The Washington Legislature has awarded $17 million to the coastal cities of Aberdeen and Hoquiam to help fund the $160.5 million Aberdeen-Hoquiam Flood Protection Project in Grays Harbor County.

State lawmakers set aside $17 million for the flood mitigation project in the current state biennial budget, which started July 1, 2025, and concludes on June 30, 2027. The grant builds on the $18.5 million grant the Legislature targeted for the project in the 2023-25 state two-year budget (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025).

Since sizable portions of Hoquiam and Aberdeen are located at or near sea level, flooding has historically impacted low-lying areas within the two cities - especially between the Wishkah and Hoquiam rivers, north of the Chehalis River and Grays Harbor.

Besides the $35.5 million in state funding for the flood mitigation project, the cities had also secured nearly $100 million in federal grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program. Although the federal grants had been paused nationally, a Dec. 12 federal court ruling could free up the grants again, including money for the levee project.

Protecting communities, reducing flood risks

For years, Aberdeen and Hoquiam have worked together to design, permit and build the project which entails constructing nearly 11 miles of earthen, concrete and sheet pile levees - the 6.2-mile North Shore Levee and 4.7-mile North Shore Levee-West Project.

Once complete, the levees will serve as barriers between land and water to protect the cities from flooding rivers, coastal storms, king tides, sea level rise and other high-water events.

The flood mitigation project also supports the long-term Chehalis Basin Strategy which aims to improve the health and resilience of local communities in the Chehalis River basin by reducing flood-related damage.

Project to provide significant benefits

Grays Harbor County is one of the most economically disadvantaged areas in Washington and risks associated with flooding have deterred economic investment in the community. Once the levees are built, the project will protect 5,100 properties, 1,354 businesses, nearly 1,300 jobs and local infrastructure including roads, bridges and utilities.

Keeping flood waters out of the cities' urban areas will also help reduce local flood risks and remove significant portions of the cities from the 100-year mapped floodplain. As a result, many property owners and businesses will no longer need to obtain flood insurance, saving them up to $1.2 million annually on insurance premiums; those choosing to retain optional flood insurance policies are likely to see their premiums reduced.

"The Aberdeen-Hoquiam Flood Protection Project is an essential part of the Chehalis Basin Strategy for reducing flood-related damage in the basin, protecting Hoquiam and Aberdeen residents and strengthening the local economy," said Jeff Zenk, Director for Ecology's Office of Chehalis Basin. "Our support for this critical project has never wavered and we are anxious to see it completed."

Environmental justice assessment

Washington's environmental justice law, the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act, empowers us to conduct environmental justice assessments when planning significant actions. This includes the latest $17 million state investment for the Aberdeen-Hoquiam Flood Protection Project.

Grant and loan offers of more than $12 million receive Environmental Justice Assessments under the HEAL Act. These assessments are intended to help us fairly distribute environmental benefits and address environmental and health inequalities.

An environmental justice assessment includes consultation with Tribes and outreach to people at high risk for poor health due to environmental conditions and socio-economic vulnerabilities. We posted our environmental justice assessment notice for the North Shore Levee 2025-27 capital budget proviso on the state Office of Financial Management's website.

Seeking feedback, answering questions about state grant

We want to hear from residents and businesses who could be directly affected by the $17 million state investment for the flood mitigation project, answer questions, and help us identify people and communities with whom we need to further engage. To get more information and ask questions about the environmental justice assessment, please contact , fiscal manager for our Office of Chehalis Basin.