08/28/2026
Flooding in the Green River Valley can mean damaged homes, closed roads, lost crops, disrupted businesses, and millions of dollars in damages. The question now is what we can learn from last winter to reduce that risk before the next major storm.
Earlier this year, I sponsored an amendment calling for a closer look at how flows from Howard Hanson Dam contributed to flooding downstream. That work has been informed by what we've heard from the people who experienced the impacts firsthand. Last month, I joined Congressman Adam Smith, Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph at Carpinito Farms to hear how last winter's flooding affected local businesses and farms throughout the Kent Valley.
Last week, I continued that work along the Lower Green River and at the Black River Pump Station, learning more about planned infrastructure improvements to protect communities throughout the Kent Valley with King County's flood management team.
Flood protection requires coordination across local, county, and federal agencies, but it also requires learning from what happened last winter. I'm particularly interested in what the Howard Hanson Dam study tells us about the causes and impacts of the flooding and what we can do differently to better protect South King County before the next major storm.
