King County: Be prepared for the flood
AUBURN, Wash. -- It's not a matter of if it will flood, but when.
That's the message hundreds of area residents received from experts at a meeting about the state of the Howard Hanson Dam on Wednesday night.
"We're looking at where the levees are going to potentially overtop or where they're going to fail," said Steve Bleifuhs of King County's River and Flood Mangement.
The experts had the full attention of the many who call the Green River Valley home. If the residents wanted a rosy forecast for the approaching storm season, they didn't get it.
The first signs of catastrophic failure at the 50-year-old dam appeared in the form of seepage back in January.
Since then, emergency efforts to save the dam left entire communities swamped. And King County officials say this winter may bring the worst. County officials predict a 60-percent chance of flooding this winter.
With round-the-clock repairs underway, officials, as a precaution, will restrict how much water the dam holds. The Army Corps of Engineers says extra water could be released in one out of every three storms. That could trigger flooding downstream.
But a complete collapse of the dam would cause a disaster for tens of thousands of people along the Green River in places like Auburn, Kent, Tukwila and Renton. Some 26,000 people could be evacuated.
"In order to prevent catastrophic loss of life, we will not bring the structure up to a point that it endangers the people downstream. We will be releasing water that exceeds that if we get a big enough storm," said Col. Anthony Wright.
Whatever the case, the experts want residents to be prepared in case the dam gives way. County officials say we can't weather another storm like last year's.
"If we had that much water in a rainstorm this winter, the valley would be under water," said King County Communications Director Carolyn Duncan.
King County has already decided to move its elections office off the flood plain, despite the move's nearly $1 million price tag.
"Our elections department having to move is just one example of what could happen in the future," said King County Council member Julia Patterson.
At Wednesday's meeting, residents posed all sorts of questions, but the experts focused on a key message: be prepared, and start now. Experts stressed that homeowners should buy flood insurance, have emergency radios that broadcast alerts, and figure out disaster plans, including a place to live if they can't get back home for weeks.
Those who attended the meeting said the gained some valuable information.
"I don't want to say it relieved all my fears, but it helped me know where I need to go to get help," said Clara Yarnes of Auburn.
"I have the flood insurance. That's about all. So I have a lot to do," said Anne Huckins of Kent.
That's the message hundreds of area residents received from experts at a meeting about the state of the Howard Hanson Dam on Wednesday night.
"We're looking at where the levees are going to potentially overtop or where they're going to fail," said Steve Bleifuhs of King County's River and Flood Mangement.
The experts had the full attention of the many who call the Green River Valley home. If the residents wanted a rosy forecast for the approaching storm season, they didn't get it.
The first signs of catastrophic failure at the 50-year-old dam appeared in the form of seepage back in January.
Since then, emergency efforts to save the dam left entire communities swamped. And King County officials say this winter may bring the worst. County officials predict a 60-percent chance of flooding this winter.
With round-the-clock repairs underway, officials, as a precaution, will restrict how much water the dam holds. The Army Corps of Engineers says extra water could be released in one out of every three storms. That could trigger flooding downstream.
But a complete collapse of the dam would cause a disaster for tens of thousands of people along the Green River in places like Auburn, Kent, Tukwila and Renton. Some 26,000 people could be evacuated.
"In order to prevent catastrophic loss of life, we will not bring the structure up to a point that it endangers the people downstream. We will be releasing water that exceeds that if we get a big enough storm," said Col. Anthony Wright.
Whatever the case, the experts want residents to be prepared in case the dam gives way. County officials say we can't weather another storm like last year's.
"If we had that much water in a rainstorm this winter, the valley would be under water," said King County Communications Director Carolyn Duncan.
King County has already decided to move its elections office off the flood plain, despite the move's nearly $1 million price tag.
"Our elections department having to move is just one example of what could happen in the future," said King County Council member Julia Patterson.
At Wednesday's meeting, residents posed all sorts of questions, but the experts focused on a key message: be prepared, and start now. Experts stressed that homeowners should buy flood insurance, have emergency radios that broadcast alerts, and figure out disaster plans, including a place to live if they can't get back home for weeks.
Those who attended the meeting said the gained some valuable information.
"I don't want to say it relieved all my fears, but it helped me know where I need to go to get help," said Clara Yarnes of Auburn.
"I have the flood insurance. That's about all. So I have a lot to do," said Anne Huckins of Kent.