Guerrier Road off state Route 508 about two miles east of Interstate 5 is among those that flooded. / Courtesy photo by Jonah Nutt
Updated at 7:09 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Authorities have asked anyone with flood damage from earlier this week to phone in a report.
Those within the city of Centralia can call 360-330-7662. All others should phone 360-740-1152.
Information from Lewis County Sheriff’s Office on behalf of the Lewis County Emergency Operations Center noted four houses in the county reported water damage. Two of them were on Rosebrook Road. The other two were off of Jackson Highway near the Newaukum River, according to the sheriff’s office.
No injuries were reported due to flooding.
Lewis County Assessor Dianne Dorey reminds property owners they may file, if applicable, what’s called a a destroyed property claim for the purposes of valuation assessments which will affect taxes.
The forms can be obtained by calling or visiting her office in Chehalis – 360-740-1392 – or online by going to the Assessor’s Office homepage at www.lewiscountywa.gov/assessor
Many roads were closed during the worst of it on Monday, and some remained closed on Tuesday, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.
In a news release,Tim Elsea, Lewis County public works director and county engineer stated he was proud of the work the road crews did, saying they were inundated.
“The crews worked tirelessly to get roadways opened as soon as possible for the traveling public,” Elsea wrote. “Crews worked into the night, graveling and grating Guerrier Road so residents, who were otherwise stranded, could travel to and from their homes.”
Several pockets of low areas in Centralia and Chehalis were inundated as well on Monday.
Forecasters on Sunday said heavy precipitation and rising snow levels were expected to cause problems, although probably not an episode of widespread major flooding. They initially predicted, however, the Newaukum River could rise to 13.67 feet, beyond its 1996 record of 13.54 feet.
The Newaukum River which winds through Onalaska, Napavine and Chehalis crested Monday afternoon just barely below that, at 13.1 feet, according to Brown.
The Skookumchuck River crested at 3 a.m. on Tuesday below minor flood stage.
The Chehalis River crested at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, also below minor flood stage.
Monitor conditions for yourself anytime a flood watch is issued, using links always available on the right-hand sidebar of this news site under “Other useful web links. Direct from the National Weather Service.
• “Weather alerts, forecasts“: Click on the map to find your current and forecast temperature and other weather information, as well as alerts for hazardous weather conditions.
• “River levels“: Graphs show you what level your river has been at, where it’s at right now and where it is projected to be.
• Also, quickly and easily get information directly from others in the community by viewing or joining Lewis County Sirens on Facebook.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
“Crews worked into the night, graveling and grating Guerrier Road”
How does a crew “grate” a road?