Sauk River Management Plan

Purpose

The Sauk River Flood / Erosion Hazard Management Plan is a flood erosion hazard management plan for 26 miles of the Sauk River spanning Skagit and Snohomish counties.

The mission for the Sauk River Flood / Erosion Hazard Management Plan was to produce and implement a plan that balances the need for infrastructure and property protection with the protection and restoration of natural resources and outstanding and remarkable values of the Sauk River; acceptable to affected landowners, resource agencies, local tribes, interest groups, and local governments, and consistent with plan elements required by the State of Washington.

Phases

The first phase of the project, the Sauk River Corridor Assessment (SRCA), was completed in September 2007. During that phase, the project team acquired scientific data about the Sauk, analyzed the newly generated data, and began the development of alternatives for future actions addressing flood erosion issues.

In the second phase of the project, the team took the information developed in Phase I, and formulated appropriate management options, alternatives, and actions for a Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan (CFHMP). Phase II developed, analyzed, and evaluated proposed solutions to flood and erosion hazards; developed, and assessed alternative actions, and recommended and prioritized actions. Phase II was completed in 2009.

The plan was adopted by Snohomish and Skagit counties in December 2010.

Background

The Sauk River Watershed is of significant local, state, tribal, and federal interest and is designated scenic as part of the Skagit River Wild and Scenic River System. Much of the Sauk River corridor is comprised of lahar (mud flow) deposits from Glacier Peak eruptions that are easily erodable. The October 2003 flood caused significant damage to public infrastructure and private property in this area.

In 2005, Skagit and Snohomish Counties submitted for, and received, a Washington State Department of Ecology Flood Control Assistance Account Program (FCAAP) grant to produce the Sauk River Corridor Assessment.

Stakeholder Committee

The Sauk River Stakeholders Committee was formed, with support from State and Federal Legislators, to represent all interests in the development of the Erosion Hazard Management Plan. The Stakeholder Committee was comprised of citizens, local, state, and federal Agencies, and tribes.