Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >> Dan Bates / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Department of Transportation workers close off Seattle Hill Road after a large section was undercut by floodwaters when a culvert apparently plugged up, or otherwise failed to handle the volume of water.  Photo Gallery: Flooding November 2006  Photo Gallery: Reader Flood Photos 2006  Photo Gallery: December 2007 Floods   ADVERTISEMENT   ADDITIONAL ITEMS • Detour routes for travel from Seattle to Portland, Olympia to Aberdeen ( PDF) • Interactive map of flooding (External Link) • Snohomish County road closures (External Link)   Related Stories • Video: Watching the River Rise 12/4/07 • I-5 closed as storm blasts SW Washington; two die 12/4/07 • Flood forces evacuations in Lynnwood 12/4/07 • Seattle Hill Road problem could linger for weeks 12/4/07 • Commuters urged to leave early, avoid damaged roads 12/4/07 • Commute home through Snohomish County looks grim 12/4/07 • Snohomish County, state officials assess damage 12/4/07 • River cresting in Snohomish; no major flooding 12/4/07   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, December 4, 2007 Rivers crest as officials plan for evening commute Biggest problems in county reported on east-west routes, Seattle Hill Road Herald staff The crest of a flood surge on the Snohomish River passed late this morning. While the river topped flood stage, no significant damage has been reported in the Snohomish River valley. No major levies were over-topped or damaged, according to preliminary reports. “We’re really happy the river stayed down four feet,” said Norm Skjelbreia, flood engineer, for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The corps had a team stationed in Snohomish to monitor the flood, he said. Yesterday, they sent sand bags to south Snohomish County to help with urban flooding there. The Snohomish crested at 27.6 feet at 10 a.m. in Snohomish today and at 16.28 feet at 9 a.m. in Monroe. The river had been projected to crest closer to 31 feet, which would have come within a couple of feet within last year’s near-record-high flood. High tide was at 12:20 p.m. today. Once that passed, the river was expected to recede slowly. The river is not projected to drop below flood stage before Wednesday afternoon. Heavy flows from the Snoqualmie River are adding water to the already swollen rivers, Skjelbreia said. Lower levies were overtopped in some cases, something which routinely happens in high-water events. Meanwhile, state Department of Transportation officials were meeting to discuss the afternoon commute in Snohomish County. On Monday, a culvert below Seattle Hill Road clogged then collapsed, officials said. The road likely will be closed for weeks eliminating a major east-to-west arterial route between Snohomish and Mill Creek. Now, transportation officials are checking with cities and town to determine the best detour routes, said Lauren Penning, a transportation department spokeswoman. Right now traffic is being re-routed to Cathcart Way and Highway 9. In Lynnwood, water from Scriber creek receded this morning, but more than 20 families remain displaced from the Wilshire Cove and the Oxford Square apartments. The apartments are in clean-up mode, said Darlah Lovell, manager,.Wilshire Cove apartments. Apartment managers are assessing the damage and preparing to tear up water-logged carpets, she said. The City of Lynnwood Emergency Operations Center was closed at 9:30 a.m., said Marybeth O’Leary, a spokeswoman for Lynnwood Fire. Water issues have subsided and most roadways now are clear. City departments have returned to normal operations, she said. On Monday, the Lynnwood Fire Department responded to 49 emergency incidents, O’Leary said. Average call volume for one day is 11. No serious flood-related injuries countywide have been reported. Three people died in southwestern Washington counties Monday. Gov. Chris Gregoire has declared a state of emergency and toured badly damaged areas including nearly 20 miles of I-5 near Centralia that were closed when the Chehalis River flooded. Rain and wind is expected to taper off this afternoon, forecasters said. Drier, colder weather is expected by week’s end.

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