SPOKANE, Wash. – Flooding is expected to only get worse this week for most of the affected areas in northern Washington and Idaho.
The Okanogan, Kettle, Similkameen and Pend Oreille rivers have all been marked as major flooding by the National Weather Service and are expected to keep rising throughout the week.
The Spokane, Kootenai and Entiat rivers are also nearing flood stage as possible showers on Wednesday and Thursday and exceptionally warmer temperatures continue to intensify snowmelt and exacerbate historic river flooding.
The National Weather Service announced on Tuesday that residents should be wary of the numerous small creeks, rivers and lakes in Okanogan and Ferry counties that will have renewed flooding this week. Residents near the major flooding areas have been warned to stay clear of the river shorelines because of the extreme danger of high flows, cold temperatures and heavy debris being carried downstream.
The Okanogan River, particularly in areas surrounding Tonasket, has been marked as extremely dangerous for citizens. The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Department took extreme precautions on Tuesday and announced that the river is closed to all recreational activities throughout the entire county. Boating, swimming and other water activity is prohibited until the water settles.
Water levels are expected to lower after the weekend because of drier conditions and cooler temperatures.
The river had its initial crest of 19.71 feet on May 11. According to the National Weather Service, the current forecast has the river cresting over the weekend at 21.19 feet, just below the historic crest of 22.5 feet set in 1972.
The Sheriff’s office has asked Okanogan County citizens to wear floatation devices when placing sandbags or doing other things outside to protect property. The department is also warning residents to stay away from the river, as first responders will not be put at risk unnecessarily with the closure.
Parts of Ferry County are being affected by the high levels of Kettle River just above Curlew. KREM 2’s Taylor Viydo reported Monday that the river has receded slightly, but there is still major flooding in the area.
Kettle River had a historic crest of 22.54 feet on May 10, about 4 feet above flood stage. Water levels dropped to roughly 19 feet early Sunday morning.
The river was measured at 19.7 feet at noon on Tuesday and is expected to climb above 21 feet by Saturday. The forecast calls for a steady decline in water levels beginning Sunday because of cooler temperatures.
Other regions south of the flooded areas have also experienced some rising water levels, including areas surrounding the Spokane, Kootenai and Entiat rivers. The National Weather Service listed all three as nearing flood stage levels.
As of Tuesday, the Spokane River in Spokane is below flood stage level (27 feet). The river was measured at 25.84 feet Tuesday afternoon, but it's expected to rise. The river is projected to near minor flood stage at 26.3 feet by the weekend.
Counties affected by major flooding are still assisting citizens with sandbags this week. In Okanogan County, sandbag filling stations have been set up at the Oroville Station, the Tonasket Station, the Okanogan Concrete Plant and the Riverside FD7.
For those who have any questions or who are looking for more information on the river levels, Okanogan County Emergency Management and local county officials plan to hold an open meeting with the public on Tuesday at 6 p.m. inside the Dawson Gym at Okanogan High School.
There are no current evacuation orders, although Red Cross has made available two shelters, one at the Holy Catholic Church in Tonasket and the Ferry County Fairgrounds in Republic, to assist affected residents as needed.