The King County Flood Warning Center opened at 9 a.m. on Sunday, March 16, after heavy rainfall brought the Tolt River up to a Phase II flood alert level. Only minor flooding is expected.

 As of 9 a.m. on Sunday, the Tolt River at Carnation recorded a flow of approximately 3,500 cubic feet per second (CFS), just at the Phase II flood alert threshold. Typically, only minor flooding in low-lying areas would be expected along the Tolt River at these flows, with the potential for water over just a few roads.

 A Phase II flood alert level is the level of the County’s four-phase warning system at which the Flood Warning Center activates to monitor conditions. The Flood Warning Center will remain open as long as flood conditions persist.

 Flood Warning Center staff will monitor stream gages and weather reports, and will provide updated information on river conditions as necessary. Real-time river level information is available online at kingcounty.gov/flood.

 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 six 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.

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.

 Updated information on flooding will also be posted on the King County website atkingcounty.gov, and via RPIN, the area’s regional emergency information website at rpin.org.

 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 gage 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.

 Questions or assistance with flooding on smaller streams or urban drainage problems can be called in to 206-296-1900 during business hours, or 206-296-8100 after hours or on weekends.

 Problems on County maintained roads can be reported by calling 206-296-8100 or 1-800-KC-ROADS.

[Source: RPIN.org]

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