Increased stream flows caused by planned water releases at a dam in the upper Green River watershed have led the King County Flood Warning Center to issue a Phase III flood alert level for the river.
As of 4 a.m., the Green River gage at Auburn was recording a flow of 9,230 cubic feet per second (CFS), which is just above the 9,000 cfs threshold for a Phase III flood alert on the river. At these flows, flooding of varied depths occurs in valley upstream of Auburn and lower Mill Creek basin. Southeast Green Valley Road and West Valley Road could overtop.
The Flood Warning Center opened late Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 13, to closely monitor for flooding conditions along the Green River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told King County earlier Tuesday that flows from the Corps’ Howard Hanson Dam would be increasing and higher stream levels could be expected on the Green downstream of the dam for the next several days.
Flood Warning Center staff will continue to monitor stream gages and weather reports and provide updated information on river conditions as necessary. Real-time river level information is available online at www.kingcounty.gov/flood. Staff will also monitor conditions from the field and report any emergency situations.
Updated information on flooding will also be posted on the King County Web site at www.kingcounty.gov, or via RPIN, the area's regional public information Web site, at http://www.rpin.org. A recorded flood-information hotline is also updated each hour for citizens wanting information in flood areas. The number is 206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263.
Citizens who need help interpreting flood information should call 206-296-4535 or 1-800-768-7932. Problems on county maintained roads can be reported by calling 206-296-8100 or 1-800-KC-ROADS.
Related information
Flooding Services and Information
River and Floodplain Management Section
Water and Land Resources Division