River cresting in Snohomish; no major flooding

Published 11:42 am Tuesday, December 4, 2007

SNOHOMISH — The Snohomish River is cresting at Snohomish, but if the garage door at Todo Mexican on First Street is any indication, the latest flooding is not going to be significant.

Water barely reached the bottom of the doors where previous floods are marked.

The Ness family of Snohomish went to Kla-Ha-Ya park to see how high the river would rise.

“We had to stop and take a look,” Joe Ness said.

He took his children, Kevyn, 13, Karyssa, 11, and Kyle, 7, to see the rushing river.

“It’s not bad as last year,” Kyle said pointing at the unofficial gauge on the restaurant’s garage door.

Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management officials were still keeping a close eye on the rivers even though no major damage is expected.

“The rivers are cresting downward,” spokesman Mark Murphy said. “We’re through the worst portions of the wind and the flooding.”

High tide will likely keep river levels full for several hours, he said.

The biggest problems in the county are the east-to-west commute routes, Murphy said.

A portion of Seattle Hill Road washed out after a culver collapsed. State Department of Transportation officials said it could takes weeks to repair.

Wind and rain are forecast to ease this afternoon, forecasters said. Drier, colder weather is expected later this week.