The Chehalis flood control dam proposal is far more than 10 years old, even more than 20 years. The state continues to throw money at it because the local politicians have forged alliances with others in the Legislature, mostly people who I assume aren't aware that the project does not meet the qualifications for Corps of Engineers federal funding. (The B:C ratio is less than 1.0.)

I was surprised a few years ago when the project details came out that the best flood reduction it could do is reduce peak flood elevation at I-5 by 1.5 feet. So even with the dam, it would be necessary to dike or raise the road elevation. Why not just raise the freeway elevation and be done with it? It would be much cheaper and not screw up the watershed.