By Reagan Dunn, Chair of the King County Flood Control District

As the Chair of the District, I am pleased to share the outcomes and the strategic steps we are taking to enhance flood mitigation, protecting life and property for our communities, and to advance ecosystem restoration throughout King County.

Addressing Key Flood Mitigation Objectives

These adjustments include technical corrections, changes in project scope or schedule, and new flood damage repairs based on recent facility inspections and assessments.

Financial Overview and Projections

Since 2012, King County has utilized “life-to-date” budgets, but the KCFCD continues to adopt annual budget increments, carrying over unspent funds from one year to the next. Our 2023 capital expenditure of $53 million, while lower than in previous years, aligns closely with our financial plan forecasts, giving us confidence in the accuracy of our financial projections.

Breakdown of 2023 Capital Expenditures

Our 2023 capital expenditures (see chart below) totaled $53 million, with the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) managing $24.1 million, or 45%, of these expenditures. This included smaller projects, as major construction activities are slated for the coming years. The remaining 55% of capital expenditures were managed by other agencies through agreements and grants.

Capital Carryover Details

We are carrying over $210.9 million from 2023, a 19% decrease from the previous year’s carryover of $259.6 million. This year’s carryover is allocated as follows:

• Grants and Agreements Managed by Other Agencies: $157.4 million (75%)
• WLRD-Managed Projects: $53.5 million (25%)

Highlights of WLRD-Managed Capital Construction Projects

Carryover for construction projects managed by WLRD total $26.7 million and is 13% of the capital carryover from 2023. Highlights include:

1. Tukwila 205 Gunter Floodwall Project: $6.8 million in carryover related to acquisition delays which have slowed the project schedule.
2. Black River Pump Station: $3.9 million in carryover based largely on construction schedule delays for high use engines.
3. Lower Jones Road Neighborhood Improvements: $2 million in carryover once again related to property acquisition delays.
4. Lower Frew Levee Setback Project: This $1.2 million in carryover is also related to property acquisition delays. There is some good news to share related to this project – WLRD staff was recently able to close the acquisition of the last remaining parcel. Therefore, the full footprint for the Lower Frew Levee Setback Project has been acquired, and this project is continuing forward.

Highlights of WLRD-Managed Acquisition and Elevation of At-Risk Structures

The carryover associated with KCFCD acquisition and elevation projects managed by WLRD total approximately $26.7 million (13% of the total carryover). Highlights include: 

• Pre-Construction Acquisitions on the Green River: $8.9 million in carryover funding is allocated to acquire potential multi-benefit properties along the Green River, as opportunities arise. There are landowner negotiations currently in progress for several properties, meaning some expenditures may occur in 2024 if negotiations are successful.
• Snoqualmie/South Fork Skykomish Residential Flood Mitigation: This $8.3 million in carryover is also related to property acquisition delays.

It’s important to acknowledge that the acquisition delays mentioned in many of the WLRD carryover items identified above are due, in large part, to the KCFCD’s policy direction to only pursue the purchase of property from willing sellers. This means the timing of many expenditures is determined by landowner willingness to enter negotiations. While the KCFCD has the authority to utilize eminent domain, this is a power the Board of Supervisors does not take lightly and will only consider exercising in rare instances when there are no other alternatives to explore as we seek to implement flood risk reduction projects to protect life and property.

Other Agency Agreements

We are also funding significant projects managed by other agencies. The carryover in this category is $90.8 million, accounting for 43% of the total. As with some of the projects managed by WLRD, some of the carryover here is caused by delays in acquiring property. Other carryover delays in this category are due to the development and approval of Interlocal Agreements (ILA) progressing slower than anticipated, and in some instances where ILAs have been approved, jurisdictions have expended their own funds and have yet to seek reimbursement from the KCFCD. Highlights include:

• City of Kent – Signature Pointe Revetment: $16.8 million
• City of Bellevue – Factoria Blvd Drainage: $6.8 million
• City of Renton – Levee Certification: $3.9 million

Grant Programs

Our grant carryover includes $66 million for various grant programs, which help local jurisdictions implement vital flood mitigation and habitat restoration measures. It should be noted, each year there is an expenditure lag due to the time required to appropriate funds in January, adopt recommended projects in the fall, execute agreements with grant recipients, implement work, and finally request reimbursement for eligible expenditures. Also of note, many jurisdictions choose to “bank” their Opportunity Fund grant allocation until it is sufficient to fund a project. For the 2023 Opportunity Fund allocation, $1.25 million was “banked” for future use, bringing the total carryover for this program to $15.2 million.

As mentioned earlier, in addition to approving the mid-year budget allocation on July 9^th, the Board of Supervisors also approved over $11.5 million in support of the Cooperative Watershed Management (CWM) grant program. You can read more about the significance of the CWM grant program in our May 23, 2024 blog, and next week’s blog post will highlight the 2024 CWM grant recipients.

Enhancing Transparency and Public Understanding

Looking ahead to our 2025 budget, which we will consider in November of this year, the KCFCD is planning several changes to our budget documents to increase transparency:

1. New Operating Budget Categories: In collaboration with WLRD, we are simplifying category names for better public understanding.
2. Comprehensive Budget Book: Currently, the Budget Book found on our Transparency webpage is just a list of the projects in the KCFCD’s 6-year Capital Improvement Program, which does not accurately tell the entire story of the KCFCD’s budget. Moving forward, the KCFCD’s 2025 Budget Book will be updated to provide a clear narrative of our work and the entire KCFCD budget.
3. Consistent Project Naming: An important aspect of updating the budget book will be ensure that the correct name of a project, as authorized by the Board when adopting a budget, stays with the project throughout the lifespan of the project. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, some project names have changed over the years. The 2025 budget book will be a “reset” to clearly establish project names, thus allowing the public to follow a specific project from concept, through implementation and maintenance, which we believe is critically important for transparency.

Commitment to Flood Mitigation, Community Safety and Ecosystem Restoration

The grant programs funded by the KCFCD also clearly demonstrate the Board’s support of ecosystem restoration and other multi-benefits which can be implemented in conjunction with the flood mitigation projects we fund.

As we move forward, the Board of Supervisors and agency staff remain dedicated to transparency, strategic planning, and effective management of our resources. Thank you for your continued support and engagement with the King County Flood Control District. Together, we are building a safer and more resilient future for all.