Aberdeen, WA – August 20, 2024 – Today, after almost two years of construction, elected officials from the cities of Aberdeen and Hoquiam, Port of Grays Harbor, and Grays Harbor County gathered with state lawmakers and members from the Office of Chehalis Basin to celebrate the completion of the Fry Creek Pump Station[NB1] .

The Fry Creek Pump Station is a critical component of coastal flood protection and storm drainage. The pump station will control the flow of Fry Creek, which affects portions of both Aberdeen and Hoquiam during heavy rain and high tides, by closing tide gates and pumping water out to Grays Harbor. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, attendees witnessed the power of the pumps that can move 130,000 gallons per minute. At max capacity, the pump station could fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in five minutes. 

The project cost $22 million and was paid for by the Washington State Capital Budget ($9M), the Office of Chehalis Basin ($12.3M), Grays Harbor County ($300K), and the City of Aberdeen ($500k).

State Representative and Chair of the House Capital Budget Committee Steve Tharinger attended the ceremony and said “This project is a great example of what is possible when the state, county, and cities partner together to address the increased risk of flooding from climate change.”

The pump station is the first piece of the three-part Aberdeen Hoquiam Flood Protection Project. The other two components are the North Shore Levee and the North Shore Levee – West Segment. The North Shore Levee is in the design phase and the North Shore Levee – West Segment is in the pre-construction phase.

Together the two levees are 9 miles long, located along the Wishkah, Hoquiam, and Chehalis rivers. The levees will protect against coastal flooding and eliminate costly building code requirements for properties in the flood prone area. Further, the removal of mandatory flood insurance for the properties located within the floodplain will provide a desperately needed boost to the local economy.  Questions and comments regarding these projects can be directed to Nick Bird, City of Aberdeen at (360) 537-3218 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Brian Shay, City of Hoquiam at (360) 538-3983 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..