EVERETT — An easier way to keep watch on rising rivers has come online for the slippery, soaking and sometimes menacing time of year.
Snohomish County has revamped its website for tracking floods and given it a new name: the Real-Time Flood Information System.
While the sun might have shone through clear skies much of this week, the damp is bound to return.
“I want people to have this information before a flood occurs,” Will Hall, the county’s surface water management director, said in a press release. “Heavy rains can cause dangerous floods every year. This simple website provides access to real-time information about flooding. People can use it to decide when to take action, such as turning off utilities, moving cars or evacuating.”
Stormwater officials tout the site as a one-stop resource. A couple of mouse clicks will produce up-to-the-minute flood forecasts, road closures and localized rainfall totals. People can find information specific to the Skykomish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, Pilchuck and Sauk rivers.
County staff created the new site due in part to increased web traffic. People also can use the site to download flood data.
Last year, the region saw record-breaking precipitation. That caused flooding around Lake Serene in the Lynnwood area and in some other trouble spots, though the big rivers stayed relatively low.
Local river systems saw their first minor flooding of the season this past weekend.
The county and its partners will continue to use AlertSense and other emergency systems to notify people of potential dangers.
The county publishes an annual flood-safety guide for people living in or near a 100-year floodplain. The guide provides tips on researching a property’s flood risk, protecting a home, preparing for a flood, reacting during a flood and recovering after a flood. Hard copies are available at local libraries, city halls, fire departments and the county’s administrative offices in downtown Everett.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
Website
Snohomish County’s one-stop resource for wet weather, the Real-Time Flood Information System, is available at https://snohomish.onerain.com.
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