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Next steps for Cedar Mill Creek flooding
by Shannon Huggins, Public Involvement Coordinator,
Clean Water Services

Tualatin Watershed Enhancement Collaborative (TWEC) will be the next phase of the Oregon Solutions Cedar Mill Creek Flood Remediation Collaborative.

Colors indicate reports of flooding—red indicating the most reports

The Cedar Mill Creek Flood Remediation Collaborative was a partnership of agencies, businesses, and other interested organizations in Washington County that worked together as a Project Team to address flood risks while providing high-quality natural habitat within the Cedar Mill Creek and North Johnson Creek corridors. Oregon Solutions guided this effort by bringing stakeholders together to better understand local flooding and reach agreement on how to work together to address these issues.

On Oct. 9, 2018, members of the Collaborative signed a Declaration of Cooperation identifying processes for management and flood mitigation. It provided a roadmap to address long-standing flooding problems in the Cedar Mill/North Johnson Creek basin. It recognizes that the challenges within the watershed are not within one organization's responsibility or ability to influence. This flood remediation effort will require long-term collaboration among public agencies, private businesses, community groups and residents.

Subsequently, the TWEC was formed to collaboratively address flooding and watershed management throughout Washington County. The Cedar Mill Creek / North Johnson Creek watershed is TWEC’s first project.

TWEC is evaluating the flood remediation/watershed management strategies compiled by the Collaborative for inclusion in a three-year work program. These efforts—around flooding resiliency, environmental improvement and financial security within a watershed context—will focus on governance and finance, community engagement, and technical assistance.

TWEC members include:

• Clean Water Services (co-coordinating entity)
  
• Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation (co-coordinating entity)
  
• Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD)
  
• Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District (TSWCD)
  
• City of Beaverton
  
• City of Portland
  

Key Partners of the TWEC include:

• Tualatin River Watershed Council (TRWC)
  
• The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC)
  

Partners of the TWEC have a vested interest in the health of the Tualatin River and promote sustainable watershed practices through education, volunteerism, and recreation.

LEARN MORE January 29, 2:30 p.m. The Washington County Board of Commissioners will hear a presentation regarding the three-year work program (no community comment at Work Sessions). February 26, 6:30 p.m. The Board will take your input at their regular meeting. Meetings are held in the Public Services Building Auditorium, 155 W Main St, Hillsboro, OR 97123.

[Ed. note: we will also have an update on this at the February 12 CPO1 meeting, see notice here.]

For more background see this article from April 2018]

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