By Steven Schauer, Deputy Executive Director

At the King County Flood Control District (Flood Control District), our mission is to implement flood risk reduction policies and projects to protect life and property while advancing various benefits including equity and social justice, sustainable livelihoods, habitat protection, salmon recovery, agriculture, recreation, and resilient communities. The foundation of this important work is a dedicated nine-member Board of Supervisors, each representing a King County Council District. To give you a closer look at their leadership, insights, and priorities, we’re publishing a special three-part blog series, of which, this is part 3 of 3.

In this series, each Supervisor will share their thoughts on the Flood Control District’s efforts, highlighting key projects and programs of interest to their leadership priorities and respective communities. In this third, and final, installment, we hear from Supervisors Pete von Reichbauer (District 7), Teresa Mosqueda (District 8), and Reagan Dunn (Chair & District 9). Together, these leaders represent diverse areas across the western, southern, and southeastern parts of King County, including urban, suburban, and rural communities. Their comments reflect the importance of equitable investments in flood risk reduction, environmental stewardship, and innovative approaches to addressing localized and large-scale flooding challenges.

If you missed the first installment in this series, it is available here, and the second installment is available here. We hope this series provides valuable insight into the collaborative leadership driving our work to build resilient and sustainable communities across King County.

District 7

I take great pride in local community service and community engagement. In my capacity as a Supervisor for the King County Flood Control District (Flood Control District), and as a member of the Flood Control District’s Executive Committee, I am committed to fiscal transparency and responsible investments in flood risk reduction projects that protect communities and strengthen our region’s resilience. Our residents deserve effective, well-managed flood protection initiatives that safeguard lives, businesses, and infrastructure while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely and efficiently.

I fully support the Flood Reduction Grants and Subregional Opportunity Fund Grants, which allow local jurisdictions to implement urban stormwater and flood risk reduction projects tailored to their communities’ unique flooding needs. Additionally, I recognize the importance of Cooperative Watershed Grants, which play a vital role in restoring ecosystems and salmon habitat—a key component of our region’s environmental and economic health.

One of my top priorities is enhancing flood protection along the White River, where frequent flooding threatens homes, businesses, and transportation corridors. To address immediate risks, I strongly support ongoing funding for the A Street HESCO Barriers Project near Auburn and Pacific. These wire-and-fabric baskets filled with sand provide near-term flood risk reduction, helping to protect residents and businesses from seasonal flooding.

Looking ahead, I am committed to supporting the Pacific Right Bank Flood Protection Project, a long-term solution to improve flood safety in the City of Pacific. The upcoming Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), expected in 2025, will help determine the best path forward by evaluating five project alternatives. This project is critical to reducing flood hazards while balancing environmental and community needs.

I will continue to champion smart, transparent investments in flood management infrastructure to ensure King County remains safe, prepared, and resilient in the face of increasing flood risks.

District 8

As a member of the King County Flood Control District (Flood Control District) Board of Supervisors, I am committed to advancing equity and environmental justice in flood risk reduction efforts. Many communities across King County—particularly historically underserved and underinvested areas with high populations of BIPOC and low-income residents—face disproportionate impacts from flooding and climate change. It is critical that our flood management strategies prioritize these communities, ensuring they receive the support and resources needed to stay safe and resilient.

I strongly support the Flood Reduction Grants and Subregional Opportunity Fund Grants, which help local jurisdictions address urban stormwater challenges and flood risks. I also champion the Cooperative Watershed Grants, which fund essential ecosystem and salmon habitat restoration efforts—vital for both flood resilience and environmental stewardship. By investing in these programs, we can strengthen infrastructure while also protecting the natural resources that sustain our region.

A key focus of my work with the Flood Control District has been supporting the South Park neighborhood, one of the most flood-vulnerable areas in the county along the Duwamish River. In the Flood Control District’s 2025 budget, I have helped secure funding and policy direction to expand flood prevention services for this community, including: distributing the Be Flood Ready brochure in both English and Spanish, issuing a 2025-26 King Tide notification, ensuring access to sandbag materials, including the Duwamish River in the Flood Warning App, and expanding the home elevation program to the unincorporated area of the South Park neighborhood. Additionally, I’m proud to support more than $1.3 million in additional funding for a South Park flood prevention project being implemented in collaboration with the City of Seattle.

Flood protection is a matter of environmental and social justice. I remain committed to ensuring every community, regardless of income or zip code, receives the flood protection they deserve.

District 9

As Chair of the King County Flood Control District (Flood Control District), I recognize the need to take a regional approach to flood management that supports all jurisdictions across King County. While our primary work focuses on rivers and floodplains, flooding can occur in unexpected places.  As such, I am dedicated to protecting our entire region through a diverse set of strategies that reduce flood risk for the residents of King County, safeguarding our communities’ homes, businesses, infrastructure, and livelihoods.

Our mission is to implement flood risk reduction policies and projects that protect life and property while advancing benefits to local communities, habitat and salmon recovery, recreation, and agriculture. We achieve this through a comprehensive policy approach to floodplain management, which prioritizes improving aging and inadequate flood protection infrastructure while integrating multi-benefit flood risk reduction solutions. These efforts focus on King County’s six major river systems—the South Fork Skykomish, Snoqualmie, Sammamish, Cedar, Green, and White Rivers—and their tributaries, including the Tolt, Raging, Miller, and Greenwater Rivers. Through our various grant programs, we also support flood risk reduction, stormwater management, and ecosystem and salmon habitat restoration throughout the county, including in urban and rural areas not directly on a major river system.

I am also proud of the Flood Control District’s commitment to innovation and excellence, with our projects and programs receiving state, national, and international recognition last year. This acknowledgment underscores our efforts to implement effective, science-based flood risk reduction strategies, steward our river systems responsibly, and foster strength across the region.

As the need for flood response intensifies, the Flood Control District remains steadfast in our mission to protect life and property while ensuring healthy habitats, strong communities, and a thriving economy throughout King County.

Follow the Flood Control District’s Blog and Social Media Channels for More Information

The Flood Control District Board of Supervisors plays a pivotal role in shaping our efforts to address flooding and enhance community resilience. As you’ve seen in this final installment, Supervisors von Reichbauer and Mosqueda and Chair Dunn bring unique perspectives and priorities to the table, ensuring that the needs of their constituents are represented in our work.

Over the past three months we’ve shared insights from Supervisors representing all nine Districts across the county. Together, these leaders represent communities with their own distinct challenges and opportunities. Each Supervisor’s voice is critical in ensuring that we deliver balanced, effective solutions that benefit all corners of King County.

We are committed to building a future to withstand flood risks where thriving King County communities and healthy ecosystems coexist in harmony with area rivers. For regular updates on Flood Control District projects and programs, be sure to check out the Flood Control District’s website each Thursday for a new blog post and follow us on social media. We post every business day on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Bluesky – our handle for all three social media platforms is @KCFloodDistrict.