Cline Road in Randle
US 12 West of Moon Road
US 12 West of Moon Road
US 12 West of Moon Road
Independence Road in Rochester.
Rose Holmes stands on her porch after water from a flooded Cowlitz River receded enough for her to inspect the damage on Wednesday morning in Packwood. Holmes, who has lived at her trailer along the river for five years, said she slept through the dangerous rising waters on Tuesday night.
Heavy rain over the past few days diverted a log jam on the Cowlitz River, altering the flow of the river toward homes along the north bank east of Packwood on Wednesday morning.
One of Rose Holmes' lawn ornaments sits among debris caused by flooding on the Cowlitz River right next to her trailer near Packwood.
Bill Leger, holds his dog while standing on his deck as he points to a flooded Cowlitz River on Wednesday afternoon east of Packwood. Leger's house and property is raised enough above the river bank so that Wednesday's flooding did not affect the property at all.
Al Ducatt, left, and his childhood friend, Mike Lytle, center, along with his dog, Baboo, walk along the banks of the flooded Cowlitz River to inspect the damage that had been caused from the rising waters on Wednesday morning.
Rising waters from the rushing Cowlitz River pushed over playground equipment behind a house on Mountain View Lane east of Packwood on Wednesday morning.
The Cowlitz River Valley in Randle is seen from the intersection of Peters Road and U.S. Highway 12 on Wednesday morning. Water levels continued to rise after this picture was taken.
Water from the Cowlitz River flows through property in the High Valley neighborhood east of Packwood on Wednesday morning.
Tune Road in Chehalis was closed on Wednesday morning to thru traffic after flood waters from the Newaukum River inundated the roadway.
A vehicle makes its way through standing water on SW Newaukum Road in Chehalis on Wednesday morning. Although the road is open to traffic, water covers the road in various spots.
With all area rivers either below flood stage or receding, this will be the final post to Flood Central, the home of rolling updates for recent flooding. Please see www.chronline.com and www.lewiscountywatch.com for the latest stories on the recovery and cleanup efforts.
Chehalis River Receding After Closing Roads in South Thurston County — http://www.chronline.com/crime/chehalis-river-receding-after-closing-roads-in-south-thurston-county/article_1fa63604-9f97-11e5-9234-db30e2c7b9a8.html
Sheriff Says East End Flooding Worse Since 2006 — http://www.chronline.com/crime/sheriff-says-east-end-flooding-worse-since/article_6adb0d72-9f6d-11e5-829b-9f48fb24a748.html
Lewis County Begins to Assess Flood Damage in Randle, Packwood Areas — http://www.chronline.com/crime/lewis-county-begins-to-assess-flood-damage-in-randle-packwood/article_44cff422-9f94-11e5-a41f-675fb254c876.html
"Now that the river is subsiding, the City is hopeful that we can reopen the Borst Park Christmas Light display Monday night – December 13th. City staff has been testing the lights, and everything seems to be working. Thank you for getting the word out this morning – please get the word out once again that families will be able to enjoy this wonderful tradition." — Sarah Blosser, Office Coordinator, City of Centralia Community Development
From Stacy Brown of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office: "We are receiving inquiries concerning making donations to flood victims. At this time, we have not identified a specific need or outlet for such donations. We anticipate this will occur over the next week. In the meantime, if you want to make a monetary or goods and services type donation please call our information/damage report line at 360-740-1152 and leave your contact information (phone number) along with the donation pledge you would like to make. We will have someone contact you as the need is identified. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity."
WOODLAND – Northbound Interstate 5 near Woodland remains closed due to a major debris slide blocking the highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation is working on a plan to restore some northbound traffic through the area late Thursday, Dec. 10.
WSDOT geotechnical engineers completed their assessment of the slope this morning and determined crews can start clearing some portions of the highway in an effort to restore travel on northbound I-5. WSDOT’s emergency contactor will begin removing debris immediately, and plan to open one lane of northbound I-5 by late this evening.
“Safety is our number-one priority,” said Southwest Region Administrator Kris Strickler. “We appreciate the public’s patience while we work to restore safe travel on this vital stretch of roadway.”
For safety concerns, WSDOT closed all lanes of northbound I-5 north of Woodland Wednesday, Dec. 9, when large rocks, trees and other debris spilled onto the highway. Due to the instability of the slope and the difficulty in assessing it in dark, rainy conditions, the highway remained closed overnight.
Drivers should continue to avoid this area and use alternate routes if possible. For updates, please visit WSDOT’s Southwest Region travel advisory webpage or follow WSDOT on Twitter.
U.S. Highway 12 remains closed at Moon Road. A WSDOT official at the scene said that the water does not appear to be receding, but is not rising at this time. Some smaller vehicles have been turned away from crossing floodwaters. There is currently no estimate on when the highway will reopen.
CEO of Chehalis Tribal Enterprises, Rodney Youkton, was at the scene of the highway closure as well, monitoring the flow of water over the roadway.
He stated that some tribal members are staying at Eagle’s Landing Hotel at the Lucky Eagle Casino until floodwaters recede.
He said that they focus on assisting their elder members first.
“At least they’re above the floodplain warm and safe,” said Youkton.
The Chehalis Reservation is currently cut off due to flood waters. All three main roads — Anderson, Moon, and Howanut Road — are all currently inundated by floodwaters.
Asha McElfresh and Melissa Southwick said water over the roadways in Independence Valley are significant but nothing compared to that of what they experienced during the 2007 and 2009 floods. Both women reside in the area.
Southwick said Independence Road SW doesn't flood too often, since work was done on the road after previous floods.
