Our county recently experienced extraordinary flooding due to torrential rain from multiple atmospheric rivers affecting our region. Rivers throughout Snohomish County reached record or near-record flood levels, pushing far beyond their banks and creating significant challenges for residents, businesses, and farms across the county.
In the Stillaguamish and Snohomish River Valleys, water levels rose dramatically, forcing road closures and causing damage to both public and private property. While much of our critical infrastructure held up under these extreme conditions, floodwaters did impact homes, farmland, and local facilities, underscoring the seriousness of this event.
Federal, state, and local emergency response plans were activated as flooding unfolded. Snohomish County’s Emergency Operations Center was activated at varying levels throughout the event to coordinate response efforts. County officials provided direct flood response while also supporting cities, fire districts, and other local partners to ensure a unified and effective approach.
Even after river levels receded, standing water in farm fields and ongoing impacts to properties remain. Disruptions to daily routines, transportation routes, and commerce were felt across the county and, in some areas, will continue for weeks or even months. Throughout the event, emergency responders bravely carried out water rescues while continuing to respond to their regular emergency calls, often under difficult and dangerous conditions.
Several county roads remain impacted, and Highway 2 continues to be affected on both sides of Stevens Pass. These closures have significant and lasting consequences for businesses, commuters, and communities on both sides of the Cascades. In response, many local efforts are underway to support affected businesses and help communities remain resilient during recovery.
Our response would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of public employees and first responders. Firefighters, EMS personnel, sheriff’s deputies, emergency management staff, and county and city public works crews worked around the clock to protect lives, evacuate residents, perform water rescues, and keep essential services operating. Behind the scenes, countless county staff, from communications teams issuing timely alerts to inspectors assessing bridges, roads, and culverts, stepped up when our community needed them most.
I also want to thank the volunteers and neighbors who checked in on one another, sandbagged vulnerable properties, and supported evacuees at shelters. Events like this reveal the very best of our community. The generosity, compassion, and cooperation we have seen, and will continue to see, bring light during even the most challenging times.
As waters continue to recede and cleanup progresses, we remain fully committed to recovery. This includes repairing infrastructure, securing funding, and working closely with state and federal partners to support impacted residents, businesses, and farms. Together, we will recover, rebuild, and strengthen our preparedness for the future.
Councilmember Nate Nehring serves as the Chair of the Snohomish County Council and is a lifelong resident of Snohomish County. He and his wife currently live in Arlington, where they are raising their four children. Councilmember Nehring can be reached by email at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org.
Author: Lynnwood Times Contributor
