Thurston County, WA prepares for possible flooding this week

Thurston County, WA prepares for potential flooding

Parts of western Washington are preparing for widespread flooding next week, with homeowners in Thurston County bracing their homes for the threat of high waters.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - The dark and soggy week in the forecast has some parts of the region bracing for potential flooding. In Thurston County, neighbors are preparing their properties for the threat of high water.

"Flooding is our biggest hazard here in Thurston County. Historically, it has been," said Kyle Bustad, manager of Thurston County Emergency Management. "Historically, this has been our busiest season, the fall/wintertime."

Big picture view:

There are five major rivers in the county, including the Nisqually River. Additionally, there are 19 smaller rivers and numerous creeks.

Bustad said emergency management is monitoring the risk of the rivers rising to flood levels, but especially the creeks, as those could lead to possible overflow in several parts of the county.

"What we’re watching are really the neighborhoods and the small tributaries off of the rivers," said Bustad. "It’s residents. It’s homes. It’s streets. It’s those small creeks, those small tributaries that are going to flood and then flood yards, which would have cascading impact."

What you can do:

Bracing for impact, emergency management is offering free sandbagging stations to help people prepare. Though the sandbags won’t stop the flooding water, Bustad said they are useful when protecting property.

"What it can help is divert some of the water areas that come through. So, it is protection of doors and garages and kind of low-lying areas. It won’t completely prevent it, but it can help mitigate some minor flooding," said Bustad.

There are multiple sandbagging stations located throughout Thurston County, including Bucoda, Olympia, Rainier, Rochester, Tenino, Tumwater, and Yelm. Emergency management has a full list of locations on its website.

Local perspective:

Bustad said lots of people are already filling up bags.

"We’ve seen an increase in residents coming and picking up sandbags," said the manager. "This is what I appreciate is those people that take those commonsense preparedness approaches and start early before something happens."

While sandbags are only part of emergency weather preparedness, Bustad also advised neighbors to have a safety plan and discuss it with their families.

"[Talk] about where your meeting spot is at, what routes are going to take, especially if they’re new drivers and they reach a flooded road. What is their next steps? And that planning effort helps us also help our neighbors. So, if you have a neighbor that is elderly or has mobility issues, this is a way you incorporate it in your plan. You think about it, you talk about it. So, when something happens, you know what actions and what steps to take rather than panicking or figuring out what to do in the middle of the emergency," said Bustad.

Emergency management also encouraged residents to register for the Thurston Community Alert program, also known as TC Alert. This notification system is designed to inform residents of hazardous conditions in the area and warn the public of potential hazards within Thurston County.

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