On Thursday morning, water inundated some of the roadway and poured steadily over the street. McElfresh, who owns Wobbly Cart Farm, said she is currently without power and much of her fields are covered with water, which is several feet deep in some parts.
The two were out for a walk with their kids to see how the recent rains had affected the area.
"We're used to it but it's always kind of exciting to see," McElfresh said.
We have a reporter on scene at Independence Road near Rochester who is reporting that water is rushing over the road way and is not passable for passenger vehicles. Four-wheel drive vehicles may be able to pass, but remember that conditions can change rapidly. Independence Road is still considered open at this time.
National Weather Service Says Current Rain Will Not Cause Rivers to Rise — http://www.chronline.com/crime/national-weather-service-says-current-rain-will-not-cause-rivers/article_11a2ff76-9f6d-11e5-b97a-c302df5f5dd4.html
‘It Could Have Been Much Worse,’ Randle Evacuee Says, Cascade Peaks Campground Caretakers Rescued in the Dead of Night in Randle — http://www.chronline.com/crime/it-could-have-been-much-worse-randle-evacuee-says/article_ab15d314-9f6c-11e5-bee2-ebcb0f3ce755.html
East Lewis County Residents Accustomed to Wandering River — http://www.chronline.com/news/east-lewis-county-residents-accustomed-to-wandering-river/article_ff06dd72-9f69-11e5-93e7-f3c3c83096f4.html
U.S. Highway 12 Closed Indefinitely — http://www.chronline.com/news/u-s-highway-closed-indefinitely/article_cf041900-9f69-11e5-9d2a-ab528c3f8655.html
Regional News: Two Die in Northwest Storms as Residents Brace for More Rain; Governor Declares Emergency — http://www.chronline.com/crime/two-die-in-northwest-storms-as-residents-brace-for-more/article_1fdd10be-9f6c-11e5-b616-9339ab4c7803.html
And, in case you missed it:
DNR: Half of State, Including Lewis County, Faces Extreme Landslide Risk — http://www.chronline.com/crime/dnr-half-of-state-including-lewis-county-faces-extreme-landslide/article_392a594a-9f6d-11e5-b6a3-5bccf491be97.html
More videos from East Lewis County where floodwaters continue to recede. Visuals Editor Pete Caster and Reporter Jordan Nailon are back in Randle and Packwood today reporting on recovery efforts.
Damage at Cascade Peaks
Water Over Detour
Water at Stover & Burton, Randle
Randle at US 12 / WA 131 Intersection
In Summary: US 12W Closed, SR 7 Closed, SR 6 Open, US 12E Open, SR 508 Open, SR 507 Open
CLOSED (as of 10 a.m., per WSDOT):
US 12 near Rochester - 6:59 a.m. .Dec. 10: Both directions of US 12 at Moon Rood is closed due to water over the roadway at milepost 39.8.
SR 7 Morton: Both directions of SR 7 near Klasey Road are blocked by trees and power lines over the roadway.
OPEN (as of 10 a.m., per WSDOT):
SR 6 Chehalis: REOPENED 8:48 a.m. Dec. 10 - Both directions of SR 6 are closed near Twin Oaks Road, west of Chehalis, due to water over the roadway. A detour is in place taking Twin Oaks to Froggner to Penning, or the reverse of that, depending on direction of travel.
US 12 Randle: REOPENED - 8:48 a.m. Dec. 10: Both directions of US 12 are closed near SR 131 due to flooding. A detour is available via Silverbrook for trucks and SUVs only.
SR 131 near Randle - CLEARED 3:25 p.m. Dec. 9: Both directions of SR 131 are closed between Siler Creek and Cispus Road due to flooding. Local detours are available.
SR 508 Morton: CLEARED 7 a.m. Dec. 10 - The westbound lane of SR 508 near DAy Road, west of Morton, is blocked due to a debris slide. Use caution and expect delays.
SR 508 near Cinebar: REOPENED 8:48 a.m. Dec. 10: Both directions of SR 508 near Studhalter Road are blocked by trees and power lines over the roadway.
SR 507 near Bucoda - CLEARED 11:00 a.m. Dec. 9: SR 507 near Bucoda in southern Thurston County is closed at milepost 7 due to high water. A signed detour is available.
Additional updates here: http://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/heavy-rain-high-winds-and-snow-on-its.html
"Due to flooding of the lower end of Fort Borst Park, the Christmas Light Display has been cancelled for the weekend of December 11, 12 and 13. We will update information after an assessment of the condition of the flooded lights has been made. Thank you." — Sarah Blosser, Office Coordinator, City of Centralia Community Development
LCPUD: "We are sending a Serviceman out to investigate an outage in South Toledo (Smokey Valley, Jackson Hwy, Foster Creek, Rogers Rd and area) and just hearing of an outage in Dryad. We’ll get more information out as soon as we have it." — Corenne (Cory) Moses, Communications Liaison / Operations Administrative Assistant, LCPUD
Chehalis Thorbeckes remains closed due to water over Chehalis Avenue.
WSDOT: Closure on US 12 both directions from milepost 39.8 near Moon Rd SW to milepost 37.6 near Elma Gate Rd beginning at 7:55 am on December 10, 2015 until further notice. Due to water over the roadway.
Oakville schools have canceled classes today as the Chehalis River continues to flood. White Pass has also canceled classes in East Lewis County.
State Route 507 has reopened between Centralia and Bucoda. It was closed yesterday as the Skookumchuck River spilled out of its banks.
From WSDOT: "Slide on SR 508 westbound at milepost 24.0 near Day Road, blocking the westbound lane. DOT units on scene, expect delays, beginning at 3:48 am on December 10, 2015 until further notice."
