How King County got people out of harm’s way and better protected homes and infrastructure years before the current flooding
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Applying a multi-benefit approach to floodplain restoration has reduced flood risks for people, homes, and infrastructure while also improving habitat for fish and wildlife.
The Department of Natural Resources and Parks has partnered with the independent King County Flood Control District to restore natural systems that absorb and slow the flow of rivers during floods in addition to offering home buyouts so residents in flood-prone areas can choose to relocate to safer ground, decreasing the need for emergency evacuations.
The flood-risk reduction strategy is in addition to King County’s emergency response that includes the Flood Patrol and the Flood Warning Center that have been operating nonstop since the rivers began rising December 8, 2025.
More information here
The flood-risk reduction strategy is in addition to King County’s emergency response that includes the Flood Patrol and the Flood Warning Center that have been operating nonstop since the rivers began rising December 8, 2025.
“A big reason our frontline responders have not had to perform more emergency evacuations is because we had already gotten a lot of families out of harm’s way years before the current storm hit our region,” said John Taylor, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks.
“By unifying our work to simultaneously reduce flood risks and improve habitat, our employees and partners have prevented flood damages and potentially saved lives.”
More information here
--King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
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2 comments:
I am proud of my county for taking these actions to not only improve the environment but to save lives and property.
This is self-serving happy talk. King County neglected its levee systems in the Kent Valley for years, so when the system was slightly stressed with a chain of a few atmospheric rivers, levees gave way and the governor had to call out the National Guard to monitor them. This was by no means a historic deluge.
Our government needs to do the nuts and bolts things first, but too often it chases shiny objects instead. That's why our roads are full of potholes, unsafe bridges have been shut down, our ferries can't run on time, and public disorder rules our streets. We have too many high ideals, and not enough rolled up sleeves.
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