CENTRALIA — During a meeting on Thursday, the Chehalis Basin Board voted to use $3.82 million in funding from other projects to keep things on track for the 2018-19 year.

The money will be “borrowed” until the Legislature approves a capital budget, according to Edna Fund, a board member.

The shift in funds diverts money from Tier 1 projects, where money is available but not currently allocated; Tier 2 projects, which temporarily would not delay projects assuming the funding would be replaced if a capital budget is approved before next spring; and also some Tier 3 funds, which would move money that would delay projects.

The funds would continue most of the work program through November. If at that time a capital budget has not passed, the timeframes for work on a proposed dam near Pe Ell “will be significantly delayed.”

The objective of using the funds is to sustain the Chehalis Basin Board’s 2017-19 program on a path for decision-making.

“This will continue funding while pulling the money from elsewhere,” Fund said, adding that money can be backfilled when a budget passes.

Money is currently needed for the Chehalis Basin Flood Control District — the project sponsor of a proposed dam near Pe Ell, for projects with the Chehalis Basin Flood Authority, and for the newly formed Office of Chehalis Basin, which is housed under the state Department of Ecology.

The board is tied to the Office of Chehalis Basin and is responsible for the development of long-term strategy to reduce flood damage, restore aquatic species habitat in the basin and to develop budget recommendations to the governor.

The Office of Chehalis Basin was established within Ecology on July 1, but without a state capital budget, the office does not have funding to hire an office director or supporting staff.

On June 2, Ecology released its final environmental review of the Chehalis Basin Strategy, which evaluated four potential combinations of actions to reach its goal.