A 45 mile stretch of U.S. 12 is shut down because of several mud and rock slides, and the state Department of Transportation is warning people to expect an "extended closure."
Read more here: http://www.chronline.com/crime/u-s-shut-down-wsdot-warns-of-extended-closure/article_71e00778-9ef8-11e5-bed4-974a71137fb5.html
Lewis County Emergency 911 Communications confirmed with Washington State Patrol it is closed at milepost 46, near Twin Oaks Road in Adna.
Additional information from LC E911
WSDOT: All lanes of northbound I-5 near Woodland will remain closed overnight following a debris and rock slide. WSDOT geotechnical engineers will need to evaluated the stability of the hillside and they will not be able to safely accomplish this until daylight. Additional boulders have come down onto the highway and conditions are still extremely hazardous. At this time, there is no estimate for reopening the roadway. Drivers should take an alternate route and avoid the area. Freight traffic should use I-84 or SR 14 to US 97.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency after days of hazardous weather with landslides, power outages and flooding of roadways, homes and property. The proclamation covers the series of storms that began Nov. 30 and are continuing.
Inslee says some of the most severe flooding in Washington has occurred in three counties to the north and south of Seattle. The declaration also directs the Washington Military Department to coordinate state response activities and can be used to activate the Washington National Guard if necessary.
Several South Thurston County roads will be impacted by continued flooding on the Chehalis River, the Skookumchuck River and other waterways: http://www.chronline.com/crime/flooding-closes-roads-in-thurston-county/article_f61e02ac-9ed4-11e5-827e-d73413c9bf93.html
The White Pass School District has canceled classes for Thursday.
From Chief Deputy Stacy Brown of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office: "The Lewis County EOC will remain at level three throughout the night. We will continue to monitor rivers and roads throughout the county. Many roads throughout the county remain closed. Updates can be found here: http://roads.lewiscountywa.gov/. We will continue to provide situational updates on our Facebook page throughout the night. There have been no compromises to any dikes or levees in Lewis County at this time, despite rumors to the contrary. Be aware of scammers who may come into the area posing as contractors to “help” repair damages from the flood. Find more information on how to avoid becoming a victim here: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/10-ways-to-avoid-contractor-scams.aspx. Further information will be forthcoming as it becomes known."
WSDOT ALERT: Emergency closure of northbound I-5 near Woodland All lanes of northbound I-5 are closed past Dike Road (milepost 23) near Woodland due to a slide that brought rocks and mud down onto the highway. For the safety of the traveling public, the road will remain closed while additional slide debris continues to fall. Highway cleanup will begin once WSDOT has determined it is safe to do so. At this time, there is no estimate for reopening the roadway. Drivers should take an alternate and avoid the area.
Lewis County among areas of concern after heavy rain and flooding: http://www.chronline.com/crime/dnr-half-of-state-including-lewis-county-faces-extreme-landslide/article_e02c80a2-9ecc-11e5-a429-bf791bb57ee0.html
As emergency responders continue to help with evacuations from flooding on the Cowlitz River in Randle, waters are beginning to recede in the west end of the county.
Deputies from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office helped a family with a dog and cat evacuate from a home on Cline Road in Randle just before 3 p.m., said Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey at the Emergency Operations Center in Chehalis.
As of 3:45 p.m., the Cowlitz River remained at major flood stage just under a foot below the record level of 25.2 feet. It was not expected to recede below major flood stage until 10 p.m. tonight.
Kimsey said responders expect more evacuations in Randle, particularly on Cline and Kehoe roads.
Water continues to spill over roads in the Chehalis River Basin as well.
State Route 6 at Twin Oaks Road in Adna had about 6 inches of water over it at 3:34 p.m., but it remained passable, Kimsey said. Curtis Hill Road also had standing water and was considered passable by the Sheriff's Office.
A full list of road closures is available at http://roads.lewiscountywa.gov.
Meanwhile, the Centralia Emergency Operations Center is scheduled to close this evening at 5 p.m.
Streets still closed in Centralia include North Rock and North Iron streets from Main to Magnolia streets, the intersection of Oak and Maple streets, Kresky Avenue at Scott Johnson Road, Delaware Avenue and Roswell Road. Many other streets still have standing water.
Sandbag stations in the 400 block of North Pearl Street and the 2600 block of Reynolds Avenue will remain open while rivers and creeks are monitored.
"We are starting to get a handle on our current outages with most of the west end of Lewis County back in lights. A mudslide took down a pole and wire just east of Mossyrock on Mossyrock Rd East. Our crew has been working for several hours to restore power to this area. We hope to have power back by the early evening hours today. We have a second crew working in Packwood to restore service to far East Packwood including Upper and Lower Timberline. This crew has several hours of work ahead of them. A third crew is working soon on Dodge Rd to put wire back up then head to Packwood to assist that crew."
— Corenne (Cory) Moses, Communications Liaison / Operations Administrative Assistant
With one flood warning already in place for the Chehalis River at Grand Mound, the National Weather Service in Seattle has issued another warning for the portion of river at Centralia.
The river is expected to rise above flood stage in Centralia around 8 p.m. tonight, surpassing 65 feet and hitting the minor flood level, according to Kirby Cook with the NWS.
The river was at 63.83 feet at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Centralia.
Cook said the river is expected to crest at 4 a.m. Thursday, just above flood stage at 65.9 feet, before falling back below flood stage early in the afternoon.
The current flood warning will stay in effect through Thursday evening, Cook said
The predicted flooding will get worse further downstream, affecting the Grand Mound area the most. Major flooding is expected at Grand Mound when the river crests at approximately 4 a.m. Thursday morning at 17.21 feet.
Major flooding begins at 17 feet by NWS standards.
