While some rivers recede, others still on the rise

Rivers are expected to recede today in what officials were calling the worst storm in a decade — one that struck quickly, flooding valleys, farmlands and rural neighborhoods around the region.

In King, Snohomish and Lewis counties three rivers are believed to have swelled to record levels, said Brent Bower, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service. Some of the worst damage could be in the Snoqualmie Valley, north of Arlington, near Oso, and areas near Packwood in Lewis County.

"A number of the slow rivers are going down," Bower said this morning. "The rainfall is moving out of the area."

But in Mount Vernon, lower areas of Snohomish County, and some areas of Pierce County, more flooding was predicted to come late Tuesday. The Skagit River is expected to crest tonight, and Snohomish County residents living in low areas east of Everett and onEbey Island were asked to evacuate late Tuesday afternoon.

Gov. Christine Gregoire declared a state of emergency for 18 counties because of flooding, and state transportation officials reported that the deluge closed sections of nearly 20 different Western Washington highways.

In addition to three deaths attributed to floodwater or slippery road conditions, another driver died Tuesday when he apparently ignored road closure signs on Highway 12 just east of Randle in Lewis County, and was swept into the Cowlitz River.

The heavy rain that has fallen across the region since Sunday was expected to taper to showers later Tuesday. The heaviest rain continues to hit south King County to the Oregon border, and it might take a little longer for it to let up there, said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Bower said additional rainfall is expected to hit Wednesday and let up sometime Thursday. More rain will then hit Friday and taper into light showers that could last through the weekend. Neither storm was expected to be as powerful as the one clearing through the region now, Bower said.

Bower predicts that another storm like this won't hit again this fall.

"It's something that happens once every 10 years," Bower said.

As of Tuesday morning, rivers from the southern edge of Western Washington to Skagit County were still rising. Nearly every river has reached or exceeded flood stage, Bower said.

In King County, the Issaquah Creek has already crested and has fallen below the flood stage, Bower said. The Tolt, Snoqualmie and Cedar rivers, also in King County, appeared to be receding. The Green and Puyallup rivers were still rising, Bower said.

Rochelle Ogershok, spokeswoman for King County Department of Transportation, said that nearly 35 roads are closed throughout the county. Most of the closures are in the Snoqualmie Valley.

"Access has been severely limited in and out of the Snoqualmie Valley," Ogershok said.

The Woodinville-Duvall Road closed Tuesday, as the Snoqualmie River crested in Carnation and Duvall, leaving the Preston-Fall City Road — which is open only to Fall City —the only road in or out of the valley, Ogershok said. The Snoqualmie River crested in Carnation about 4 p.m. at 61.7 ft., breaking the previous record of 60.72 feet set in 1990.

This morning, Carnation residents were cut off from the outside world as flood waters covered all roads into town, according to an Eastside Fire and Rescue spokeswoman, and the only access to town was by boat or helicopter.

Some residents had evacuated themselves, while others chose to stay and wait it out. "As long as they don't lose power, they're OK," said Sgt. Don Ellis of the King County Sheriff's Department. He said a supermarket was open and some fire units remained in town. .

A shelter has been set up at the Issaquah Community Center to house area evacuees.

Duvall, a town of about 5,000 several miles north of Carnation, also was cut off.

Six Duvall families on the west side of the Snoqualmie River were evacuated Monday, including a pregnant woman and a child scheduled to have spinal surgery today, said David Burke, deputy fire chief for the Duvall-King Count Fire District.

Cedarcrest High School in Duvall is being used as a shelter, currently holding about 15 people.

At Preston, the Raging River eroded an embankment at a bridge just north of I-90, dumping one lane of the bridge into the river.

Residents of Auburn and South King County prepared for high-water and minor flooding Tuesday afternoon as water was released from the swollen Howard Hanson Dam on the Green River, Clarke said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the water to alleviate flooding upstream, she said, and flooding was predicted along the Cedar River.

"People need to be aware of that and stay put, depending on where they live. We're definitely advising them to monitor the latest road closures," Ogershok said. "It may take some time for these roads to reopen. We could see roads closed for the better part of this week."

In Snohomish County, the Stillaguamish River remains above flood stage near Oso. The Skykomish River remains above the flood stage and the Snohomish River was expected to crest at Snohomish after midnight Tuesday at 33.70 ft.,according to the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management.

Highway 2, a main roadway across the state, remained closed in both directions at Baring because of a mudslide, according to the state patrol.

Firefighters, police and sheriff's deputies rescued over 30 people Monday stranded by flood waters in Sultan, Granite Falls and other rural areas, said Snohomish County sheriff's spokesman Rich Niebusch. He said people are evacuating from high-water areas today.

"The problem we're seeing this morning are people are driving around barricades and getting trapped in high water," Niebusch said.

In the town of Snoqualmie, much of the downtown area was submerged, and drivers had to ford hub-deep water on Highway 202 to reach the city.

