Flood control assistance account program (FCAAP)

The Washington Legislature established the Flood Control Assistance Account Program (FCAAP) to assist local jurisdictions with comprehensive floodplain management planning and implementing actions to mitigate flood hazards. Funding is determined every biennium by the state Legislature.

Eligible projects include:

Comprehensive flood hazard management plans.
Feasibility studies.
Match for federal projects.
Flood control maintenance projects.
Emergency projects.

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Funding cycle

Amount of funding available: Approximately $1.5 to $2.3 million for planning projects and $150,000 for emergency flood response projects.
Funding allocated:
Grant award limit: There is a $500,000 limit per county; however, to fund multiple flood planning projects, we anticipate a maximum of $300,000 per grant.
Amount of matching funds required: 25% for planning projects and 20% for emergency flood response projects.

Applications are not being accepted at this time.

The application period for the 2023-25 competitive planning projects will be open Feb. 15-March 30, 2023.

We didn't have funding to support flood risk reduction planning activities for over 12 years. In 2021, we were able to again provide FCAAP grants to support this statewide planning need. To help us understand the status of need and how we can best serve communities, please complete our flood hazard management interest survey. This will take only three to five minutes.

Emergency project applications are not being accepted.

Emergency project funding is fully allocated for the 2021-23 biennium. Applications for noncompetitive 2023-25 emergency projects will be accepted beginning July 1, 2023, on a case-by-case basis and until all funds have been awarded.

For more information, see the 2023-25 Funding Guidelines, Application Instructions, Application Prep Tool, Application Workshop Presentation Slides, and other guidance documents below.

Funding is available for the following entities:

Eligible competitive planning project applicants: Cities, towns, counties, federally recognized Tribes, conservation districts, and special purpose districts, such as flood control districts.

Flood planning projects in underserved communities will be given priority funding.

Eligible emergency project applicants: Cities, towns, counties, conservation districts, and special purpose districts, such as flood control districts.

Flood planning projects in underserved communities will be given priority funding.

Eligible flood planning projects include:

Developing and writing or updating Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plans (CFHMPs). CFHMPs must be consistent with state regulations (Chapter 173-145 WAC).
Feasibility studies; community outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts; mapping projects, including Channel Migration Zone delineations; and other activities that support updates to CFHMPs.
Match for federal projects that lead to CFHMPs. For example, federal General Investigations.

Eligible emergency projects include:

Emergency flood response and recovery work.

More information about this funding program

2021-23 Flood Control Assistance Account Program grants

The Legislature approved $1.5 million to fund FCAAP Planning projects for the 2021-23 biennium. We worked closely with our partners, including the Nature Conservancy, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and Puget Sound Partnership, to help evaluate and rank the projects.

2021-23 funded planning projects

Recipient	Project	Grant Amount (including match)
Chelan Co. - Public Works Dept.	No. 2 Canyon Mitigation Strategy Evaluate the drainage system of the No. 2 Canyon basin. Help determine locations of future flood mitigation projects in Chelan County.	$150,000
Cowlitz Co. Dept. of Building and Planning	Cowlitz County 2033 CFHMP Complete a 2023-33 Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan with actionable floodplain management strategies for areas with flood risk throughout Cowlitz County.	$308,500
Jefferson Co. Community Development	Comprehensive Drainage Plan for Hood Canal Complete a Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan for the lower reaches of the Big and Little Quilcene rivers. Complete a feasibility assessment to determine options to relocate residents living in high-risk flood hazard areas of the Dosewallips and Duckabush rivers.	$200,547
King Co. - Water and Land Resources Division	Equity Across King County Flood Hazard Areas Implement a diversity, equity, and inclusion update to the King County Flood Hazard Management Plan by developing and implementing a Flood Plan Update Community Engagement Guide.	$290,780
Kittitas Co.- Public Works Dept.	Yakima River Easton Reach Flood Hazard Plan Collect necessary data, conduct a flood hazard analysis, and engage the local community to develop a reach-level plan informed by natural processes.	$200,000
Mason Conservation District	Skokomish River Community-Supported Flood Improvement Objectives Collect information about flood risk and create an updated hydraulic model providing measured and anticipated changes to flood risk in response to restoration projects in the Skokomish River Valley.	$249,993
Snohomish Co. Conservation Natural Resources Dept.	Snohomish and Stillaguamish Vulnerability Assessment Conduct a vulnerability assessment of flood hazard and climate change for the Snohomish and Stillaguamish rivers/estuaries. Identify and engage overburdened communities to create a new Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan (CFHMP) and update the existing Stillaguamish Watershed CFHMP.	$361,336
Wahkiakum Co. - Public Works	Wahkiakum County CFHMP Update Update Wahkiakum County’s CFHMP and associated ordinances. Identify recommended actions and activities to reduce flood risk, improve watershed health, and improve habitat for salmonids and other species.	$57,511
Yakima Co. - Public Services Dept.	Naches River Mapping Update Support an update for the Naches River.	$220,000

2021-23 funded emergency projects

Recipient	Project	Grant Amount (including match)
City of Centralia	Flood Preparedness Project Purchase pumps, additional barricades, and signage for use during flood events. Help the city prepare for future flood events.	$33,042
City of Chehalis	Flood Emergency Preparedness Supplies Purchase emergency notification signs and signals for use during flood events. Help the city prepare for future flood events.	$14,823
Hopkins Drainage Ditch District #2	Hopkins Ditch – Tilley Road Culvert Replacement and Cleanout of Restrictions Replace an existing undersized culvert with a larger culvert and widen a drainage ditch that has an existing flow restriction. Help reduce/prevent future flooding from affecting landowners and surrounding areas by accommodating increased flow.	$9,635
Thurston Co. Emergency Management	January 2022 Thurston County Flood Response Coordinate and execute response to severe flooding along the Chehalis, Black, and Skookumchuck rivers from the January 2022 flood event.	$67,500

Contact information

Scott McKinney
FCAAP grant program lead
scott.mckinney@ecy.wa.gov
360-918-3428

Amelia Petersen
Floodplain planner
amelia.petersen@ecy.wa.gov
360-480-3298

Kayla Eicholtz
Northwest Washington grant manager
kayla.eicholtz@ecy.wa.gov
425-429-4545

Lisa Nelson
Northwest Washington grant manager
lisa.nelson@ecy.wa.gov
425-213-4843

Matt Gerlach
Southwest Washington grant manager
matt.gerlach@ecy.wa.gov
360-584-2804

Alex Rosen
Southwest Washington grant manager
alex.rosen@ecy.wa.gov
360-810-0027

Lynn Schmidt
Eastern Washington grant manager
lynn.schmidt@ecy.wa.gov
509-344-9692

Sandra Floyd
Central Washington grant manager
sandra.floyd@ecy.wa.gov
509-571-5679

For a list of counties in each region, visit our Contact Us page.

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