“Because the Chehalis is a mainstem river, it tends to carry a lot of the outflow from a lot of the upstream rivers, so it tends to flood longer and later,” he said. “…Grand Mound is a little worse scenario because they are further downstream.”
Right now, the Grand Mound portion of the river is just shy of moderate flooding, with the last reading at 2 p.m. coming in at 15.49 feet, 1/10 of an inch below moderate levels.
With the river expected to rise 1.72 feet till it reaches its peak, Cook said water will impact roadways in South Thurston County.
“Certainly the impacts when you start talking about anything over 15 1/2 feet, you start seeing flooding on roads,” he said.
Water is expected to affect U.S. Highway 12 and James, Independence, Moon and Anderson roads.
Since the river will land in the major flooding category, Cook said the impact potential for residential areas and structures is high.
Storms moving through the area later in the week will likely result in spikes to the rivers once again, but the storms are not predicted to produce precipitation that would rival earlier in the week.
“One of the mitigating factors with the weather we are going to pick up tonight, and remain active, is it’s sort of faster moving storms; not as much precipitation and just as important, the snow levels are much lower,” he said.
Snow will begin to accumulate around 3,000 feet and lower, a fact Kirby said will help rivers in the area because the precipitation is “tied up” as snow rather than rain.
On Wednesday night, Chehalis and Centralia will receive approximately a ¼ inch of rainfall and another 3/10 on Thursday before there is a break in precipitation.
“We are going to get weather, but it’s kind of quick little bouts of rain and not the prolonged heavy rain we saw earlier in the week,” Cook said. “Where we do get rainfall, that is going to cause rises on rivers.”
The Chehalis River should drop below flood stage early Friday morning, and stay below flood levels into at least early Sunday, Cook said.
From WSDOT: US 12 White Pass remains closed to through traffic in both directions. EB closure is at mp 138, near the junction of SR 123 and US 12, WB closure is at the Oak Creek Feeding Station at mp 183. Local access is allowed from the east side of the pass from mp 183, however motorists cannot proceed past mp 165 near Wildcat Creek. This is expected to be an extended closure as most of the EB lane has been washed away near mp 142.3 and also at mp 153.
A flood warning is still in effect for the Skookumchuck River near Bucoda, but with the river soon to crest, the worst is just about over.
Brent Bower, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle, said the Skookumchuck River was not affected as bad as other waterways in the region.
“It doesn’t flood every year, but it’s not particularly unusual to flood either,” he said. “Especially realizing how big of an event this is for the general area, the Skookumchuck didn’t do too bad.”
The river near Bucoda is at moderate flood level and is expected to crest soon at 16.39 feet, below the major flood level of 17 feet.
The last measurement on that portion of the river was 16.38 feet at 12:45 p.m. The flood level is 13.5 feet.
Although flooding in Bucoda, the Skookumchuck in Centralia might fall short of flood stage, Bower said.
“It can flood at Bucoda and not in Centralia, but because it was high enough at Bucoda, it’s going to come in really close to flood stage at Centralia,” Bower said, adding there are no warnings currently issued at Centralia. “It might just nick (flood stage). That’s what we are expecting.”
The flood stage in Centralia is 85 feet and the river is slightly below that at 84.19 feet. As of 2 p.m., river gauge charts still showed the river cresting above minor flood stage later today at 85.61 feet.
“Different places in the river are going to have a slightly different channel geography,” he said. “It may be higher or lower depending on where it sits.”
Storms later in the week are not expected to impact the Skookumchuck River. Bower said river levels should continue to decrease.
“Bucoda is cresting almost now, or by this afternoon, it will have crested,” he said. “Downstream will crest not that long afterwards at Centralia, so it will be done with shortly.”
State Route 507 remained closed between Centralia and Bucoda as of 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.
See photos of the Skookumchuck River escaping its banks in the gallery at the top right of this page.
The quality is not great, but this is kind of what the Interstate 5 corridor looks like from the air. Video provided by Washington Emergency Management Division. The State Patrol recorded the video within the last hour.
Here's a look at state Route 6 near Adna from LCSO:
Lewis County Public Works would like to warn the public of danger that may exist on roadways after flood waters begin to recede. Crews will be working to remove large debris off of the roadway throughout the night, but they won’t be able to remove all smaller debris, including, rocks, mud, dirt, sticks, etc. Motorists should be careful driving on roads that were covered by flood water, especially at night.
From WSDOT: "Closure on US 12 both directions at milepost 115.0 to milepost 116.5 beginning at 11:39 pm on December 8, 2015 until further notice. No detour available."
Both the Cowlitz and Newaukum rivers are expected to crest and begin to recede in the next few hours, according to the National Weather Service.
The Cowlitz River at Randle was last measured at 23.9 feet at 11 a.m.
“It’s still going up. It should be cresting soon,” said hydrologist Brent Bower, with the National Weather Service.
Bower said the river is expected to hit 24.3 feet — less than a foot below the record flood level of 25.2 feet — and begin to recede in the next few hours.
The Newaukum River was at 12.26 feet as of 10:45 a.m., just below the moderate flood level of 12.5 feet. The water level has stayed steady for the past few hours and is expected to recede to 11.7 feet by 4 p.m. this afternoon. It has been predicted to hit record levels, but instead could end up being a minor flood event by NWS standards.
Photos and stories after a night of evacuations and rising waters: http://www.chronline.com/crime/neighborhoods-become-river-channels-during-packwood-area-flooding/article_ddacddde-9eb0-11e5-874d-4b1201bf1569.html
Remember, you can check for road closures and updates here: http://roads.lewiscountywa.gov/
Some roads in various areas of the county have reopened, while others are just now closing as rivers begin to crest.