Ten rescues took place Monday night of people who either refused to evacuate or who tried to drive through too-deep water. Many of the rescues took place along Park Street, which parallels the river, said Becky Munson, police public-information officer.

More than 80 people came to an emergency center set up at the city's new police station in the Snoqualmie Ridge area overnight Monday, Munson said.

Record floods forecast

Extreme flooding was expected around Western Washington. Rivers that could break records:

South Fork Nooksack near Wickersham
Record crest: 13.4 feet in 1955
Forecast crest: 16.3 feet

Skagit near Concrete
Record crest: 42.21 feet in 2003
Forecast crest: 46.05 feet

South Fork Stillaguamish near Granite Falls
Record crest: 21.17 feet in 2003
Forecast crest: 23.4 feet

Stillaguamish at Arlington
Record crest: 20.75 feet in 2003
Forecast crest: 23.1 feet

Skykomish near Gold Bar
Record crest: 22.49 feet in 1990
Forecast crest: 26 feet

Snohomish near Monroe
Record crest: 25.3 feet in 1990
Forecast crest: 25.4 feet

Snohomish at Snohomish
Record crest: 33.5 feet in 1990
Forecast crest: 34.2 feet

Snoqualmie near Carnation
Record crest: 60.7 feet in 1990
Forecast crest: 61.5 feet

Nisqually near National
Record crest: 12.18 feet in 1996
Forecast crest: 12.5 feet

Carbon near Fairfax
Record crest: 15.85 feet in 1996
Forecast crest: 16.4 feet

Cowlitz at Packwood
Record crest: 13.73 feet in 1977
Forecast crest: 15.9 feet

Cowlitz at Randle
Record crest: 24.24 feet in 1996
Forecast crest: 29.9 feet

Source: National Weather Service

Highway 202 was closed about 9 p.m. and remained closed east of Fall City, though at 11 a.m. Tuesday reopened through Snoqualmie, she said.

At the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, livestock owners throughout the county were boarding their animals for safe keeping —some as precaution, other out of sheer necessity.

By noon Tuesday about 150 horses, a dozen cows and goats and three zebra were temporarily calling the fairgrounds home. Owners mucked out stalls, fed their animals and wondered if the rain would ever stop.

"Most of the animals are from the southeast part of the county," said fairground manager Mark Campbell. "We're expecting many more from the northern part of the county as this flooding continues."

Gus Melonas, BNSF Railway spokesman, said that while Amtrak passenger trains are having widespread weather-related shut downs, freight service is almost back on schedule after massive delays Monday.

The Stevens Pass Route, between Skykomish and Gold Bar, is still not running because of high water and fallen rocks. Railway crews are currently replacing rock and expect to be back on track tonight, Melonas said.

Amtrak is busing train passengers between Spokane and Seattle and between Spokane and Portland. At least 10 school districts, covering more than 36,000 students, closed all schools Tuesday. The largest of them, Sumner in Pierce County, faced mandatory evacuations as the Puyallup River's continuing rise breached sandbags in neighborhoods north and south of the river. Surging rivers and the risk of impassable roads also forced the closure of the Sedro-Woolley district in Skagit County; Monroe, Stanwood-Camano and Sultan districts in Snohomish County; and Riverview and Snoqualmie Valley districts in King County.

Skagit County

In Skagit County, the Skagit River is receding in Concrete, but is still rising in Mount Vernon, where the river is expected to crest at 10 p.m. Tuesday night at 34 feet.

Residents there ,who have been filling bags with sand to deflect floodwaters, erected a 3,000-foot long sand berm by mid-day Tuesday.

Gov. Gregoire took a look at Mount Vernon by air, viewing submerged roads, houses and cars, along with livestock isolated by floodwaters.

It was "heartwrenching," Gregoire said. "Your heart goes out, and you just hope these people are out of there safely."

Mayor Bud Norris, who recalled floods in 1990, 1995 and 2003, said the city is now reviewing proposals for a $30 million levy system that would include a large, permanent embankment along Main Street..

On Monday, rising floodwaters had prompted authorities to evacuate residents from Hamilton, and draft a plan to evacuate homes in Burlington, Mount Vernon and Sedro Wooley. By Tuesday morning, though, the weather was taking a turn for the better.

"We're finding a situation that has changed vastly to the good," Don McKeehen, spokesman for Skagit County Emergency Management, said. McKeehen said the Skagit river crested in Concrete Tuesday morning at 37.7 feet.

McKeehen said there has been a "minus tide" from Skagit Bay sucking the flood water out of the rivers and back to the bay. Major roads into Concrete, Cape Horn and Newhalem have been reopened and residents are returning home.

Skagit County had requested 150 troops from the National Guard to stay until Friday but has reduced the request to just 25 guardsmen, McKeehen said.

In the town of Hamilton, under an estimated 6 feet of water, all 350 residents, except one family who refused to leave, have been evacuated.

Most of the evacuated families are in motels or have gone to relatives, but a Red Cross shelter has also been set up at the local Baptist church, which is on dry land.

