What is the Draft Flood Plan?
For the past three years, Pierce County Public Works and Utilities Surface Water Management Division has worked with the public, stakeholders and experts to develop the Draft Flood Plan. The Draft Flood Plan details Pierce County's proposed approach to managing flooding and channel migration hazards on major rivers, large tributaries and associated floodplains over the next 20 years (2012-2032).

Why did Pierce County develop the Draft Flood Plan?
In 1992, Pierce County adopted the Puyallup River Comprehensive Flood Control Management Plan for the Puyallup, Carbon and White rivers. The Draft Flood Plan is proposed to replace the 1992 plan and expand its scope to include the Nisqually, Greenwater and Mashel rivers and South Prairie Creek.

Between 1991 and 2010, estimated damages from flooding and channel migration in Pierce County exceeded $155 million. Since 1991, population, property values, advances in science and engineering, and understanding of river processes have grown significantly. A new, more comprehensive approach is needed to address changes to federal regulations and concerns about climate change.

What rivers will be included in the plan?
The Draft Flood Plan will focus on the main stems of major rivers in Pierce County, including:

• Puyallup River from Commencement Bay (River Mile 0.0) to Champion Bridge (River Mile 28.9)
• White River from its confluence with the Puyallup River to the King County boundary (River Mile 5.5) and also near Greenwater
• Carbon River from the Puyallup River to Alward Road (River Mile 8.4)
• Nisqually River near McKenna (River Mile 21.3-26.0) and Ashford (River Mile 50.5-65.8)
• Lower reaches of other large rivers and streams with historical peak stream flows over 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs): Greenwater River, Mashel River, and South Prairie Creek

The planning area includes unincorporated Pierce County, as well as parts of the cities of Tacoma, Fife, Pacific, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting, and towns of South Prairie and Eatonville.