Woman seeks county aid in flooding

After years of dealing with winter floods, Rosburg resident Raven Webb on Tuesday asked Wahkiakum County officials to take her side in a dispute over causes of the flooding.

Webb contends that work done by the Columbia River Land Trust and Ducks Unlimited on farmland down the Grays River from her farm has led to unprecedented flooding of her property. The land trust and Ducks Unlimited purchased a farm and have breached dikes, taken out tide gates and done other work that has caused flood waters to pile up on her property.

"I want the county to act to protect the people and the land," she said. "Ask them to remove the project."

Commissioners Dan Cothren and Blair Brady--Commissioner George Trott had to leave the meeting before it started--asked Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow to determine whether or not the county could intervene.

In response to questions from the commissioners and Bigelow, Webb said she isn't planning to sue the county over her damage. She has contacted a lawyer, but that was only in regard to a Federal Emergency Management Agency claim, she said.

Bigelow said he would contact the lawyer to see if there were any ethical hurdles to prevent the county from working with Webb.

Commissioner Cothren still advised Webb to retain legal counsel.

"I don't have the money for a lawyer," she said. "Just trying to survive has taken everything I have."