Updated river levels / forecasts here: http://www.chronline.com/lewis-county-river-readings-check-river-levels-here/article_99ee960a-7ffc-11e5-9320-b3629a3c650c.html
NEWS RELEASE, Dianne Dorey, Lewis County Assessor
December 9, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Dianne Dorey Phone: 360-740-1101; Marci Miess: 360-740-1111
CHEHALIS — After the recent flooding throughout Lewis County, Assessor Dianne Dorey, would like to remind Lewis County property owners where and how to file destroyed property claim for the purposes of valuation assessments which will affect taxes.
Property owners who have experienced damage to their structures from flooding or other circumstances can obtain a Destroyed Property form from the Assessor’s Office on the second floor of the Historic Courthouse at 351 NW North St, Chehalis, WA; by accessing the Assessor’s Office homepage at www.lewiscountywa.gov and choosing the form under the “Assessor Pages”; or by calling (360)740-1392. Forms can be mailed or hand delivered to the address above or faxed to (360) 740-1262.
After the form is submitted to the Assessor’s Office, a Lewis County Appraiser will inspect the property and determine the current value of the property. Dorey states, “Lewis County Appraisers are easily identifiable: they drive a marked county vehicle and wear a green or orange uniform shirt under their orange safety vest. They will be wearing an identification badge and will leave a business card at the property. If you have any questions about someone being on your property representing themselves as a Lewis County Appraiser who does not have proper identification or uniform, please call my office at 360-740-1392”. Dorey adds that inspections are done according to workloads and routes of her Appraisers.
If you need more information, please contact the Lewis County Assessor’s Office at (360) 740-1392.
More Photos from Randle
Closure on SR 507 in both directions at milepost 7.0 near O'Conner Rd beginning at 10:45 am on December 9, 2015 until further notice. This is due to water over the roadway. A signed detour is available.
"We are now accepting damage reports from the current weather event (flooding, high winds & landslides) beginning December 8th and continuing. This damage assessment process is extremely important. If we are unable to indicate the severity of the damages, there may not be FEMA funding to help our citizens recover their losses. Please encourage everyone to participate!
Impacted residents are asked to call one of the following phone numbers and leave their name and a good contact telephone number. Someone will return the call to gather specifics of their losses:
Lewis County and all other cities + Town of Pe Ell – 740-1152
City limits of Centralia – 360-623-8283
Information needed for the call back will include:
Citizens:
· Dollar value of the loss
· Value of the property loss (tax assessment value if property)
· Any insurance coverage
Business:
· Dollar value loss of inventory/building damage
· Insurance
· Was business closed during event (if so, dollar value of losses)
I appreciate that many of you receive the initial calls from citizens wanting to report damages (not everyone automatically knows who to call). Please accept my appreciation for partnering with Emergency Management to assist our citizens in their time of need."
Steve Mansfield, Manager
Lewis County DEM
351 NW North Street
Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1151
FAX: (360) 740-1471
Steve.Mansfield@lewiscountywa.gov
Website: www.lewiscountywa.gov
"Salkum is restored, as are Bunker Creek & Spooner Roads in Adna."
— Corenne (Cory) Moses, Communications Liaison / Operations Administrative Assistant
US 12 is closed between Packwood and Naches and will be an extended closure, the roadway is continuing to erode.
The Lewis County Gospel Mission, located in Chehalis, is closed today because of flooding on Chehalis Avenue.
Fay Ternan, executive director, said the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce is allowing the mission to use its parking lot on Chamber of Commerce Way for a trailer. The mission will be serving lunches from the trailer to anyone who needs one from noon to 2 p.m. today.
Should anyone need to communicate with the mission, a comment can be posted on the mission’s Facebook page. Also, they can call (360) 880-8088.
The Red Cross has opened a shelter at the Packwood Community Presbyterian Church located at 12096 U.S. Highway 12 in Packwood.
Community members displaced due to the flood are welcome to seek shelter and food at the church, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.
Additional Slide Info
Fiber Optic Lines Down
Photo by LCSO
A note from Thorbeckes in Chehalis: "Chehalis Thorbeckes is closed due to water over the Chehalis Avenue — as well as these businesses located at Chehalis Thorbeckes: Lewis County Head Start, Providence Physical Therapy, Brianna’s Place Salon & Wellness Center and Lower Columbia Occupational Health. We will re-open once the water clears from the roadway."
It's been a wild 24 hours in Lewis County and beyond. Here's the latest from a series of storms that have struck Washington and Oregon: http://www.chronline.com/crime/the-latest-on-pacific-northwest-storms-seven-rescued-from-river/article_9f11b02a-9e99-11e5-a641-3fa316e61538.html
The Skookumchuck River remains at moderate flood stage in Bucoda.
The river is expected to crest there at 16.39 feet at 4 p.m. today. It's currently at 16.12 feet
So far, Bucoda is unscathed.
"There's nothing in town," Ken Walling, clerk/treasure for the South Thurston County town, told The Chronicle.
Downriver, at the Skookumchuck gauge in Centralia, the waterway is predicted to crest at minor flood level this afternoon.
Mossyrock Road has been closed near the intersection of Blankenship Road due to a slide, according to a county official. It joins several other closed and restricted roads in Lewis County, including Jackson Highway south of Toledo.
See a current list of Lewis County road closures here: http://roads.lewiscountywa.gov/
Chronicle Reporter Natalie Johnson says Kresky Avenue has been closed and officials are currently turning motorists around at Northeast Hampe Way at the Lewis County Mall. We'll post more details as they become available.
