King County closes Flood Warning Center, but will continue to monitor river levels

Rain diminishes and river levels – including the Green and White – subside

November 24, 2017 7:30 am
The White River had at a Phase 2 flood alert level on Thursday, with minor flooding in low-lying areas along the river in the Auburn-Pacific area. Conditions have since improved. RACHEL CIAMPI, Auburn Reporter

The King County Flood Warning Center closed at 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, after about 60 hours of round-the-clock operation in response to flooding on several rivers.

The Flood Warning Center opened at 7:15 on Tuesday, Nov. 21, when the Snoqualmie River spilled its banks and caused minor flooding following several hours of heavy rainfall. The Snoqualmie River eventually rose to a moderate Phase 3 flood alert level, with flooding throughout much of the Snoqualmie Valley.

The South Fork Skykomish, Tolt, White and Green rivers all reached Phase 2 flood alert levels, with minor flooding occurring in low-lying areas.

Flood Warning Center employees will continue to monitor stream gauges and weather reports. Real-time river level information is available online at kingcounty.gov/flood.

King County offers free access to KC Flood Alerts, an automated system that allows subscribers to receive customized alerts of potential flooding for any or all of King County’s seven major river systems.

Immediate notifications about pending high water are sent to email, smart phone text or voicemail, providing subscribers with the maximum amount of warning about potential high water.

Find the KC Flood Alerts link at kingcounty.gov/flood. This website is a valuable preparedness resource, with all of the latest information about river levels and road conditions, plus weather reports and other critical links.

Updated information on flooding is also posted on the King County website at kingcounty.gov.

During river flooding events, King County serves as a clearinghouse for information on flood conditions, operating a recorded message center with continuous updates of river gauge readings and flood phases and other related information. Reach the Flood Warning Center at 206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263. Interpreter assistance in multiple languages is available.

Questions or assistance with flooding on smaller streams or urban drainage problems can be called in to 206-477-4811 during business hours, or 206-477-8100 after hours or on weekends.

Problems on county-maintained roads can be reported by calling 206-477-8100 or 1-800-KC-ROADS. Road information is available at kingcounty.gov/mycommute.