KENT, Wash. -- Residents along the Green River are getting some good news about future floods.

Government leaders announced on Monday that 400,000 sandbags have arrived, ready to be filled and placed along the entire length of the river.

"What you can see today is that we're all in this together," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Members of the state's congressional delegation from both parties stood with city leaders to once again urge folks along the Green River Valley to get flood insurance and a battery-operated radio as the floodwaters are bound to come.

"As much as each one of us repeats that message, there are people out there who don't yet have that message," said Murray.

While the message was delivered on a levee in Kent, upstream in Auburn efforts were underway to increase the height of a low-lying levee right in front of hundreds of homes.

And up at the Howard Hanson Dam, officials said efforts to put up a grout curtain are moving ahead to increase the holding capacity of the reservoir, but not to its full capacity.

"And as such, the risk to the people of the Green River Valley remains high, though we hope to make it less high than it was," said Col. Anthony Wright of the Army Corp of Engineers.
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With the arrival of $3.45 million worth of sandbags, the mayors along the flood route are feeling better about the impending trouble.

"To not only assist the population in preparing for a potential disaster, but in helping to prevent the disaster," said Kent Mayor Suzette Cook.

But the severe threat still exists.

"We need to make sure people stay focused on this," said Rep. Adam Smith, D-9th District. "You stand here and you look down at the river and you're like, 'That's not going to be a problem. it's not that high." The rains come quickly and the problems come quickly."

Additional public meetings are slated for 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, and Thursday, Oct. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at ShoWare Center in Kent.