Gov. Bob Ferguson will deploy 100 Washington National Guard members to help address flooding and levee failures, as another atmospheric river is expected "around Dec. 28," he announced at a news conference Saturday.
Days of heavy rain have pushed several rivers and levee systems in Western Washington to their breaking points, as the Green, White, Cedar and other rivers flowing into Puget Sound saw record or near-record flooding.
About 50 of the Guard members will be tasked with patrolling at-risk levees 24/7, with "eyes on the levee at all times."
"The experts we have been speaking with make it clear that there has been historic stress on the system," Ferguson said. "The sheer number of days and the sheer amount of water is historic."
The Green River breached the Desimone levee on Dec. 15, causing flash flood alerts and evacuation warnings for parts of Kent, Renton and Tukwila. On Dec. 16, a White River levee breach threatened Pacific, a city of about 7,000 people near Auburn.
During the news conference at the Kent Armory, Ferguson said that while risks have decreased, the region isn't out of the water just yet.
"The risk of another breach has most certainly come down in the past week," Ferguson said. "We are thankful for that, ... but that risk is still being described to us as 'moderate.' In other words, the risk of a breach is still real."
If people see military personnel and vehicles in their neighborhoods, Ferguson noted: "I wanted to emphasize, those National Guard members are performing a critical function to help ensure your safety."
The National Guard has helped with the response since the governor declared the floods a state of emergency on Dec. 10.
Dev McMillian, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle, said there's a chance another atmospheric river could roll into the region late next week, but it's too early to know its severity and potential flooding risks.
The state is also deploying four swiftwater rescue teams to King County.
Newly elected King County Executive Girmay Zahilay told reporters the county is preparing for more potential flooding and the state is providing the county with geotextile fabrics, sand, sandbags and "super sacks" that function as massive sandbags.
"Flood patrols are currently deployed on the Green, White and Cedar rivers," Zahilay said. "Over the past few days, we have cross-trained 35 National Guard troops to augment our flood patrol and enhance our ability to regularly inspect levees."
Zahilay said residents shouldn't be alarmed if they see National Guard members over the next few days. The county also launched a website dedicated to flood recovery.
The severe atmospheric rivers and subsequent flash floods have highlighted the flaws in the state's dated infrastructure. The Desimone levee sustained damage in 2020, but red tape and bureaucratic infighting impeded the repairs. Similarly, a HESCO barrier was placed in the White River near Pacific in 2008 and was meant to be temporary. Both were breached this week.
Ferguson said the state won't have firm answers on how to move forward until the water fully recedes and experts assess the damage. Once that happens, he said, conversations with state, local and federal officials can begin.
In an interview, Zahilay said the county is a ways away from getting damage estimates, but conversations are starting to happen.
"Our federal delegation, our members of Congress, our U.S. senators, they've been really good partners," he said. "They've been very responsive, and so they've been our bridge to the federal government."
The mayors of Kent, Auburn, Tukwila and Renton said they've banded together to make it through the natural disaster.
"The borders do not matter at this point, and honestly, in South King County, they haven't for a really long time," Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said. "We are going to help each other."
The main message the mayors want to tell residents is to check local announcements and resource pages.
"We think it's really important for people to contact their local jurisdiction for their best information," Tukwila's Mayor Thomas McLeod said. "We have eyes on the ground."