Flooding in Whatcom County What to do Before, During, and After a Flood Annual newsletter for Whatcom County residents living in or near a floodplain, flood prone area, or alluvial fan zone
Winter flooding in western Washington is a fact of life. Like many communities, we in Whatcom County reduce the dangers and disruptions of major floods through education, aggressive flood plain management, flooding preparedness, advanced flood warnings, coordinated response, and post-flood repair of our dikes and levees. Our residents also benefit from of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which provides affordable insurance to property owners in exchange for locally-adopted floodplain regulations, construction standards, and best management practices. These commitments reduce your flood insurance premiums by 20% and ensure that our citizens are financially secure when the floods come.
Whatcom County Public Works administers these programs on your behalf. Our ability to safely respond to floods is a partnership between your local government and you – please do your part. Be aware. Be prepared.
Jon Hutchings, Director Whatcom County Public Works Debris flow in the South Fork Valley during January 2009. Flooding Hazards in Whatcom County Whatcom County floods occur between the months of November and Flood Warning System February. The Nooksack River and its tributaries impact the largest Whatcom County and the National Weather Service work together area of the county, including the overflow corridor between Everson before and during a potential flood event to try to warn county and Sumas. The Sumas River, Samish River, numerous alluvial fan residents of imminent flooding. If warranted, the Emergency Alert areas, lakes, and coastal areas of Whatcom County are also susceptible System (EAS) may be activated. The following local stations broadcast to flooding. Significant floods occurred in 1935, 1945, 1951, 1955, emergency information: 1975, 1989, 1990, 1995, and 2009, and more major floods are likely in the future. KGMI – AM 790 Natural & Beneficial Functions of our Floodplain KISM – FM 92.9 The floodplain – the low land adjacent to a river or stream that is KPUG – AM 1170 susceptible to flooding – is essentially nature’s “safety valve” for Flood information is also aired on NOAA Weather Radio at 162.425 managing floods. One of its crucial functions is to store and slow down MHz (Puget Sound), 162.525 MHz (Blaine) and WeatherRadio excess water. When a river has access to its floodplain, floodwaters from Canada 162.55 MHz. rain or snowmelt spread over a wider area, reducing and slowing the amount of water heading downstream. When the size of a floodplain is The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency reduced by dikes or altered by impervious surfaces like pavement, the Management records important information on an Incident Hotline speed, depth, and peak flows of floodwaters increase and may cause during floods and other emergencies. You can reach the hotline at greater damage to both natural and manmade resources. (360) 738-4551. To request sandbags during a flood, please call (360) 778-6400. Floodplains are shaped by a river’s movement. In the Nooksack basin, the floodplain contains old river channels and side channels that are If an evacuation is advised, you will be notified either by telephone, the critical for fish and wildlife, particularly for local salmon runs that use Emergency Alert System, door-to-door visits, or public address them for spawning and rearing. Old river channels provide storage for systems. During times of heavy rain, listen closely to one of the radio floodwaters and sediment, and help to dissipate the force and energy, of stations listed above, or call the hotline. floodwaters. Fresh sediments deposited by floodwaters on floodplains help to enrich soils, making for fertile agricultural areas. If you have internet access, visit these sites for flood information:
South-easterly view of Guide Meridian at the Nooksack River during January 2009 flood. Weather warnings: www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew
River forecast: www.nwrfc.noaa.gov
River levels: wa.water.usgs.gov/data/realtime/adr/interactive/ index2.html
This newsletter is published by: Whatcom County River and Flood Division 322 N. Commercial Street, Suite 120 Bellingham, WA 98225 (360) 778-6230 www.whatcomcounty.us/593/River-Flood Before A Flood
Protecting Your Property Floodplain Development Permits Before flood season starts in earnest, take steps to limit your losses. Before you build, remodel, repair, fill or re-grade your property, you should check with the county or city government in which you live as to Buy flood insurance. what permits and conditions will be required. It is always wise to check into requirements before you commit to any plans, construction, or Elevate your house above the 100-year flood elevation. materials. Floodproof structures – either make them watertight or able to withstand flooding with little or no damage. If your proposed repair or improvement is valued at 50% or greater of the value of the existing structure, then your improvement is Construct barriers or berms between the river and your home. “substantial” and will be considered new construction. To get the latest information or requirements for construction, substantial Prepare in advance to use sandbags, plywood and plastic during a flood. improvements, or filling and grading in the floodplain, please contact either the River and Flood Division at (360) 778-6230 or Planning Flood Insurance and Development Services at (360) 778-5900. You don’t need to live in a floodplain to purchase flood insurance. In fact, because Whatcom County participates in the National Flood Insurance Drainage System Maintenance Program (NFIP), any property owner is eligible for flood When flooding occurs, a common problem is improperly functioning insurance. About 50% of all flood damages nationwide occur outside of the drainage systems. It is important to inspect systems frequently for damage mapped 100-year floodplain area. Note that flood damage is not and remove debris that may clog or reduce drainage capacity before flood covered under standard homeowner’s insurance policies, and lenders water arrives. A plugged channel cannot dissipate floodwaters. require flood insurance for most floodplain home loans. Ask For Help There is a 30-day waiting period, so contact an insurance agent about getting flood insurance now. For more details or for help in selecting and planning property protection measures, call the River and Flood Division at (360) 778-6230 and make For more information about NFIP visit www.fema.gov/business/nfip, or an appointment. County staff are also available to conduct site visits to call 1-877-FEMA-MAP (1-877-336-2627). discuss your flooding and drainage problems, sewer backflow devices (if applicable), and structure retrofitting options.
