The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The long dry season is officially behind us. Wild December weather brought rain and wind and all their attendant woes. It felled trees, saturated fields and hills, and propelled water from its usual course onto roads and parking lots and other low lying places.

According to the National Weather Service, the area might be in for a second round starting today (Thursday).

On December 9, Grays River peaked and there was significant flooding in the Westend. More than a dozen roads were closed due to high water.

On December 10, there was a 12.53 foot high tide on the Columbia.

The wet threatened homes outside the dike on Puget Island, or on Steamboat Slough and in Deep River. On Puget Island, residents and other volunteers, including some Wahkiakum High School FFA students, loaded more than 500 sandbags to protect the homes held hostage by rising water.

Even the parking lot at the Elochoman Slough Marina was flooded.

According to Beau Renfro, Coordinator for the Wahkiakum County Department of Emergency Management, the county received as much as 9.4 inches of water last week based on the reading of a rain gauge on KM.

Slides closed the west end of Covered Bridge Road from Barr to the 0.6 mile marker. Shannon Road was closed at 0.2 mile post marker for the same reason.

One gentleman needed assistance when he decided to go around Road Closed signs in Grays River and drove into what turned out to be waist deep water. The Grays River Fire Department, the Cathlamet Fire Department and Grays River ambulance responded and got him out quickly. Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, crews were responding to a rollover. Fortunately, no one was hurt in either incident.

Trees came down all over the county, causing traffic delays or landing in power lines and disrupting power.

"Road crews did a great job," Renfro said. "They worked some long hours too."

On December 13, several roads were closed and Grays River flood routes were opened to emergency vehicles.

Wahkiakum County has declared a state of emergency in order to document the event and qualify for federal and state assistance.

Wahkiakum County residents who had any damage last week from high winds and flooding should contact Renfro at 360-795-3242 or 360-465-2202. They may be eligible for assistance. Renfro is also accepting pictures of damage.