The Ocean City Drainage District is dedicated to the safety, environmental health, and resilience of our coastal community in Grays Harbor County, Washington. Our primary mission is to manage and maintain the critical infrastructure necessary to mitigate flooding and ensure proper stormwater runoff.
Since at least the 1990s, the Ocean City community has been victimized by seasonal flooding of businesses, homes, and public services. State Route 109 is routinely impassible, with grave implications for public safety and local economies.
One outstanding cause of such flooding is the shifting course of Connor Creek whose mouth now sits nearly four miles north of its previously stable outlet closer to Ocean City itself. The creek is growing, and now moves sluggishly through an ever-growing number of obstacles.
February 10, 2026 Special Election Ballot “Pro” Statement
“Over last two years, we’ve taken a deliberate, hands-on approach to addressing our long-standing, local flooding. We’ve rolled up our sleeves, volunteered our time, enlisted the support of others, and forged partnership with public authorities (Grays Harbor County, WSDOT, WDFW).
We’ve acted to ensure Connor Creek drains our local flood waters. We’ve cleared SR109 culverts/drainage ditches. We’ve installed flood warning signs and rain/stream monitoring gauges to keep us informed. We’ve made a difference and it shows.
We need a better model. Relying on ad-hoc community volunteers to meet our longer-term flood needs is not practical, nor responsible. We need a local drainage district like our southerly neighbors where Grayland and Pacific drainage districts have drained their local flood waters for decades. We’ve reviewed, toured, discussed, analyzed, and determined such a local approach is best. Let’s also control our local flooding for decades.
Vote ‘Yes’ for an Ocean City Drainage District!”
– Written by Gary Clarke, Stan Sturgeon, Michelle Wiley.