Seattle District monitors White River as back-to-back atmospheric rivers threaten flooding
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District, in coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS), is monitoring extreme weather conditions and potential flooding on the White River and surrounding riverbank areas, as back-to-back atmospheric rivers are forecasted to impact the communities of Pacific, Sumner, Puyallup and Auburn, Washington.
This is not a typical weather event, according to Mark Stoelinga, a USACE meteorologist.
“Forecasts show back-to-back atmospheric rivers hitting the Puget Sound and White River Basin within 48 hours,” Stoelinga said. “Each large atmospheric river by itself is significant, but occurring so close together puts impacts on another magnitude. During extreme weather events, conditions can change rapidly without warning. The public should refer to the NWS for the most current flood watches and warnings for their area.”
In response to the multiple atmospheric rivers, USACE will increase outflows from Mud Mountain Dam to levels that will exceed 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). Outflows from the project are forecast to reach 12,000 cfs by Wednesday morning, Dec. 10, a rate not observed since 2009. High flows are expected to continue for several days as inflows to the project begin to decrease. Public areas at Mud Mountain Dam will remain closed for the duration of the event.
“Public safety is the number one priority, and we support local emergency management efforts when local resources are overwhelmed,” said Krystle Walker, Seattle District emergency management chief. “Homeowners, landowners and the public must stay vigilant and aware of flooded areas along the White River or behind levees, as these locations are at highest risk when river levels are high.”
The Seattle District is deploying multiple spotters to monitor river conditions and potential flooding along the White River corridor. The public is encouraged to stay alert, remain prepared and consult local government officials for the latest updates.
The National Weather Service issues flood watches and warnings and should be consulted for official information at weather.gov/sew. Current Western Washington river levels and monitoring updates are available at water.noaa.gov/wfo/sew.
For additional information, King County’s Emergency Blog is updated at kcemergency.com, and Pierce County residents can find resources at co.pierce.wa.us/dem.
