King County levee system will be monitored 24/7, even on holidays; risk of breach as of Saturday afternoon is moderate with another system on horizon
KENT – Today Governor Bob Ferguson joined King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, Colonel Kathryn Sanborn of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and members of the Washington National Guard at the Kent Armory to provide an update on the historic flooding across Washington state. Specifically, Ferguson addressed the moderate risk of potential levee failures and how state and county officials are preparing.
Watch the full press conference here. See gallery of photos here.
Ferguson stressed once more that the floods have put significant strain on the state’s infrastructure. So far, the state has experienced two levee breaches: one in Tukwila and one in Pacific. This natural disaster remains a dynamic situation, and with the moderate risk of another levee system failure in King County, officials are deploying additional resources to monitor and prepare to respond in the event of a breach.
Ferguson has mobilized 100 National Guard soldiers, and 50 of them will be made available to monitor the levees at all times.
With the unprecedented number of days and amount of water that has put pressure on these levees, Ferguson urges Washingtonians to be vigilant and stay on top of local advisories and alerts.
To ensure communities are as prepared as possible to prevent and respond to a potential levee breach, Ferguson is meeting with other state, county and local leaders daily to stay on top of and communicate the latest developments.
“I want all Washingtonians to have the same information I have as Governor about the risks posed by the historic flooding we are still experiencing across our state,” Governor Ferguson said. “Our risk of another levee breach in King County is considered moderate at this time, but the situation is dynamic. It is critical that individuals listen to the guidance and alerts from their local leaders as we continue to navigate this unpredictable situation.”
“We want to make sure our residents have up to date information about the current risks and the steps we are taking out of an abundance of caution,” Executive Zahilay said during the press conference. “While floodwaters are receding, our levees have never experienced before the amount of saturation they are experiencing, for the duration they have been experiencing it. They are strained, particularly along the Green and White rivers. We will continue to monitor those levees very closely.”
“Our thoughts are with the communities who have been affected by this event, communities where many of our own Corps members and staff call home,” Colonel Sanborn said during the press conference. “Public safety is our number one priority always, and we are committed to supporting our partners when requested.”
In addition to deploying the National Guard, Ferguson announced other emergency preparations, including:
- Calling in four swift water rescue teams from the Department of Fish and Wildlife and local governments, doubling the swift water rescue capacity;
- Adding a second “strike team,” which will mobilize to repair the levee in the event of a breach;
- Providing all the necessary equipment for these first responders, including two loaders, eight dump trucks and 600 “super sacks,” or giant sandbags. Many of these resources are being provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
King County has activated flood patrols on the White, Green and Cedar rivers, and cross-trained 35 National Guard troops to augment flood patrol and enhance ability to monitor levees.
Ferguson urged Washingtonians to stay alert and listen to evacuation orders, road closures, and directives from local leaders — as different jurisdictions face distinct challenges.
Another atmospheric river could arrive in Washington around Dec. 28. Experts will be monitoring the forecast and take appropriate actions, as needed.
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