Tuesday, April 1 – 5:28 p.m.
King County’s Flood Warning Center closed at 5:15 p.m. after monitoring minor flood levels on the White River for approximately seven hours on Tuesday. The increased flows are due to controlled water releases from Mud Mountain Dam which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Controlled releases are expected to continue throughout the week as operators of the dam ensure there’s enough room in the reservoir for spring runoff flows.
The White River is expected to stay at Flood Phase 2 while releases continue. King County staff will continue to coordinate with the Corps of Engineers and monitor weather data in case conditions change throughout the week.
King County’s Flood Warning Center is staffed 24/7 during flood events, serving as an information clearinghouse for the public and other agencies responsible for ensuring public safety.
You can get real-time river level information at kingcounty.gov/flood. And to be even better prepared for flooding, sign up KC Flood Alerts, an automated system with customized flood messaging for all of King County’s major rivers. You’ll receive immediate notifications about pending high water via email, text or voicemail for whichever rivers you’d like, giving you current and accurate information about flooding.
Tuesday, April 1 – 10 a.m.
The King County Flood Warning Center opened at 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, to monitor rising water levels from controlled releases at Mud Mountain Dam on the White River. Minor flooding in low-lying areas along the river downstream of the dam is possible.
As of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 1, the White River just below the dam was flowing at 5,180 cubic feet per second; that’s slightly higher than the 5,000 CFS threshold for a Phase 2 flood alert. Find real-time river level information at kingcounty.gov/flood.
At these flows, overbank flooding could occur in the City of Pacific near Government Canal and within Pacific City Park. High water could also occur along the temporary flood protection barriers lining the river through the city.
Controlled water releases from Mud Mountain Dam helps ensure there’s enough room in the reservoir behind the dam to store spring runoff flows, when melting snowpack and additional rainfall can lead to sharp rises in water levels within the White River’s upper watershed.
King County Flood Warning Center employees are in close contact with their counterparts at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, operators of the dam that provides flood protection for the Puyallup and White river valleys. We’ll update this blog post with additional information as it becomes available.
Flood Warning Center employees can be reached at 206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263 during river flooding events to provide the latest information on flood conditions. There’s also a recorded message center with continuous updates of river gauge readings, flood phases, and other related information.
King County offers everyone free access to KC Flood Alerts, an automated system with customized flood alerts on King County major river systems.
When you sign up for KC Flood Alerts, you’ll get immediate notifications about pending high water via email, text or voicemail, giving subscribers with the maximum amount of warning about potential flooding.
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