Traffic was especially heavy between Chehalis and its northern neighbor Centralia, with the opening of the route known as the Miracle Mile.
The National Guard was very helpful, Chehalis City Manager Merlin MacReynold said. Because prior to them getting here, our police and fire were pretty much working 24-7.
Since the Chehalis River began overflowing on Monday, city workers including the police department scrambled to close flooded streets and keep drivers from bypassing barricades, according to MacReynold.
The Chehalis Fire Department conducted more than 80 rescues in a 48-hour period, he said.
At the end of the day on Thursday, the city manager, with his rain boots close by, took a seat in his office and considered the floods toll.
Actually it was very bad, MacReynold said. Worse than 96 that everybody uses as a gauge. Significantly worse.
At its peak, water covered the west side of town, I-5, and the area next to the freeway on the east. It reached up to the Jackpot gas station on Main Street, he said. The south neighborhoods flooded less than expected.
Louisiana Avenue - critical access to the Twin City Town Center, Wal-Mart and Home Depot - washed away, but the new sewer treatment plant stayed dry and, encouragingly, processed the huge amount of water moving through it, according to MacReynold.
Stan Hedwall Park fared better than expected as well, he said.
Were probably talking costs in the millions, MacReynold said about the impact to the city budget.
Then he paused to consider the losses incurred by businesses, residents and other individuals.
Were probably talking many millions, he said.
To the north, places such as Yard Birds, the Sunbird Shopping Center and other businesses were hit hard, he said.
But the Lewis County Mall was high enough, I think its open today, he said.
MacReynold got a report of 10 inches inside the Veterans Museum just west of the freeway.
And the steam train obviously, who knows whats happening with that, he said.
It was too early to know how many families were pushed out of their homes, he said.
The city manager told of his decision to breach the Airport Dike, bringing down the water levels at the airport, on the freeway and around the sprawl of retail where Wal-Mart sits, still not reopened.
The Seattle media is suggesting we did something wrong out there, allowing stuff to be built, he said.
MacReynold expected renewed criticism about the city allowing development in a flood plain, and finger-pointing about it displacing flood waters onto others.
The reality, he said, is the city required the developers to exceed the requirements for how they would build and minimize impact on others.
Its not true we allowed these developers to cut corners, he said. Its not true.
MacReynold noted the good fortune that came in the way of weather that improved quickly after the flood.
Thank goodness the governor, the legislators and Brian Baird are here, he said. There is no quick fix; its going to take probably a year or more. And thats if we can put things back how they were.
As MacReynold directed city employees through another long day and considered the spending facing the city government, others in the county seat worried about their personal finances, or simply where they might live while their homes dried out.
Eighteen-year-old Chelsea Wilson and her family parked their car and walked onto the West Street bridge over I-5.
Wilson, whose Centralia mobile home stayed above water, even though four of their cars were submerged, wanted to get a look at K-Mart, where she works.
I talked to my boss and we get paid all the way through Sunday, Wilson said. Theyre gonna call us in about three days to have us come in and clean.
With her father and older brother, theyd already done some sightseeing.
Yard Birds Mall, where Wilson attends Centralias alternative high school, seemed okay, they said. Her dads former employer, Eagle Fireworks out on Bunker Creek Road; not so good.
On Prindle Street, soggy furniture, clothes and interior furnishings sat outside along the curb.
Maria Lima, 37, and her husband were moving everything out, with the help of more than a half dozen friends.
Im not sleeping too much, Lima said, as she stood in a room with pictures hanging on the walls, a bare floor and two dressers. She pulled open one drawer to show it was empty and damp.
Its all gone, she said.
The couple and their six children are staying temporarily with friends. Lima said she doesnt know when they will return to the home they bought in 1994, or how many nights they can stay with others.
I dont know exactly, because I have to fix the house, she said.
Across the street, 15-year-old Jake Reed and a buddy paused near the giant Dumpster brought in by the city.
Theyd been scanning the area for any of his belongings that might not have floated too far away, he said. The flood water was so deep, his rocking chair had landed at the end of the street, Jake said. Bottles of his mothers nail polish had turned up all over the yard.
It was so high, he said. This fence, somebody went over it in a canoe.
Jake lost his bed, his TV and all of his clothes, he said.
Their landlord brought his family and friends to empty out their house. Since five feet of water had soaked their walls, that meant the sheetrock would have to be torn out because of mold, he said.
This is sewer water, ya know that? he said.
His mother was at the Red Cross, finding him some clothes, he said.
Jake, his 9-year-old brother and his mom had stayed two nights in Puyallup. They planned to spend the night at their cousins outside Chehalis, he said
I cant get to school, he said. Theyre opening it tomorrow, but I cant go. I dont have the clothes, and I have to help here.
Sharyn L. Decker covers law enforcement, local fire departments and the courts for The Chronicle. She may be reached by e-mail at sdecker@chronline.com, or by telephoning 807-8235.
