10th LD Flood Response & Resources
State Representative Dave Paul (D-Oak Harbor) posted this to the news section of his legislative website on 2025-12-11 15:28:25
Friends and neighbors,
Thousands of our neighbors have fled their homes in Skagit and Snohomish counties over the past two days as the Skagit and Stillaguamish Rivers continue to rise, sending floodwaters directly into neighborhoods and disrupting daily life. Families have headed to high schools, churches, and community centers for safety, while many others watched anxiously as the Skagit river in downtown Mount Vernon pushed closer to the city’s flood walls. The Skagit is forecast to crest at 39 feet early Friday morning, a potentially record-setting level, and authorities have instructed everyone living within the 100-year floodplain to evacuate immediately.
Your personal safety is my highest priority. If you live within the 100-year floodplain and have not yet evacuated, please do so now. Do not wait for conditions to worsen. If you are worried your home may flood, please err on the side of caution and leave early. Do not drive through standing water under any circumstances and follow all posted closure signs. Local, county, and state emergency management teams are working continuously to provide updated guidance in what remains an extremely unpredictable and rapidly evolving situation. If local authorities issue evacuation orders, please take them seriously. Even if you do not see the danger yourself, conditions can change too quickly for responders to reach you once flooding peaks.
To stay informed, you can sign up for local emergency text alerts at the Washington Emergency Management Division website. You can also check the National Weather Service for weather updates by entering your ZIP code, ensure that wireless emergency alerts are activated on your phone, and consult WSDOT’s real-time travel map for statewide road conditions. For immediate local guidance, the River Level Hotline is available at (360) 416-1404 and the Flood Hotline at (360) 416-2090.
Skagit County and Mount Vernon officials have issued a Level 3 “GO” evacuation notice for those living in the floodplain. Residents should leave now and should not return home until officials declare it safe. Evacuation maps and ongoing updates are available on the City of Mount Vernon’s website in both English and Spanish.
For Fir Island residents, access to the island has closed as of 2pm today. This closure will be managed by National Guard personnel and access will be through identification verification checkpoints at each closure point. A Level 3 GO evacuation is still in effect for the designated areas of Conway and Fir Island.
With water already covering large sections of roadways, remember that even shallow water can be life-threatening. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and twelve to eighteen inches can sweep away a vehicle—including SUVs and pickup trucks. If you encounter water on the roadway, turn around immediately. “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” is not just a slogan; it saves lives.
As we confront this crisis, I want to highlight the work already underway at the state level to strengthen floodplain resilience. In 2025, the Legislature made significant investments in floodplain safety, environmental protection, and water infrastructure allocating $171 million to improve systems that are vital when conditions like this strike. While much of this work lies ahead, prior investments demonstrate how crucial long-term planning is. In 2023, the House Capital Budget dedicated $1.9 million toward constructing a dike northwest of Stanwood to protect the community from severe flooding and preserve access to Camano Island, with Snohomish County contributing an additional $1.75 million. These funds were championed by our district delegation, and this week’s events underscore why such projects matter.
Please stay safe, stay informed, and take every precaution necessary to protect yourself and your loved ones as this historic flooding continues. Do not wait for conditions to worsen before making the choice to evacuate. Help your neighbors when you can and follow the direction of local responders at all times.
Sincerely,
