Mount Vernon gets help from federal government ahead of major flooding along Skagit River
Mount Vernon getting help from federal government as flooding is expected
The floodwalls on the river walk of the Skagit River have not been installed just yet, but in other parts of Mount Vernon, they are up since those spots could see high waters first. The U.S. ARMY Corps of Engineers are also working on repairing an eroding levy ahead of the major flooding.
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - A major flooding event along the Skagit River is expected to hit the city of Mount Vernon beginning Monday. The city is getting help from the federal government ahead of the high waters.
Peter Donovan, the city’s project development manager, said the staff is monitoring river and weather conditions all weekend long.
"How much rain is falling? What the river is doing upstream from here--we’re always watching those things," said Donovan. "We’re dealing with nature and we’re dealing with a river that is fairly unpredictable. So, we do the best that we can to shore up any potential threat to our commerce and to our residents. And that’s the best we can do."
Skagit River levels are currently at the moderate flood stage and should recede over the weekend, but the concern is more rain is coming. The waters are forecasted to climb again to the major flood stage on Monday and Tuesday, possibly reaching 34 feet.
The city’s public works crews started installing floodwall protection in some areas. Donovan said Monday morning is when they will decide if the remaining walls will go up. The floodwall protection was installed in the spring of 2018, and could soon be put to the test.
"It’s a night and day difference from how we used to manage our floods, which was filling sandbags, stacking sandbags all day and all night to protect our businesses and residents downtown. Now it is about 12 hours with a couple public works crews putting the wall up and we have that same flood protection in just a fraction of the time," explained Donovan.
Crews with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spent two days placing 1,500 tons of rocks to help secure a levy at Lions Park.
"There was some erosion happening. There was some known areas of concern along this stretch of levy. So, proactively we looked to repair it before the rising flood waters," said Tony Doersam, construction representative for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Officials say the emergency repair project, in partnership with the city and Dike District 3, had been in the works for the past two years.
"If we’re at a position where we’re uncomfortable about the protection of life and property, we’re going to do the job, we’re going to do the work. And that’s what this is all about is making sure that our comfort level in protecting our public is as high as we can make it," said Daryl Hamburg, chairman of the board for the Dike District Partnership.
The updates come just in time, as the upcoming flooding could be more severe than predicted.
"Skagit is the third largest river on the west coast, has the third-largest volume on the west coast, it’s the only wild scenic river on the west coast. So, it’s a voluble situation and that’s why we’re proactively taking care of it," said Hamburb.
When the flooding happens, Hamburg said crews will be working shifts during all hours of the day monitoring all levies in the area for any potential issues.
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