Video

This webpage is to inform readers of video available of consequential Skagit County meetings discussing flood control.

Date	Title	Summary
Skagit County Government (Skagit 21) Meetings
October 2009
Oct. 20	Work Session with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding Flood Awareness Week	“Dan Berentson, Public Works Natural Resources Division Manager, was present to introduce Kathy Dejardin and Eric Winters from the Seattle District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who presented their current work plan to the Board. Sandbagging demonstrations and communication trials between the County, Dike Districts and local community are on their agenda. The annual high school sand bagging competition and Search and Rescue sandbag training is coming up soon. Mr. Winters stated that Skagit County has the third worst river on the west coast, and the best maintained levy’s in the State of Washington. Their job is to try to prevent and reduce damage to our infrastructure.”
May 2009
May 5	Plaque Presentation by FEMA - National Flood Insurance Program for Community Rating System	“Mr. Carey stated Skagit County has one of the highest ratings in the nation for avoiding property damage due to flooding. FEMA awards point credits towards classification ratings for activities in communities participating over and above standard practice. ... As of October 2008, the County achieved a ’4’ classification, which reduces flood insurance premiums in the 100-year floodplain by a total of 30%.”
January 2009
Jan. 20	Presentation by FEMA Regarding the Status of the FEMA Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives and Possible Effects of the National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion on the National Flood Insurance Program	“Mark Carey, Mitigation Division Director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Division 10, presented information regarding the requirement for FEMA to review actions they undertake to determine whether they may affect endangered species or their habitats. Mr. Carey also spoke about the Endangered Species Act and its relationship with the National Flood Insurance Program. “Mr. Carey went on to discuss the possible impacts to Skagit County from the biological opinion recently issued to FEMA by the National Marine Fisheries Service on the National Flood Insurance Program.”
August 2008
Aug. 19	Public Comment on Aug. 18 Presentation	During the public comment period Carol Ehlers of West Fidalgo Island, commented on the presentation on August 18, 2008, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the GI study. She observed the members and interest of the crowd, but also made other observations about county governance.
Aug. 18	Skagit River Flood Damage Reduction Study - Preliminary Measures Presentation	Corps of Engineers presentation of possible options to reduce the Skagit River Flood Risk. The PDF of the presentation is available HERE.
May 2008
May 19	Appointment of Flood Control Zone District Members and Dissolution of Skagit River Flood Control Committee	Skagit River Flood Control Committee replaced with Flood Control Zone District Steering Committee.
May 6	Signature - Resolution Relating to the Removal of the Temporary Emergency Training Levee Extension on Cockreham Island	Skagit County Commissioners plan to remove a training levee from the end of Cockreham Island. Cockreham Island citizens also make public comments.
April 2008
April 8	Public Comment Period	Carol Ehlers raises concerns about the Skagit County Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) including lack of membership from the utilities and refineries, use of acronyms with laymen in FCZD meetings and discussion of how to explain the Skagit River Flood Risk.
March 2008
March 11	Update - Skagit County Community Rating System (CRS) in the FEMA/National Flood Insurance Program	"Delores McLeod, Community Rating System Coordinator, said Skagit County has now received a National Flood Insurance Program, Community Rating System (CRS) Class "4" rating. She stated property owners will get an additional five percent discount on their flood insurance which will save the policy holders approximately $700,000 per year. "Ms. McLeod went on to say approximately 130 property owners whose property is deemed "high risk" by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, are in jeopardy of losing their CRS discount. Ms. McLeod said the Public Works Department is looking into the issues with the properties."
February 2008
Feb. 5	Discussion - Grant Agreement with Department of Ecology Regarding Phase 6 of the Skagit River Comprehensive Floodplain Hazard Management Plan	Skagit County Government discusses update to ongoing GI Study, commissioners attempt to explain that the GI study is "coming to a conclusion with authorization from the Corps to be able to go a after bigger pot of money, federal money, to actually get some projects accomplished."
Feb. 12	Discussion - Washington State Department of Transportation Staff Todd Carlson and Tom Stacey to Present the Interstate 5 Conway to Cook Master Plan	At 03:23:50 of the video at the link, Commissioners inquire of WSDOT employees about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) update potentially requiring a raising of I-5 and other impacts.
