Yakima River Flooding Expected This Weekend

(We are posting the latest updates at the bottom of this post….)

The Yakima River is expected to reach flood levels this weekend in West Richland (and Benton County). Benton County Emergency Services has issued a warning as follows:

The National Weather Service is now predicting the Yakima River in Benton County to reach flood stage of 13 feet Saturday morning, January 10.

“We want residents to know that this is a preliminary forecast based on current weather conditions and the amount of water upstream from our county,” said Emergency Manager Bob Spencer. “Fortunately we have a few days before the water is currently forecast to reach that level. Our office will closely monitor conditions over the next 24-36 hours and provide updated information to the media.”

Although local leaders are not calling for any specific actions to be taken at this time, residents should monitor river levels along their property and listen to local media outlets for up-to-date information.

We’ll post updates here on the West Richland Real Estate blog, but you should also look for updates on the BCES web site, too.

1:15 pm update, Jan. 8: BCES has revised their statement and now says the Yakima should “reach flood stage of 13 feet late Friday and crest at about 14.5 feet by noon on Saturday.”

9:45 am update, January 9: BCES has sent us an updated statement, which I’ll cut and paste in full below:

Water levels on the Yakima River within Benton County continue to rise this morning. Currently the river is at about 10 feet, having risen five feet in the last 24 hours. Forecasts from the National Weather Service show the river rising another five feet before cresting on Saturday. Flood stage measured in the Kiona-Benton City area is 13 feet. The river is projected to reach that level later today. (Please note that these numbers are based on current projections and are subject to change).

Livestock can be very vulnerable to the effects of localized flooding. Several instances have occurred in the past in which horses and cattle have been stranded due to water running through a pasture. Livestock owners should always have plans in place to move their herds to higher ground if needed.

In addition, property owners along the river should ensure that any boats and other equipment near river banks are either moved or secured to prevent items being washed away with the rising water.

Residents should continue to monitor river levels in their area and listen for situation updates on local radio and television stations. Information is also available on the Benton County Emergency Services website at www.bces.wa.gov.

More updates as we get them. If you see flooding in your area, please leave a comment and let us know where. Stay safe, neighbors!

10:45 am update, January 9: BCES has sent us another update:

The National Weather Service has now revised their forecasts for the Yakima River in Benton County. Currently, water levels as measured near Kiona and Benton City are just under 11 feet (flood stage being 13 feet). According to the latest predictions, the river is not expected to reach flood stage until mid-morning Saturday, January 10 and crest at about 14 feet Saturday night before slowly receding. (Please note that these numbers are based on current projections and are subject to change).

Residents should continue to monitor river levels in their area and listen for situation updates on local radio and television stations. Information is also available on the Benton County Emergency Services website at www.bces.wa.gov.

3:00 pm update, January 9: Here’s the latest from BCES:

As of 2:30 p.m. today, the latest forecast now shows the river hitting flood stage of 13 feet by late this evening and cresting mid-afternoon on Saturday at just under 15 feet. Currently, water levels as measured near Kiona and Benton City are at 12.5 feet. (Please note that these numbers are based on current projections and are subject to change).

We’ll continue to pass along additional updates as often as we get them.

Saturday, January 10 Updates

We’re posting all Saturday updates here: Yakima River Flooding: Saturday Updates

Thank you for reading this article on the West Richland Real Estate Blog. If you arrived here looking for specific real estate information, or would like to speak with a friendly, fun, professional, and low-pressure real estate agent, please contact Cari via her web site or call her directly at 509 – 430 – 5342 and she’ll be glad to help. Thanks again for visiting!