As Atmospheric Rivers Persist, Washington’s Infrastructure Faces Collapse.

Numerous levees have collapsed, over a dozen highways have been shut down, and one fatality has been reported in Washington state as an atmospheric river storm continues to hammer the area, putting its infrastructure to the test.

Although the state’s dams and levees managed to withstand the initial wave of last week’s storms, the ongoing rainfall is beginning to overwhelm some levees.

Additionally, various low-lying areas in Western Washington remain inundated with slowly subsiding floodwaters.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Governor Bob Ferguson reported that there have been over 1,200 rescues across 10 counties since December 8. Thirteen state highways remain closed, and Highway 2, a key route across the Cascades, may remain shut for months. Interstate 90, the largest highway in the state, is also blocked due to a significant landslide.

“Our infrastructure is under significant strain,” Ferguson stated. “It has been compromised.”

A 33-year-old man lost his life early Tuesday in Snohomish County, north of Seattle, when his car veered off into a ditch on a submerged rural farm road.

“We believe this marks the first fatality linked to this storm,” Ferguson commented, noting it was somewhat miraculous that there haven’t been additional casualties.

Courtney O’Keefe, public information director for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, stated that the man was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe that drove through a traffic stop as his car began to flood. He called a friend, prompting them to contact 911 for help.

“There’s a ditch right next to the road. During flooding, it’s challenging to determine where the road ends and the ditch starts,” O’Keefe noted, mentioning that the tragic accident is still being investigated.

In the last two days, two levees have failed in the suburbs of Seattle.

The latest incident occurred Tuesday morning in the town of Pacific, close to the White River.

“A leak as wide as a fire hose was detected last night around 12:30,” informed Sheri Badger, a spokeswoman for the King County Emergency Management Agency. “It has since increased to approximately 120 feet in length.”

The semi-permanent embankment was built with HESCO Barrier, a mesh and fabric structure filled with sand, earth, and gravel. Badger explained that barriers were stacked atop one another, with water seeping through the gaps.

An evacuation advisory has been issued for 1,300 residents in the area. Crews are actively adding sandbags and “super sacks” to reinforce the breach.

On Monday, a six-foot section of another levee gave way in Tukwila, a locality on the Green River south of Seattle. King County ordered an evacuation for around 1,100 individuals, but crews managed to promptly repair the breach, limiting the damage.

The embankment had been previously damaged by flooding about four years ago and remained partially unrehabilitated.

At least two dams are currently being monitored for cracks or potential failures, according to the state Department of Ecology. One such dam is Lake Sylvia Dam, which is classified as “poor condition” with “significant” risks as per the National Inventory of Dams, with the last inspection conducted in November 2024. It was built in 1918.

Spokesman Andrew Weinke indicated that several roads could be at risk in the event of a dam failure, but there would be no immediate repercussions for homes or residents.

Much of western Washington is traversed by rivers that flow steeply from the Cascade Mountains. These rivers, which drain into Puget Sound, historically meandered across wide floodplains, forming a complex network. However, over a century ago, much of it was dammed and straightened for potable water, flood control, and hydroelectric energy generation. As a result, streams evolved into channelized rivers, akin to superhighways for water flow.

Since that time, levee systems have been reinforced to contain the water, with homes and industrial buildings often constructed near the floodplain’s edges.

Certain areas that have experienced severe flooding previously are likely to be inundated again.

Atmospheric rivers, such as the recent storm systems, appear like fire hoses on weather radar.

These storms are often referred to as the “Pineapple Express” as they can carry humidity and warmth from Pacific waters near Hawaii and other tropical regions.

The Pacific Northwest typically handles one or two of these storms without significant impact; however, three heavy rain events have occurred since December 8. Some parts of the North and Central Cascades received up to 16 inches of rain within three days, making them the steepest and most rugged mountains in the continental United States.

“The atmospheric river phenomenon was considerable, but not unprecedented,” stated state climatologist Guillaume Mauger. “What stands out is the consecutive nature of these storms.”

He noted that more intense river flooding is anticipated in the future as rising temperatures will lead to increased rainfall rather than snowfall. As the climate warms, rainfall also tends to become more intense.

One study predicts flooding along the Skagit River by the end of this century, with potential volumes increasing by nearly 50% every 100 years by the 2080s. Given that the river already has dams, existing flood control measures are deemed “mostly ineffective,” the study found.

Mauger suggested that the best approach to mitigate future risks is to provide rivers with more space.

As more storms are on the horizon, dam operators are compelled to redirect water to upstream reservoirs to avert potential flooding.

John Taylor, Director of King County Natural Resources and Parks, mentioned that officials are closely monitoring several levees of concern and reinforcing those known to be weak.

“We’ve noticed that levees, which typically perform well during floods, are starting to fail due to saturation and significant pressure,” he explained.

The Skagit and Snoqualmie rivers are expected to reach or surpass major flood stage by Thursday morning.