Where Will It Flood The blue areas of the map show Whatcom County’s 100-year flood- If you would like more information regarding historic flooding, flood plain, the high-risk flood hazard areas in the county. These areas are lands insurance, or flood preparedness, including whether your property or one in the floodplain that have a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any you may want to purchase is in a floodplain, please contact the River and year. If your property is in the 100-year floodplain, it has about a 25% Flood Division at (360) 778-6230, or visit the reference sections of the chance of being flooded over the term of a 30-year mortgage. Bellingham and Whatcom County public libraries.
2 Flooding in Whatcom County During A Flood After A Flood
Flood Advisories Food and Drinking Water Safety When there is a possibility of a flood, the National Weather Service issues Do not use food or water that has been exposed to floodwaters, it may flood advisories. The advisories may use these terms: be contaminated.
Until the public water system or your private well has been declared River Forecast Point: A river gauge site that represents a specific reach of the river and has a flood stage established by local emergency safe, water for drinking and preparing food should be boiled vigorously for 10 minutes. management officials and the National Weather Service.
Flood Stage: The water level height in feet at a river forecast point where Re-Entering Your Home flood waters begin to potentially damage buildings, roadways and bridges. Return home only when local officials say it is safe to do so.
Flood Outlooks, Watches and Warnings: These are the three levels of Before entering, check for structural damage that could cause collapse. flood awareness that provide communities lead time and raise awareness Turn off any outside gas lines at the meter, or tank, and let the house and preparedness before and during a flood. air for several minutes.
Hydrologic (Flood Potential) Outlook: The initial level, which raises Do not strike a match when entering your home. There may have awareness of and preparedness for a possible flood event in 2 or 3 been a gas leak. days. Be careful about turning the power on again. Watch for electrical Flood Watch: The next level of community flood awareness and shorts or live wires. Do not use water-damaged appliances. preparedness, when conditions are becoming more likely for flooding Document your flood losses and contact your insurance agent for in a day or so, but are not yet imminent or certain. flood loss claims. Flood Warning: The highest flood level message, when flooding is Dry your house slowly. Carpets and drywall may have to be removed. imminent within 12 hours or is occurring. Since there are many Remember, water can be trapped between walls and will not dry. variables in a flood forecast, they are issued with an accuracy of plus or minus one foot. If your home or business has suffered extensive structural damage, this may be the time to elevate or floodproof the structure. Flood Safety Contact the Whatcom County chapter of the American Red Cross for Flooding can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable. Long periods of disaster assistance at (360) 733-3290. The Red Cross provides shelter, rain may cause slowly rising floodwaters over several hours or days, but a food, and health and mental health services to address basic human dam or levee failure could cause a rapid and dramatic rise in floodwaters. needs.
To decrease the potential for injury due to flooding: If You Evacuate Know the flood warning procedures. Secure your home. Cut off all electrical circuits at the fuse panel or disconnect switches. If you can’t, turn off or disconnect all electrical Move to a safe area before access is cut off. appliances. Shut off the water and gas. Don’t drive where water is over the road; the road may be washed out. Pack your disaster supplies kit, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, clothing, If your vehicle stalls in a flooded area, abandon if it is safe to do so, money, ID, child supplies and personal items. and seek higher ground. Don’t forget about your pets. Most shelters don’t allow any animals If you are caught in the house by suddenly rising waters, move to the other than service dogs, so make arrangements before a flood for your second floor and, if necessary, the roof. household pets.
Keep children away from floodwaters, ditches, culverts and storm drains.
Debris from the November 1990 flood lies across Ferndale Road. Photo courtesy of The Bellingham Herald.
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