Chehalis River - Restorative Flood Protection

Can you spot the evidence for channel incision? Here's a hint, it's not normal for pipelines to be constructed at the grade of the river channel. Our work in the Chehalis basin suggests the upper basin has experienced massive incision in the past century. This combined with other factors (ie. removal of in channel wood and floodplain forest) has accelerated flood flows from the upper basin to the lower basin and contributed to the severe flooding that is common around Chehalis and Centralia. Some people in the State want to build a dam to reduce flooding...we think there is a better way.