King County Flood Warning Center opens as heavy rainfall leads to minor flooding along Issaquah Creek, Tolt River

January 6, 2022

Summary

The King County Flood Warning Center opened at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6, to closely monitor rising flows on Issaquah Creek and the Tolt River, where minor flooding is possible in low-lying areas following prolonged heavy rainfall.

Story

King County’s Flood Warning Center opened at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6, after heavy rainfall led to possible minor flooding along Issaquah Creek and the Tolt River. Flood Warning Center employees will monitor conditions as long as is necessary to protect public safety.

As of 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the flow on Issaquah Creek at Hobart was recorded at 7.57 feet, surpassing the Phase 2 flood alert level of 7.5 feet. For assistance with drainage and flooding problems within the City of Issaquah, call 425-837-3470. More information is also available by calling the City of Issaquah’s Emergency Information Line, 425-837-3028.

Meanwhile, as of 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, the Tolt River was flowing at 3,610 cubic feet per second (CFS) at the stream gage near Carnation, surpassing the Phase 2 flood alert level of 3,500 CFS cubic feet per second for that river. At these flows, some minor flooding is possible in low-lying areas upstream of Carnation. 

King County Flood Warning Center employees are monitoring stream gauges and weather reports to provide updated information on river conditions as necessary. Find real-time river level information is available online at kingcounty.gov/flood.

During river flooding events, King County serves as a clearinghouse for information on flood conditions, operating a recorded message center with continuous updates of river gauge readings and flood phases and other related information. Reach the Flood Warning Center at 206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263. Interpreter assistance in multiple languages is available.

King County offers everyone free access to KC Flood Alerts, an automated system that allows subscribers to receive customized alerts of potential flooding for any or all of King County’s seven major river systems.

Immediate notifications about pending high water are sent to email, smart phone text or voicemail, providing subscribers with the maximum amount of warning about potential high water.

Questions or assistance with flooding on smaller streams or urban drainage problems can be called in to 206-477-4811 during business hours or 206-477-8100 after hours or on weekends.

Problems on King County-maintained roads can be reported by calling 206-477-8100 or 1-800-KC-ROADS.

RELEVANT LINKS
• Sign up for flood warnings and alerts
• King County Flood Control District

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Doug Williams, Department of Natural Resources and Parks, 206-477-4543

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The King County Flood Control District is a special purpose government created to provide funding and policy oversight for flood protection projects and programs in King County. The Flood Control District’s Board is composed of the members of the King County Council. The Water and Land Resources Division of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks develops and implements the approved flood protection projects and programs. Information is available at kingcountyfloodcontrol.org.