Managing Floodplains Collaboratively: Cross-border learning on fish, farms, and floods

• Main Authors: Azeez, Lina, Straker, Dan, Fuss, Gillian, Quaas, Kari, leDoux, Beth, Roberts, David, Desmul, Lindsey
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Western CEDAR 2022
• Subjects: Fraser River; First Nations
• Online Access: https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2022ssec/allsessions/220; https://cedar.wwu.edu/context/ssec/article/3382/viewcontent/SSEC_ManagingFloodplainsCollaboratively_Cross_border_20learning_20on_20fish_20farms_20and_20floods_April_202022.pdf

Taking a more collaborative and integrated approach to floodplain management has made a big splash in Washington State in recent years. As governments plan for an uncertain future and climate adaptation moves to the forefront, cities and communities situated in floodplains are having to consider the looming threat of flooding from unpredictable water flows. Balancing the needs of ecosystems, agriculture and flood risk. The communities of large floodplains like the lower mainland along the Fraser River in British Columbia, the Snohomish/Skykomish Rivers in Snohomish County and the Snoqualmie River in King County of Washington State are taking steps to manage for floods using forward-thinking comprehensive approaches. In this interactive session, presenters will share their experience with integrated, multi-benefit floodplain management from their own region specific lens. Each region will share what has (and hasn’t) worked for them, and pose a question or challenge to the group for further discussion in breakout sessions. The three distinct regions represent the beginning, middle and established (OR forming, storming, norming, and performing) stages of this complex journey of achieving well-managed floodplains. It is in the challenge and the differences where innovation can blossom. As such, different perspectives will be brought forward from the counties to First Nations, salmon conservation and governance to explore jurisdictional complications, indigenous rights, legal responsibilities and food security objectives to name a few.