Boistfort School District is closed for the day due to water over roadways on several bus routes. It joins White Pass, Morton and Lewis County Head Start at Thorbeckes in canceling classes today.
China Creek spilled out of its banks and other low-lying areas took on water, but officials are cautiously optimistic the worst predictions won't be realized: http://www.chronline.com/crime/twin-cities-officials-no-major-flooding-in-centralia-chehalis/article_74b0b27c-9e8f-11e5-a845-c3472eaa9604.html
From County River Notification System: "The Skookumchuck River at Centralia is approaching flood stage of 85.0 ft. The Alert stage at Skookumchuck River at Centralia is experimentally set at 83 ft. Highest stage at Skookumchuck River at Centralia during 2014-15 season was approximately 84 feet."
From Twin Transit: "Please be advised that all Twin Transit flood route updates are available at www.twintransit.org on the home page."
Several rivers in the area reached moderate flood stage this morning. River levels were below earlier estimates, which predicted the Newaukum at record flooding and the Chehalis River with moderate to major flooding.
Currently at minor flooding, the Chehalis near Grand Mound is still expected to see major flooding, with the crest of the river estimated at 17.15 feet early Thursday morning, according to information from the National Weather Service.
Major flooding for this portion of the river begins at 17 feet, moderate flooding at 15.5 feet and minor flooding at 14 feet.
The last observed reading on the river was 14.66 feet, above minor flooding, at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The Chehalis River near Doty was expected to crest right below the minor flood stage of 13 feet at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning. The river was last observed at 12.97 feet at 6:30 a.m.
At Centralia, the Chehalis River is expected to crest at 66.5 feet Thursday morning. The water level sits above minor flood stage which begins at 65 feet. The last observed value on this portion of the river was 61.14 feet at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The Skookumchuck River near Bucoda reached moderate flood stage and was recorded at 15.75 feet at 5:45 a.m. near Bucoda. The river is expected to crest at 16.19 feet Wednesday morning, below the 17 feet needed for major flooding.
The Skookumchuck at Centralia is estimated to see only minor flooding, with the river cresting at 85.39 feet Wednesday evening before 6 p.m. The river was recorded at 82.51 feet at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. On this portion of the river, moderate flooding begins at 86 feet.
The Newaukum River near Chehalis reached minor flood stage and is expected to crest at 12.43 feet at about 10 a.m. today. Originally, the river was predicted to reach record flooding levels, which would be over 13.5 feet. With less precipitation than expected, the river’s last reading was at 12.15 feet at 5:45 a.m.
Here's an updated story on the situation in Randle and Packwood, where the Sheriff's Office hopes they have already seen the worst: http://www.chronline.com/crime/stranded-packwood-randle-residents-rescued-overnight/article_c87ff10c-9e84-11e5-a712-671d3bccd84b.html
For those living in Thurston County or traveling through, here's an update on road closures and restrictions: http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/publicworks/2015/RoadStatusMap.aspx
From WSDOT: "State Route 7 is fully blocked at milepost 1.2 near Klasey Road by down power lines and trees. Use caution and expect delays, beginning at 3:49 a.m."
UPDATE: WSDOT has announced that the closure has been cleared.
This press release was just issued by the Lewis County Sheriff's Office. Look for an updated story on the situation in East Lewis County later this morning:
"Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies rescued several people in the east end of the county, starting last night around 1930, and continuing throughout the night.
A family called 911 from their residence on Mountain View Drive in High Valley, Packwood, last night at approximately 1927 hours, asking for help.
A log jam formed in the nearby Cowlitz River, causing the river to reroute, suddenly causing water to flow into their residence.
Deputies rescued another man, shortly thereafter, from a residence in High Valley 4 who had water around his house.
At 0204 hours, deputies rescued another family, surrounded by water, from the 100 block of Firwood Drive North in Randle.
At 0358 hours, deputies rescued a family from Cascade Peaks RV Park, in the 11500 block of Us Hwy 12.
Deputies are now enroute to Maple Grove Road to assist a female in evacuating her residence.
Deputies are utilizing the Sheriff’s Office 5-ton truck to effect the rescues.
Water is running down Mountain View Drive, a residential area in High Valley 8. The roadway is completely covered with water and numerous houses have water in and around them.
Numerous residences in High Valley 4, 6, 8 have been evacuated.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reminds citizens to be aware of the rising water levels and leave before rescue is necessary.
Also, pay attention to water over the roadway and obey road closed signs.
The leading cause of death during flooding is people being swept into water and becoming trapped in their vehicles.
Citizens are asked to monitor river levels at: http://rivers.lewiscountywa.gov/ and be prepared for changing conditions.
Road closures can be monitored here: http://roads.lewiscountywa.gov/
U.S. HWY 12 at MP 115 to 116.5 in Randle is closed. There is a detour on Silverbrook Road. It is also closed at U.S. HWY 12 at MP 138 (no detour).
There is also a mudslide at MP 183 (Yakima County) closing both lanes of the highway. More information about State Highway closures can be found at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/.
DOT is enroute to check the Core Bridge in Randle."
The latest update from WSDOT: "Closure on US 12 both directions at milepost 138, near the intersection of SR 123 and US 12 to milepost 183 near the Oak Creek Feeding Station due to mud and debris across the road in multiple locations."
Boistfort schools are on a two-hour delay today. There will be no preschool. White Pass and Morton classes are canceled.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Dana Felton told The Chronicle this morning that the amount of rain expected overnight in the Lewis County area never materialized, leading to reduced flooding predictions on the Newaukum, Chehalis and Skookumchuck rivers.
"We got a lot but not as much as we forecasted," he said. "That prevented the Newaukum from getting higher there. It's still a couple feet over flood stage."
