King County closes Flood Warning Center as rainfall ends and rivers stabilize

January 20, 2022

Summary

The King County Flood Warning Center closed at 11 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20, as river levels began to drop from their peak flows following heavy rainfall earlier in the day.

Story

The King County Flood Warning Center closed at 11 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20, as river flows slowly stabilized and heavy rainfall eased after soaking much of the eastern portion of the county throughout the day.

The Flood Warning Center opened at 8:30 a.m. Thursday to monitor minor flooding along the Tolt River. A few hours later, the Snoqualmie River also reached a Phase 2 flood alert, with minor flooding in low-lying areas along the river. The Tolt River eventually reached a Phase 3, with moderate flooding noted upstream of Carnation.

Flood patrol crews logged several hours in the field throughout Thursday to monitor conditions and report their findings back to the Flood Warning Center. 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. 
 
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.

Find the KC Flood Alerts link at kingcounty.gov/flood. This website is a valuable preparedness resource, with all of the latest information about river levels and road conditions, plus weather reports and other critical links.

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 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.