state. (10 points)
b. Leverage existing investments. Projects that leverage other
programs and investments (i.e., SRFB, FCZDs, Dike Districts,
Volunteer Stewardship Program, TMDLs, WWRP, ESRP, NEP, etc.).
(10 points)
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