Meanwhile, the Cowlitz River at Randle continues to rise.
Last measured at 22.9 feet at 5 a.m., it's expected to crest at 23.85 feet by 10 a.m. That's a major flood by NWS standards, and not far off the record of 25.2 feet.
Stacy Brown, of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office, said the Emergency Operations Center would produce an update this morning on the efforts of responders in East Lewis County.
Felton said showers remain in the immediate forecast, but won't play a role in additional flooding.
"It won't amount to anything hydrologially significant," Felton said.
The effects of the storms that swept through Tuesday are beginning to wear off, he said.
"Things are not winding down, but we're starting to see the end," Felton said.
See updated river levels here: http://www.chronline.com/lewis-county-river-readings-check-levels-here/article_99ee960a-7ffc-11e5-9320-b3629a3c650c.html
The latest forecast by the National Weather Service shows a sharp decrease in projected flooding on the Newaukum River at Chehalis.
While previous predictions showed a likelihood of record flooding of about 13.5 feet, the forecast now calls for a crest of 12.31 feet — moderate flooding — at 10 a.m. today.
Meanwhile, the Cowlitz River at Randle remains at major flooding levels.
Check back for more.
Morton School District classes are canceled for Wednesday due to floodwaters.
The Lewis County Sheriff's Office and East Lewis County fire districts continue to respond to flooding on the Cowlitz River, which has closed U.S. Highway 12 at Randle.
The river gauge at Randle showed a depth of 21.21 feet as of about midnight. It's expected to reach 22 feet — the threshold for a major flooding designation — by 4 a.m. before cresting at 23.85 feet at 10 a.m. It's expected to remain near that level until beginning to recede at about 4 p.m.
The record for the Cowlitz River at Randle is 25.2 feet.
Upstream, in Packwood, moderate flooding of 11.14 feet is continuing with a predicted peak of 12.89 feet at 4 a.m.
Dusty Breen, of the Lewis County Sheriff's Office, is among staff working through the night at the Emergency Operations Center in Chehalis.
He said the Sheriff's Office is essentially moving downstream as the threat of flooding shifts with the flow of water.
"All our patrol resources are paying attention to the river," he said.
Eventually, resources will be applied to the Newaukum River, where record flooding is still expected Wednesday. The highest the water has ever been measured at the Newaukum River near Chehalis is 13.5 feet. If National Weather Service predictions come to fruition, it will reach 13.52 feet at 10 a.m. Wednesday before receding.
For updated river levels — including gauges on the Chehalis and Skookumchuck rivers, which are also facing the likelihood of moderate and major flooding — visit http://www.chronline.com/lewis-county-river-readings-check-levels-here/article_99ee960a-7ffc-11e5-9320-b3629a3c650c.html.
The Chronicle will continue to update until the threat of flooding subsides.
See previous updates below.
From WSDOT: "Closure on US 12 both directions at milepost 115.0 to milepost 116.5 with detour at Silverbrook beginning at 11:39 pm on December 8, 2015 until further notice."
"Closure on US 12 both directions at milepost 138, near the intersection of SR 123 and US 12 to Oak Creek Feeding Station at milepost 183."
From WSDOT: "State Route 141 is closed due to water over the roadway in both directions from milepost 25 near Trout Lake to milepost 25.3 near Randle Road/ Forestry Road 88."
Centralia Public Works staff have closed a portion of Main Street as water from China Creek is spilling into the roadway.
Efforts were underway to place boards and sandbags around Eubanks Glass at about 10:30 p.m. as several vehicles sped through the area, sending waves of water in the direction of the business.
The low-lying neighborhood comprised of North Rock, Oak, Iron and Silver streets, as well as other roads, is suffering the most from the flooding on China Creek.
(see photos in gallery)
To check for area school closures and delays, go here: http://www.chronline.com/winteralerts
Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Lewis County Fire District 14 in Randle are going door-to-door in the Packwood area warning residents of the rising levels of the Cowlitz River.
Field Operations Chief Bruce Kimsey, of the Sheriff’s Office, said many homes in the 600 block of Cannon Road in Packwood were already vacated when officials arrived, and so far they have not had to assist with evacuations.
As the river continues to rise, Kimsey said state Route 131 and Cispus Road in Randle will be areas of concern.
“I’m hoping people are listening to the warnings and make a safe choice,” Kimsey said.
According to Lewis County’s river phase system, the Cowlitz at Packwood and Randle is at phase 4 with major road closures and residential flooding.
At Packwood, the river was recorded at 11.06 feet at 7:45 p.m., which is moderate flood stage. It is expected to reach 12.86 feet at major flood stage.
In Randle, the Cowlitz was just below moderate flooding at 19.83 feet at 8 p.m. It is predicted to reach major flood stage at 23.85 feet.
The Cowlitz River gauge at Packwood was the first to reach moderate flood level at 11.06 feet at 7:45 p.m. today. The river is expected to crest at 12.86 feet, which is in the major flood stage level.
At Randle, the Cowlitz remains in the minor flood stage level at 19.83 feet as of 8 p.m. However, that is just below moderate, which begins at 20 feet. The Cowlitz at Randle is expected to reach 23.85 feet in the major flood stage.
The Newaukum River is still set to hit a record at 13.6 feet; the previous record and major flood stage begins at 13.5 feet. At 7:45 p.m., the river was recorded at 11.09 feet in minor flood stage.
The Chehalis River at Centralia was recorded at 59.55 feet at 7 p.m. today, and is expected to reach moderate flood stage, cresting at 68.81 feet.
At Grand Mound, the Chehalis is expected to hit 17.45 feet in the major flood stage. It was recorded at 13.41 feet at 8 p.m., which is just below minor flood stage, 14 feet.