The family that stayed behind is safe, according to officials, and can call to be rescued at any time.

Hamilton officials said they've hatched a plan to relocate the entire town. "We're right in the throes (of trying) to relocate the town north of Highway 20. We've made offers to acquire this property . . . well over 100 acres," said Ted Anderson, a Skagit County commissioner and chairman of the Hamilton Public Development Authority. The idea is to plat a new town site to keep the heritage of Hamilton alive, he said. "It just needs to be moved."

Gregoire, who visited residents at the church Tuesday afternoon, pledged to do everything she can to help relocate the town. "People here have seen this too many times," Gregoire said. The town has seen five bad floods since 1990, but residents are reluctant to move, they say, because of the quiet, the beauty and the tight-knit community.

Pierce, Thurston and Lewis counties

In Pierce County, the Puyallup River continues to rise and there is no estimated time when it will crest. Many residents in Sumner, Orting and unincorporated Pierce County are evacuating.

Emergency officials called for the evacuation of Riverside, in unincorporated Pierce County between Puyallup and Tacoma. Twenty-six Pierce County sheriff's deputies and five Tacoma police helped evacuate more than 45 residents and 12 dogs stranded along the Puyallup River, said sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer. Though the evacuations weren't mandatory, authorities contacted about 400 homes in the areas and only a handful wanted to flee.

Authorities also helped rescue eight people swept down the Puyallup River in vehicles.

In Thurston County, the Deschutes River has leveled out just below flood stage, Bower said. The Nisqually River is hovering just above flood stage.

"We missed the bullet yesterday and did fine," said Thurston County Emergency Management Director Lester Olson.

In Lewis County, the Cowlitz River at Packwood is hovering above the flood stage but appears to have dropped from its highest point, Bower said.

Rescuers were using boats and dump trucks to try to reach stranded people. The situation was further complicated by a mudslide that is blocking westbound access to Packwood.

In the Randle area, the sheriff's department reported 19 rescue operations in progress as water continued to climb..

Tuesday morning, the community was almost an island with water flooding the parking lot of a Shell Station and flowing along the side of Adams and St. Helens Restaurant.

"I've lived here all my life and never seen it this high," said Marie Gallion, café owner who had stacked boxes of supplies on the countertop in preparation of the possible flooding.

Just outside the café, on a flooded highway, rescuers launched a boat in preparation for evacuation operations. Some 30 people are believed to be stranded in second stories or possibly on rooftops in an area east of the river.

The Chehalis River, which runs through Lewis, Thurston and Grays Harbor County, was still rising, Bower said.

Dangerous weather

Since the storm hit the region Sunday, one man died in the flooding and at least two other deaths have been attributed to rain-slicked roads.

Typically, late November through February are the worst months for flooding in the region, said University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass. This week's storm can be blamed on a tropical jet stream from north of Hawaii that moved across the eastern Pacific, gathering moisture before unloading in the Northwest. The pattern is called a "Pineapple Express."

During a typical November, an average of 5.9 inches of rain will be recorded at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Between Thursday and 12 a.m. Tuesday, 7.57 inches of rain fell at the airport, according to the National Weather Service —a figure that breaks the five-day record of 6.69 set in 1979.

"This is not typical for an El Nino year, normally we don't get the big flood events," Mass said. "We've had over 10 to 15 inches in the Cascades. It's pretty extraordinary. Overall, this is a 10 to 20 year event."

Near Mount Rainier, Andy MacDonald, a 19-year-old elk hunter from Seattle was swept into the Cowlitz River early Monday after the river bank collapsed beneath his pickup truck.

MacDonald, who lived with friends in West Seattle, was hunting elk with cousins and uncles when he was swept into the Cowlitz River early Monday after the river bank collapsed beneath his pickup truck, officials said.

In Kirkland, a 51-year-old Everett man died early Monday after losing control of his vehicle on Interstate 405; his car slid off the road and collided with a guard rail and tree before bursting into flames.

And in Thurston County, Patrick Boyer, 51, of Olympia, died after he lost control of his motorcycle and hit a tractor trailer on Union Mills Road Southeast. He was dragged about a mile before troopers stopped the semi driver, who apparently didn't realize the motorcycle had hit his truck, according to the State Patrol.

Susan Michaels, executive director of Pasado's Safe Haven, a Monroe-based animal welfare organization, said the group has had about 100 volunteers helping rescue dogs, cats, sheep, goats and cows stranded in flood zones from Skagit County south to Lewis County since Monday morning. She said they are in need of flat-bottom boats to help with the rescue efforts.

"All hell is breaking loose. It's amazing," Michaels said.

Times staff reporters Sara Jean Green, Christine Clarridge, Hal Bernton, Andrew Garber, Joe Mullin, Marsha King, Brian Alexander, Sanjay Bhatt, Christopher Schwarzen, Peyton Whitely, Rachel Tuinstra, David Bowermaster and The Associated Press contributed to this report.