Atmospheric River(s) in the forecast again (Ocean Shores: cost of, moving)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

The feds already do this (limit rebuilding) through their flood insurance program at least in the US. If an area sees too many flood events you can put your house up on piles or a taller foundation(like some in Ferndale have done) or you will be relocated (or you can stay if you own your place outright but will not be insured). I'd bet the flood zone maps for our area are due to get a revision by FEMA after we had two 100 year and a 500 year flood in one year.

My thought was that we can dam up smaller tributaries(with fish bypasses) and hold back more water and release it when there is drought. More lakes, more fish, more hydro-power, and more water for the fish that can be released when needed.....or simply get everybody and everything out of the way because the flooding is obviously getting worse.

Increased water catchment will be necessary in the future. California has already started projects in the Central Valley, their main agricultural region. It would be wise, IMO, for the NW to do the same.

Is it mostly the area around B'ham that's at high risk of flooding? I just spoke to a friend north of Seattle, and she said there's nothing unusual with the weather; just typical Puget area late fall rain. She said the news outlets are exaggerating what's perfectly normal weather. A friend in Lynden said the same thing.

[mayfair]

Is it mostly the area around B'ham that's at high risk of flooding? I just spoke to a friend north of Seattle, and she said there's nothing unusual with the weather; just typical Puget area late fall rain. She said the news outlets are exaggerating what's perfectly normal weather. A friend in Lynden said the same thing.

Bellingham had some record rainfall this last weekend, so it's a little more rain than usual but it's not that unusual for October. The rivers usually don't flood unless the snow level in the mountains goes up and a lot of water get dumped into them from that.

[Transmition]

Stanwood gets flooded a lot, as well as the river valley south of Monroe (Duval, Carnation, and others).

[rkcarguy]

Ruth, many areas around the Nooksack River way up by Mt. Baker clear to it's mouth are prone to flooding. Iowa St. (Auto row) and Squalicum parkway in Bellingham also flooded pretty badly. We got a month's worth of rain in a few days and any ditch stream or low spot flooded. Whatcom creek flooded in several spots and damaged many of the bridges crossing it in town, in fact only one was open for quite awhile and it really stuffed up the west side of town around the Iowa St. exit. Down in Fairhaven, a low parking area up against the RR grade even flooded several feet deep with a bunch of cars left in it. Image search google for Bellingham Whatcom County flood 2021 there was a lot of drone and aerial pictures taken. Place's you'd never think would flood, did. I was born here and the Nov. 2021 flood was the worst I've ever seen. What happened is the jet stream dipped far south and then just sat there in one place pulling in massive amounts of moisture off the pacific. This time around the jet stream is still moving around and the heavy precip is getting distributed from Portland to Vancouver BC so it's nothing beyond the typical wet November in my opinion. If it was to stay focused in one locale it would have been bad.

[rkcarguy]

https://wiba.iheart.com/content/2021...fic-northwest/

The picture in this link was less than 1 block from my prior home. To give you an idea of the severity of the Nov 2021 flood, the elevation of the road near to where this picture was taken was about 12" above FEMA's 100 year flood level elevation. There was a bronze disk there in the road our builders had to shoot elevations off of. The homes all had to built such that the top of the foundation was 12" above that elevation. Unfortuntely, the flood was so far over that, that homes not even in the flood zone still flooded.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

https://wiba.iheart.com/content/2021...fic-northwest/

The picture in this link was less than 1 block from my prior home. To give you an idea of the severity of the Nov 2021 flood, the elevation of the road near to where this picture was taken was about 12" above FEMA's 100 year flood level elevation. There was a bronze disk there in the road our builders had to shoot elevations off of. The homes all had to built such that the top of the foundation was 12" above that elevation. Unfortuntely, the flood was so far over that, that homes not even in the flood zone still flooded.

I remember that last year. That took place just a few weeks after I left. And Mt. Vernon narrowly escaped getting flooded, thanks to its flood wall. I was asking about current conditions, though. I didn't know if I'd be able to drive through to Anacortes, and later--onward to Lynded, but I'm told everything's ok.

[jetgraphics]

[blue sky noodling mode on]
It would nice if water excesses could be trapped and piped to the dry southwest.

[jetgraphics]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Increased water catchment will be necessary in the future.

Sadly, the environmental cases are generally opposed to dams and engineering waterways.
Their advocacy of "environmental preservation" is suicidal / genocidal.
We need "environmental amplification", thickening the life bearing volume of the finite surface area.
And making water reservoirs is something humans are better at - much better than beavers.
Some enhancements that might also be incorporated : aquaculture, fish farming, and aquaponics.

[509]

Originally Posted by jetgraphics

Sadly, the environmental cases are generally opposed to dams and engineering waterways.
Their advocacy of "environmental preservation" is suicidal / genocidal.
We need "environmental amplification", thickening the life bearing volume of the finite surface area.
And making water reservoirs is something humans are better at - much better than beavers.
Some enhancements that might also be incorporated : aquaculture, fish farming, and aquaponics.

IF western Washington residents are serious about saving the Orca's and Puget Sound salmon the dams on the Skagit River need to be removed.

The entire watershed needs to be bought out and placed under management for the protection of the Orca's and salmon.

While we are at it...the dams on the Cedar, Green, and Skykomish Rivers also need to be removed and restored to fish production.

The environmental community is political savy. That is why they focus on the Snake River dams and their removal. Not following the science, but political power will do that to you.

Western Washington residents need to decide IF they want to save THEIR natural environment.

The days of blaming eastern Washington for the environmental ills of western Washington are rapidly coming to a close.

[xPlorer48]

The 2.5” from yesterday’s rain brought our creek back. It was dry up until a week ago. It used to flow year round but in the past decade or so has dried up for several weeks. It is part of a drainage system that has salmon (silvers and chums) although they don’t reach us.

Yes, November, in my experience, sees the most rain. Last year’s extensive floods, however, were an aberration as the result of heavier rain than normal.

What I dislike about this time of year is that the days get shorter even after living here my whole life. As a kid, it didn’t bother me, but the older I get, I want more daylight.