By Tilda Chadwick Jones, TBFID Staff
The Tillamook Bay Flood Improvement District (TBFID) is working with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on the Kilchis River basin flood waters drainage. TNC is clearing brush pathways on their property for flood water conveyance after neighboring property owners reported increased flood waters in the area. The TNC bought and converted 127 acres of farm land to wetlands in the lower Kilchis River basin in recent years. TBFID, Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA), and neighboring property owners are working with TNC to assure flood waters in restored wetlands not infringe on neighboring properties. The TNC labor intensive drainage project is expected to be completed in 2024. TBFID continues to maintain and install levees and tidegates in the Kilchis River basin to mitigate winter floods.
TNC agreed to the brush clearing for flood water passage at the April 2024 annual partnership meeting. TBFID member David Gienger stated, “I agree that by clearing out three swaths, roots and all, would help remedy this slowdown of floodwaters. I am also in favor of it being completed by October 1st when in water work is supposed to be completed before flood season.” It is July and the latest communication with TNC Coast Director Dick Vander Schaaf says, “We need to understand the options, potential implications, possible funding sources, and address any concerns funders may have with such actions” before moving forward with the work. TNC engineers are assessing the project these next couple of weeks when they install new water level loggers, also agreed upon at the April meeting. TBFID’s funders want the project completed as soon as possible in order to avoid flooding increases on neighboring properties and possible flooding of Hwy 101 N experienced in recent years.
Tillamook Bay Flood Improvement District is a special district organized in 2002 by landowners in the flood basin north of the City of Tillamook. Annual fees and taxes are collected for flood mitigation. In 2010, TBFID paid its District contractor $14,400 to install a new tidegate in the Hathaway Slough for flood water conveyance. In 2023 TBFID paid its District contractor $6,255 to repair two levee breaches in the Kilchis River basin to reduce flooding. TBFID has been working with TNC to lower flood waters in the Kilchis River Basin since TNC bought the farm land in 2014 for wetlands restoration that was completed in 2023. Increased flood waters in the basin is threatening land owners property and structures, which is preventable with organizations such as TBFID-TNC-TCCA working together.
