Build a farm flood pad: County’s March 1 meeting in Preston to offer advice, technical help

Published 9:58 am Monday, February 27, 2012

Landowners who live in flood-prone areas can learn more about farm pads at a meeting on Thursday, March 1, 7 p.m. at the Preston Community Center.

Farm pads are elevated land where livestock, farm equipment and other essentials can be stored during a flood.

For several years, King County has been helping farmers diminish the severity of flooding by helping them build farm pads.

County staff will be on hand to discuss technical assistance available for design, construction and permitting of farm pads, while landowners who have recently constructed farm pads will share their experiences with others.

Roughly two dozen farm pads have been constructed in flood-prone agricultural areas of King County since the early 90’s, and another dozen are under construction now. Some of the earlier pad designs may need more work to ensure they provide enough high ground for a farmer’s needs.

Following the record-breaking flooding of November 2006, in which a number of livestock died from hypothermia or drowned, and equipment and feed was ruined, King County approved a demonstration project to improve existing farm pads.

At the recommendation of the Snoqualmie Valley Flood-Farm Task Force, King County made farm pads a permanent protection measure for farmers located in a floodway in the County’s agricultural production districts.

For more information, contact Claire Dyckman at (206) 296-1926, or claire.dyckman@kingcounty.gov.