January 2008
Jan. 22	Discussion/Possible Action - Supplemental Agreement No. 2 with Northwest Hydraulic Consultants	nhc contracted to start providing technical support to an appeal to FEMA FIRMs.
Jan. 22	Discussion/Possible Action - Resolution and Interlocal Agreement with the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation	Agreement to initiate "first phase" of paleo study of The Dalles.
Jan. 22	Work Session - Flood Control Zone District Technical Committees	Update to the County Commissioners of the "formation of the technical committees" for the Skagit County Flood Control Zone District (FCZD).
November 2007
Nov. 6	Resolution Defining the Organization of the Countywide Flood Control Zone District	Skagit County Commissioners decide to activate the FCZD using a packet of information.
October 2007
Oct. 2	Proclamation - Flood Awareness Week - October 8-12, 2007, Including Activity Schedule	Skagit County Commissioners proclaim October 8-12, 2007 as Flood Awareness Week with the issuance of Resolution No. R20070486.
Oct. 8	Jeff Johnson of Northwest Hydrology Consultants (nhc) Review of FEMA’s Levee Failure Policies and Skagit Valley Flood Elevations	nhc gives a presentation explaining the FEMA FIRM policies.
Oct. 8	Resolution to Protect the Community’s Interests with Respect to Flood Risk Mapping by the Federal Emergency Management Agency	Skagit County Commissioners decide to intervene in FEMA FIRM process.
Oct. 9	Work Session - Flood Awareness Week Session with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers	19 minute briefing by Corps of Engineers staff
Oct. 11	Skagit River Feasibility Study Executive Committee Meeting	Representatives of the Corps of Engineers Seattle District, the Congressional delegation's staff, county government and local governments meet regarding the GI study.
Oct. 16	Resolution Defining the Skagit County Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) Organization	Skagit County Commissioners debate a draft of a resolution to activate the Skagit County Flood Control Zone District and accept testimony.
Oct. 22	Resolution Authorizing Expedited Review of Hamilton Urban Growth Area Proposal	"Establishing an urban growth area outside of the floodway is the essential next step in advancing the broader Hamilton relocation effort. It will enable the Hamilton Public Development Authority to assist in the relocation of Town residents harmed by flood waters, and will allow the Town to fully implement its codes that prohibit redevelopment of flood-damaged properties."
Oct. 29	Public Meeting - Skagit County Community Update Regarding FEMA Flood Mapping	Skagit County Government's contracted legal counsel Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates & Ellis leads a public discussion regarding Skagit County Government's appeal of FEMA's proposed new Flood Insurance Rate Map.
September 2007
Sept. 18	Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. 03578 With the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - Skagit River Flood Reduction Feasibility Study	Skagit County Commissioners approve increase in Corps of Engineers GI study.
August 2007
Aug. 13	Mark Mastin of USGS Presentation	USGS presents their report of a slight reduction of five peak historical floods to the Skagit County Commissioners. City of Burlington, among others, responds with a statement.
Aug. 28	Work Session - Restrictions on Development on Cockreham Island and Other Areas in the ‘Floodway’	Skagit County Public Works explains to the public through Skagit 21 the policy implications and consequences of the floodway designation on building owners.
July 2007
July 24	Discussion - Strategy and Options for Flood Control Planning	Public Works brings forward to the Skagit County Commissioners a draft proposal of the Skagit County Flood Control Zone District (FCZD). A Corps of Engineers project manager says the Corps should support the funding attached to the FCZD to help fund the completion of the Corps' GI study.
June 2007
June 26	Larry Kunzler Presentation to Skagit County Commissioners, Re: Plan B	Video and documentation of alternative Plan B for managing and financing flood control efforts in Skagit County.

Date	Title	Summary
Other Videos
2009
Dec. 16	KING 5 News Report on Skagit River FIRMs	“Dec. 16, 2009 clip of SkagitRiverHistory.com publisher Larry Kunzler & City of Burlington Public Works Director Chal Martin on KING 5, re: Skagit River Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) from federal bureaucracy.”
