Levee Ready Columbia – Results from Values and Beliefs Survey

This summer over 1,000 people shared their thoughts about the future of the levee system along the Columbia River in Multnomah County with Levee Ready Columbia (LRC), a group of people from over 20 organizations who different interests in the Columbia River and the levee system.  We heard from people all over Multnomah County and the surrounding area about what they value most about the areas behind the levees and what they hope for the future of the levee system as LRC works to ensure the levees meet federal requirements.  The survey was available online and on paper in multiple languages and community organizers held in-person small group listening sessions and discussions in Spanish, Russian, and Somali.  

Some of the common themes that emerged include:

• People are concerned about future flooding on the Columbia River (88 percent).
• Most participants are willing to support investments of some kind beyond minimum federal requirements
• The majority of participants support paying a few more dollars per year to make sure that the levees meet federal requirements and provide economic, environmental, or recreational improvements along the river.
• While protecting all of the interests in the areas around the levee were important to people, participants indicated that the following were most important to them:
  • improving the health of the environment and habitat for fish and wildlife
  • protecting places for people to enjoy nature
  • protecting Portland International Airport
  • protecting homes and residents in the area; and
  • protecting educational and training institutions behind the levees

You can read the whole report at Oregon’s Kitchen Table.  To stay involved and hear about the progress LRC makes regarding the levee sytem, visit LRC’s website.