Residents brace for White River flooding as heavy rain continues

AUBURN, Wash. -- The White River is under a flood warning until further notice.

Minor flooding was occurring Wednesday and was forecast to crest just under moderate flood stage Friday afternoon.

Residents in Auburn and Pacific say they're no strangers to flooding.

"It's been terrible. It's a nightmare, it's over and over. Every year it's the same thing," said resident Vicky Nelson.

Nelson has been a Pacific resident for 20 years. Her home flooded in 2009 and 2013.

"I'm exhausted from it and for my neighbors too. Some people have given up and sold their houses for under their value to just get out from under the stress," said Nelson.

She and a handful of homeowners along White River Drive have been pumping water almost every single day because of the rain.

The White River is expected to crest just under 8,000 cubic feet per second Friday morning. That would be close to the top of the temporary flood protection barriers in the city of Pacific, potentially flooding upstream of the A Street Bridge in the city of Auburn, and Butte Ave. in Pacific.

Bill Hendry lives on Butte Ave. and said flooding hasn't been too bad since the January 2009 flood when the Army Corps of Engineers opened the Mudwater Dam to release rainwater.

"I've never seen it like that again, not like that. I've seen the street closed off every now and then when it floods, but that's the worst it's been," said Hendry.