King County officials continue to monitor the Green River Friday for flooding because of rainfall and releases of water from behind the Howard Hanson Dam.
But only minor flooding is expected in the lower Mill Creek basin, and in rural areas of the Green River Valley without levees upstream of Auburn, according to King County. The increased flows also bring the potential for overtopping along Southeast Green Valley Road and West Valley Road.
The Green River is currently at a Phase III flood alert level, with flows of 8,620 cubic feet per second at the Auburn gage as of 3:30 p.m. Friday. Water releases from the Howard Hanson Dam in the upper Green River watershed has pushed the river higher.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is operating the dam to keep flows along the Green River at Auburn no higher than 10,500 cubic feet per second, which is below the 12,000 cfs level of concern for levees from Auburn downstream to Kent, Tukwila and Renton.
Flows above or near levels of 9,000 cfs along the Green River trigger the corps to monitor levees 24 hours a day. These flows do not present flooding concerns for the more highly populated areas downstream, including Auburn, Kent, Tukwila or Renton.
King County 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 http://www.kingcounty.gov/flood.
Updated information on flooding will also be posted on the King County website at www.kingcounty.gov, or via RPIN, the area’s regional website at http://www.rpin.org.
A recorded flood-information hotline is also updated each hour for citizens wanting information in flood areas. The number is 206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263.
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