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'Second worst since we've been here': Stevens County residents react to flooding, emergency declaration

The water was extremely close to damaging homes and businesses, according to Rick Anderson, the Stevens County Fire District 2 Chief.

HUNTERS, Wash. — Springdale-Hunters Road has a few new water features, as Hunter Creek has turned fields into lakes and culverts into rivers, prompting an emergency declaration across Stevens County.

Stevens County Commissioners declared a countywide emergency Tuesday after rapid melt-off of snowpack caused streams and creeks to rise dangerously close to flood stage. 

The water was extremely close to damaging homes and businesses, according to Rick Anderson, the Stevens County Fire District 2 Chief.

"So with the colder temperatures overnight, the water levels did not come up," he explained. "They went down just a little bit, but we're still really close to flood stage."

Locals in Hunters, Wash., a small town in Stevens County, have turned into sight-seers.

"We came out, my mother-in-law's visiting so we came out to look around but we've been keeping an eye on it since the flood warnings are out," said Jesie Lontz, a Hunters resident.

While seasonal flooding isn't unusual for Lontz and others in Hunters, this year's surge is a reminder of some of the worst years.

"Oh, it's way, way lower than this typically year-round," Lontz said. "This might be the second worst since we've been here."

Stevens County Emergency Management said some roads and fire stations were impassable Tuesday.

"Heavy rain, and the snow is basically gone on the low and mid-level floats," Anderson said. "But the high amount of areas that have an abundance of snow, so many assets, the water from the rain is no snow and just compounds and then you have a rapid runoff."

Part of what contributed to the flooding is the burn-scarred areas of the mountain, which allows run-off to run directly into streams and creeks.

For now, locals and emergency responders are watching the weather and the water hoping the sun sticks around.

"Definitely gotta keep an eye on it because there's still lots of snow on the mountain so it could get a lot worse," Lontz said.

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