Dec. 9	TV10: Clips of Financing Downtown Mount Vernon Floodwall	Dike District 3 makes controversial offer of $1 million to help pay for the Mt. Vernon floodwall, and the City Council approves financial measures to pay for the structure.
Nov. 10	TV10: Clips on Downtown Revetment CLOMR Response by Mount Vernon, Washington City Council	Discussion of updates to the Conditional Letter Of Map Revision (CLOMR) for the downtown Mt. Vernon floodwall, receipt of a Washington State Public Works Board grant to help pay for the project as well as additional funding to respond to the CLOMR.
Oct. 28	TV10: Mt. Vernon City Council Discussion of FEMA Request for More Info on CLOMR	On Oct. 8, 2009 the hydrologic consultant to the City of Mount Vernon was requested by FEMA to provide "additional data needed to process this CLOMR". Councilman Dale Ragan inquired as to the situation.
July 15	TV10: Discussion of FEMA Denial of CLOMR for Downtown Floodwall	91 minutes of discussion by Mount Vernon City Government, Pacific International Engineering & concerned citizens about the recent denial by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the request to issue a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) for the downtown revetment. The denial letter is posted online as is the rebuttal to FEMA letter is online and the presentation in PDF.
Feb. 12	TV10: R equest for CLOMR for Downtown Floodwall	In the name of providing "a level of flood protection up to and potentially beyond a 100-year flood event - that last goal is a result of the threat flooding poses to investment in the downtown area which greatly limits the ability of mortgage financing and requiring expensive flood insurance to mitigate risk and the increased costs of construction to comply with floodplain management regulations", the City Government of Mount Vernon (Washington) requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) for its downtown floodwall. This CLOMR for the floodwall was recently rejected by FEMA - mostly due to concerns of impacts to other jurisdictions.
2008
April 23	TV10: Update on the Flood Insurance Study	City of Mount Vernon TV10 video hosted on Vimeo of April 23, 2008 Presentation by City of Burlington Public Works Director Chal Martin after being introduced by City Government of Mount Vernon Community and Economic Development Department Director Jana Hanson using historical data to debate the hydrology used by the Federal Government to assess the Skagit River Flood Risk. The slides are available in PDF HERE. Finally, comments and observations were made towards the end of the presentation by Mt. Vernon Mayor Bud Norris, John Schultz - attorney for Dike Districts 1 & 12, and also Dike District 17 Commissioner Daryl Hamburg.
2007
May 24	May 24, 2007 Town Hall Meeting - FEMA Flood Mapping: How Will It Affect You?	City of Mount Vernon TV10 video of May 24, 2007 town hall meeting convened by the Mount Vernon and Burlington Chambers of Commerce regarding FEMA flood mapping for flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) that set the rate for flood insurance. Employees from the City of Burlington, City of Mount Vernon, their independent chambers of commerce, and FEMA as well as county commissioner candidate Don Gordon, Jeff Hansell of Hansell-Mitzel Homes and Bob Rauch all spoke at the meeting before a question & answer session at 66:20. Video, quality titles and credit are by TV10. The first minute stutters, but that's okay.
Sept. 5	September 5, 2007 Burlington-Mount Vernon Joint City Council Meeting	Briefing by City Engineer of Burlington Chal Martin on Skagit River hydrology issues, followed by discussion and action to join the Skagit Flood Advisory Conference Team (Skagit FACT). Also a request for the federal government to submit the municipal-generated data from expeditions to The Smith House and work by Pacific International Engineering (PIE, PI Engineering). As to documents, the Impacts of an Incorrect Hydrologic Analysis for the Skagit River presentation is available, as is the Joint Resolution of the Cities of Burlington and Mount Vernon to use PIE hydrology for FEMA base flood elevation maps plus a Joint Mount Vernon-Burlington letter to US Rep. Rick Larsen, Re: Support for alternative hydrology. Finally, official Mount Vernon minutes are available.
Oct. 23	TV10: Community Hydrology and Base Flood Maps	City of Mount Vernon TV10 video of an October 23, 2007 Mount Vernon town hall meeting on the proposed revised FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).