The Skookumchuck in Centralia has hit 79.99 feet as of 6:30 p.m., and is expected to crest at 86.2 feet in moderate flood stage.
8:50 p.m.: Flooding on China Creek is intensifying as rain continues to fall and the water continues to rise. "We waited as long as we could," said Sherry Hill, who lives in an apartment on Maple Street." I think we waited too long." A steady stream of residents are making use of the sandbag station on Maple Street. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the night.
From WSDOT: "Water over Roadway on state Route 131 southbound at milepost 0.5 near Siler Creek to Cispus Roadd has the road closed. Use caution and alternate routes if known."
A slight lull in precipitation in the Chehalis River Basin and other areas of Western Washington is being reflected in graphs from river gauges, which show the Chehalis River apparently falling short of initial predictions.
But National Weather Service Meteorologist Dana Felton said residents of the Chehalis River Basin should expect a large dose of rain tonight that will keep the water rising well into Wednesday.
"This (precipitation) is not over by a long shot," he said.
The Chehalis River was last measured at 59.55 feet in Centralia at 7 p.m. (see live river levels here: http://www.chronline.com/lewis-county-river-readings-check-levels-here/article_99ee960a-7ffc-11e5-9320-b3629a3c650c.html)
It's now expected to crest in Centralia at about 70 feet at 10 p.m. Wednesday. That's moderate flood stage, 2 feet below major flood stage.
"We're still going for that," Felton said. "There's been a slight lull in the precip but it will pretty much rain all night."
Three river gauges in Lewis County are showing two rivers have reached minor flood stage.
The Cowlitz River at Packwood and Randle is at minor flood stage.
The most recent reading from Packwood is 10.61 feet at 5:15 p.m.; flood stage is 10.5 feet.
The Cowlitz at Randle was at 18.04 feet as of 5 p.m. Minor flood stage begins at 18 feet.
The river at both gauges are expected to reach major flood stage.
The Newaukum River near Chehalis hit 10.54 feet at 4:45 p.m. Minor flood stage begins at 10.5 feet. The river is predicted to hit a new record flood level at 13.5 feet.
Check for additional school closures and delays here: http://www.chronline.com/winteralerts
You can check for local road closures here: http://roads.lewiscountywa.gov/
6:25 p.m.: Randle Prepares for the Cowlitz to Crest: http://www.chronline.com/crime/randle-prepares-for-the-cowlitz-to-crest/article_b6944590-9e13-11e5-a7f1-6b61d401188c.html
The city of Centralia and the Centralia Police Department have declared a local emergency due to the projected flooding in the area; the Chehalis River at Centralia is expected to reach moderate flood stage.
The city’s Emergency Operations Center opened on a limited basis beginning at 6 p.m.
Overnight flooding may occur in the area south of Summa Street/Salzer Valley Road and east of Kresky Avenue/National Avenue.
Operational resources requests should be directed to the Lewis County Emergency Operations Center until further notice. The center’s number is (360) 740-1151.
Centralia sandbag stations are open at the northwest corner of West Maple and North Pearl Street and the Centralia City shop at 2600 Reynolds Road.
More sandbag stations will be opened if needed, locations will be posted on Centralia’s city website.
The city is monitoring water levels and updates will follow as conditions change.
5:30 p.m.: China Creek is spilling out of its banks in several areas, closing low-lying streets off of Main Street.
Newaukum River
The Newaukum River near Chehalis is predicted to hit record flood stage at 13.61 feet, cresting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. The previous record was 13.5 feet, which is also major flood stage.
The river was last observed at 9.97 feet at 2:45 p.m. today, and is expected to hit minor flood stage, 10.5 feet tonight.
Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is expected to hit major flood stage at both Packwood and Randle.
The last observed level at Packwood was 9.44 feet at 3:30 p.m. today.
The river is expected to crest above major flood stage at 12.12 feet at about 4 a.m. Wednesday at Packwood. Major flood stage is 12 feet. The record is 14.6 feet. Minor flood stage is 10.5 feet.
From there the high water will flow down to Randle, which is expected to crest at 22.19 feet at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Major flood stage at Randle is 22 feet, and the record is 25.2 feet.
The Cowlitz at Randle was at 16.67 feet at 3 p.m. today. Minor flood stage is 18 feet.
The Chehalis River
The Chehalis River at Doty was last recorded at 12.13 feet at 3:30 p.m. today. It is expected crest in the minor flood stage level at 14.82 feet at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Minor flooding begins at 13 feet.
As the highwater from Doty travels to Centralia, it is expected to reach moderate flooding levels, cresting at 70.04 feet at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Moderate flooding on the Chehalis at Centralia begins at 68.5 feet. The last read on the river was 58.97 feet at 3 p.m. today. The record at Centralia is 74.8 feet.
The Chehalis near Grand Mound is predicted to reach major flood stage, cresting at 17.93 feet at 10 a.m. Thursday. Major flood stage begins at 17 feet. The river is expected to reach minor flood stage, 14 feet late, today or early Wednesday morning. The record flood level at Grand Mound is 20.2 feet. The river was recorded at 12.76 feet at 4 p.m. today.
Skookumchuck River
The Skookumchuck River is expected to hit moderate flood stage in both Bucoda and Centralia on Wednesday.
Near Bucoda, the river is expected to crest at 16.25 feet. The minor flood stage for this portion of the river is 13.5 feet, with moderate flooding occurring at 15 feet.
The record for the Skookumchuck near Bucoda is 17.9 feet.
The last documented level was at 3:45 p.m. today at 11.4 feet near Bucoda.
In Centralia, the last r
