SEATTLE - The US Army Corps of Engineers warned against depending too much on the maps it released today showing what might happen to the Green River Valley during storms of various intensity . The maps were designed to help government and business leaders and citizens plan for floods that would normally be prevented by the Howard Hanson dam.
Previously viewed by county and city leaders, the maps generated alarm and concern about major flooding caused by the weakened dam.
Repair continues on the dam but it is expected to only hold back a third of the water it did before it was damaged by a heavy rain storm this January.
One map shows what would happen with the limited capacity of the dam if we suffered that size of storm today. It shows widespread devastation with flood waters reaching several feet throughout the communities of Auburn, Kent and Renton.
The Regional Justice Center in Kent, for instance, would have one to two feet of water around it and just across the street, parts of the brand new Showare Center would be under six feet of water.
The Corps emphasizes these are only predictions based on previous flows and floods and nobody should view them as precise representations.
And they point out that even neighborhoods that don't appear to be in direct danger of flooding could be cut off from any escape routes and lose power and plumbing.
The maps may be found online at:
http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/Doc_list.cfm?sitename=HHD&pagename=Green_River_Maps
Information on flood preparedness may be found at:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/safety/prepare/FloodPlan_GRiverBasin.aspx
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