Rivers crest as officials plan for evening commute

Published 1:47 pm Tuesday, December 4, 2007

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.