Flood Response: Waterway and Debris Clearance Grant Program

The Flood Response: Waterway and Debris Clearance Grant Program is administered by the Washington Military Department, Emergency Management Division, as part of the state’s coordinated response to the severe weather and flooding events that occurred in December 2025 under Emergency Proclamation 25-07.2. This competitive grant program is designed to provide targeted financial assistance to Washington State counties to support urgent debris removal and waterway restoration efforts. The program aligns with broader state resilience and hazard mitigation priorities by focusing on reducing flood risks, protecting public safety, and restoring the functional capacity of impacted waterways. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to enable counties to implement debris removal projects that directly address flood-related hazards caused or exacerbated by the declared disaster event. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes such as reduced downstream flood risk, improved waterway flow, and protection of critical infrastructure. Funding supports activities that remove obstructions, restore channel capacity, and mitigate the immediate and long-term impacts of flooding. Projects must demonstrate a clear connection to the December 2025 event and provide verifiable documentation of disaster-related impacts. Eligible uses of funds are narrowly defined and include debris removal within rivers, streams, and waterways, such as woody debris, sediment, gravel deposits, and obstructions that restrict flow. Activities may also include channel clearance, debris removal impacting bridges or culverts, and limited permitting or administrative costs directly associated with the project. However, the program explicitly excludes routine maintenance, long-term capital construction, facility repair, and activities not directly tied to the declared emergency. Additionally, projects cannot duplicate funding from other sources and must demonstrate a direct nexus to the disaster event. Eligibility is limited to Washington State counties identified in Emergency Proclamation 25-07.2. Counties may apply directly or partner with flood control districts, flood control zone districts, or other special purpose districts that have legal authority over waterway management. Regardless of partnerships, the county remains the primary applicant and is responsible for grant administration, compliance, and reporting. All proposed projects must show measurable flood risk reduction benefits and include documentation supporting the severity and urgency of the conditions being addressed. The application process requires submission of a comprehensive application package through procedures established by the Washington Military Department. Required components include a detailed project description, location information, documentation of debris and disaster impacts, proposed scope of work, cost estimates, supporting maps and photographs, identification of at-risk infrastructure, and a project timeline. Applicants must also identify permitting considerations and ensure all materials are complete, as incomplete submissions may be excluded from consideration. Applications are evaluated using a risk-based prioritization framework that considers life safety, public health, infrastructure protection, severity of waterway obstruction, and the degree of downstream flood risk reduction. Additional evaluation factors include project readiness, cost-effectiveness, geographic distribution, and potential impacts on vulnerable communities. Projects demonstrating immediate threats to life safety or critical infrastructure may receive enhanced consideration under emergency prioritization criteria. The program was announced on May 20, 2026, with the application period opening the same day and closing on July 4, 2026. Award announcements are anticipated by August 12, 2026, and funded projects are expected to begin promptly following award. The grant performance period is scheduled from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The Washington Military Department reserves the right to partially fund projects, request additional information during review, and reallocate unused funds based on program demand. For further information or assistance, applicants may contact designated program representatives within the Emergency Management Division via email.

Emphasize measurable flood risk reduction and immediate life safety impacts; prioritize projects with strong documentation of disaster nexus and readiness to proceed; include clear cost justification and infrastructure protection details