Jan. 12, 2006
King County responding to wet weather, flooding
Employees with the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) continue to respond to the impacts of the recent heavy rain, including the minor and moderate flooding on some streams and rivers within the county.
The King County Flood Warning Center has been operating 24 hours a day since opening at 6 a.m. on Jan. 10. The center provides round-the-clock coordination of weather and river flooding information, and is designed to give citizens at least two hours warning to prepare for possible serious flooding. Flood Warning Center staff work in tandem with the King County Road Services Division to give citizens up-to-date information about road closures.
King County field crews continue to monitor levees and other flood-control structures throughout the county, particularly in the Green River Valley and the Snoqualmie River Valley .
Since Jan. 1, King County's Stormwater Services Section has received 66 calls from citizens regarding drainage and water quality issues throughout the county. Calls range from flood control ponds being at or near capacity, to technical questions about water seeping into basements. Calls are investigated in the order of the severity of the issue.
King County Parks staff continue to monitor parks and trails throughout the system for damage as a result of the heavy rain. While no significant damage has occurred, a number of parks and trails have been affected from the storms.
For example, roughly half of the 40-acre off-leash dog area has been flooded at King County's Marymoor Park in Redmond. Staff are continuing to monitor conditions at Marymoor, and additional portions of the off-leash dog area could be closed to protect visitors.
Small slides and sloughs have been observed along a number of trails that are maintained by King County Parks staff, including the Burk Gilman Trail, the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, and Maple Valley Trail and the Soos Creek Trail. All trails remain open at this time, however changing conditions could result in temporary closures.
The King County Flood Warning Center provides a recorded message (206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263) updated each hour that describes conditions on King County's major rivers during a flood. Residents can speak directly to Flood Warning Center personnel via the Flood Center Hotline (206-296-4535 or 1-800-768-7932). The Center sends out flood patrol teams to inspect levees, recent repairs to flood protection projects, reported trouble spots, or problems called in by citizens.