Editor's note: This is the second in a two-part series on a recent Office of the Chehalis Basin tour. Read the first article here.
Shawn Selfridge’s house stands out among his neighbors in the small South Thurston County town of Bucoda.
A homeowner for six years, a flood roughly five years ago sparked concerns that future events could damage the house, prompting Selfridge to submit for aid through the Community Flood and Assistance (CFAR) Program, part of the Chehalis Basin Strategy.
This summer, crews began work to lift the house approximately six feet off the ground and construct a new foundation, decreasing the likelihood that future flooding would damage the structure, which Selfridge said has helped ease his concerns.
“I want to help anybody in the future who needs their house lifted to be able to have this done for them,” he said.
The visit to Selfridge’s house came during a recent legislative tour organized by the Office of the Chehalis Basin (OCB), which took state officials to visit flood reduction and restoration efforts in Centralia and Bucoda and included a visit to the Skookumchuck Dam.
During the tour, the OCB revealed it will recommend an $80 million biennial budget appropriation from the Washington state Legislature to “aggressively pursue the Chehalis Basin Strategy,” according to budget documents.
Established in 2016 within the Department of Ecology, the OCB directs flood control and aquatic restoration work within the basin.
The additional funding, officials said, would allow the office to continue “key on-the-ground” investments, which include installing flood reduction measures to protect homes, businesses, agriculture and infrastructure.
A one-story house on a slight hill, Selfridge’s house stood lower in his neighborhood. His neighbor’s house to the right sat slightly elevated, while Selfridge’s neighbor to the left has a two-story house, with his home now about level to his neighbor’s second floor.
“The last time we had that flood, it didn’t come up that much near their house,” he said.
While they may not benefit to the same degree in the program, Selfridge said his neighbors have watched the progress of the project with intrigue.
“They just sit here and watch when they can,” he said. “And they’re really impressed with how fast this is going.”
Part of the benefit, Selfridge said, is the minimal impact that the project has had on his day-to-day life.
As crews retrofitted the house over the past two months, Selfridge continued to live in the residence. When the tour bus recently approached Selfridge, electrical crews worked to install new electrical equipment in the house.
According to the OCB, Selfridge is one of eight homeowners who have taken advantage of the CFAR program.
But the projects have taken time.
Selfridge said he initially applied for the assistance nearly a half decade ago, though the work only began this summer. Part of the delay, he said, was a lack of contractors to complete the work.
According to the OCB, previous investments have funded more than 140 habitat restoration projects, protected 200 homes and businesses, protected nearly 300 acres of habitat, helped install 14 high-water alerts and helped secure more than $61 million in additional federal funding.
“I want to say thank you, because this has given me a huge piece of mind,” Selfridge said.
