CITY OF BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON
Council Chambers Wednesday, January 07, 2009, 01:00 PM Book: 63, Page: 1
AB18270 1. CONFIRMATION OF MAYOR'S DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM
Mayor Pike explained that the City and County were experiencing extraordinary flooding events and that City Staff would present the facts of the current situation, how it is being dealt with, and what is going to be done moving forward. Mayor Pike turned the discussion over to Fire Chief Bill Boyd, the Incident Commander for the flooding situation.
Chief Boyd led a PowerPoint presentation depicting areas of flooding around Bellingham. He explained how he was made aware of the effects of the quickly evolving weather event 18 hours earlier. As the fact of flooding became clear, he went to the County Emergency Operations Center and was met there by Sheriff Bill Elfo and his staff. They quickly determined it was only the beginning of a quickly evolving, major flood event. They initiated a joint City/County Incident Command System and Emergency Operations Center. They began applying processes and establishing priorities to deal with multiple issues of landslides, home flooding, businesses flooding and significant disruption to infrastructure with major impacts to the sewer distribution system of the City.
They spent the previous day attending to emergent situations and planning for the next twelve hours. The plan was implemented at about 10:00 this morning and they are continuing to address new and ongoing problems. He highlighted some of the specific conditions encountered the previous night.
He reported that transportation corridors were closed including Northwest Avenue and Slater Road. Hannegan Road is flooded. Division Street by Builders Alliance had one lane closed for a period of time. At 3:00 a.m. it was determined that the Guide Meridian by the freeway on and off ramps had 2-3 feet of water on it. The water was not going down. It was either rising or standing. In coordination with the Police Department and Public Works they a traffic plan was developed and implemented. Meridian Street at I-5 and freeway ramps were closed. There was a closure on Samish Way just outside the city for a period of time. Roeder Avenue was been closed off.
High tides left the additional water no place to go and intensified the flooding. Many streets are covered with water but are still drivable. Public Works crews are cleaning culverts to enhance drainage to allow the roads to become passable again. There were so many sporadic road closures over the last 24 hours that at one point they could not keep track of all of them.
Around the County, Mount Baker Highway remains closed just South of Kendall. There has been an avalanche/mudslide/rockslide at mile post 40 on the Mount Baker Highway. Landslides and mudslides have occurred in the Swiss Creek area, off the end of Goodwin Road, which has impacted some homes. Mudslides have occurred in the Lake Samish Area. Lake Samish Market has been closed. Many residences have been flooded and sewers backed-up in residential basements. Public Works is working to prevent damage to the sewer treatment system. The water system has been stressed by significant increases in the water level of Lake Whatcom. Emergency response crews and Public Works crews are working around the City and County to address incidents as they occur.
A moderate flood event is being predicted on the Nooksack River and the levees are extremely saturated with water.
Tom Rosenberg announced that there is no cause for concern over the quality of our drinking water. It is in good condition. The only thing that is happening that is different is that many water inputs are going into Lake Whatcom that have a high turbidity level. The treatment plant is well-equipped to deal with that. The drinking water is fine. Lake Whatcom's water levels have been monitored since last night. As of a few hours ago the increase in height of the reservoir was pretty well stabilized. Properties are being monitored on Iowa Street to make sure that what is being done to stabilize water levels does not have an adverse reaction on the operational integrity of those properties, while at the same time understanding the City faces an adjudicated responsibility when the water level hits a certain elevation to open the dam gates. Staff is trying to mitigate this by monitoring very closely and working the gates so that if it become necessary to open them completely, it will not send a wall of water down Whatcom Creek. He reported that he waste water treatment facilities are in good condition.
Barbara Ryan asked about infiltration and inflow in the Sudden Valley area of the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District. What is the plan for notifying the public should we have a drinking water emergency? Tom Rosenberg replied that he did not believe the City was going to have a drinking water emergency. If there is a drinking water emergency it would be from surcharging of sewer facilities in Sudden Valley. That would be the responsibility of Water District #10 and they are monitoring constantly. Ms. Ryan asked how the public would find out about a potential drinking water emergency? Chief Boyd replied that in the Incident Command Structure the County Health Department representative would be assisting in any case of a public health emergency. Tom Rosenberg pointed out that Water District #10 has a new facility in place which can store up to 700,000 gallons of water in the case of such an emergency.
Ms. Ryan noted that in the past the Council and City Staff have talked about KGMI as being the radio station that people might listen to for emergency notification. Is that still the case? Chief Boyd explained that the first press release went out to the public at 4:00 a.m. They used a web-based information system that allows the transmittal of news and updates to 88 recipients and news organizations at the push of a button. Interfacing with the school district is also important to let people know when and why the schools are being closed.
Gene Knutson asked how long the City will be faced with this situation? Chief Boyd responded that is based mostly on weather patterns and staff will continue monitoring the situation closely.
Mr. Knutson asked Mr. Rosenberg about the situation on the Guide Meridian and the truck route, whether it is possible to know when those roads will be open again. Mr. Rosenberg stated that once the water was off the roads they would be drivable. He added road restrictions are more common under circumstances where there is a frozen sub-grade and a frozen watershed. If there is rainfall like this and then a freeze with a thaw immediately afterward, roads become very fragile. The current conditions are different and not a concern in that regard.
Stan Snapp asked if Silver Beach Creek Road would be closed indefinitely. Mr. Rosenberg responded that watersheds have a “time of concentration” and there is a certain amount of time that it takes based on its geography of when the peak flows come through. It is not possible to predict what the future rainfall is going to be. The circumstance on Northshore Drive is considered serious.
Jack Weiss asked if there were enough officers to do all the needed traffic control. Chief Ramsay responded that the police department is maxed out and that they have had their traffic crew working since 3 a.m. They will soon have to go off shift for awhile. Police is at full staff with the patrol division and detectives ready to help with patrol work. There are some problem locations they do not have enough people to do the traffic control for based on the prioritization of issues that need to be addressed.
Mr. Weiss asked Tom Rosenberg about the combined sewage overflow situation. Mr. Rosenberg responded that the control structure on C Street directs water out to the bay when it reaches a certain level. This is occurring now due to the inflow and infiltration into our system. This surcharge is not just the immediate area but there is a 60" sewer which flows down Cornwall to a pump station. The pump station lifts the water up, puts it down Boulevard, and sends it to the plant. That large pipe gets surcharges, backs up all the way to C Street and then it flows out. The treatment plant is maxed and the sewer is surcharged. The discharg into the bay is primarily storm water.
Barry Buchanan asked for a definition of “surcharged.” Mr. Rosenberg explained that when sewer pipes are filled with wastewater and there is nowhere for it to go, the water in those pipes wants to come out of the ground. There is a central system in the collections system that is designed to divert that excess surcharge of water into the bay.
Mr. Buchanan asked how often the road closure map is being updated and if the City website could be linked to the map to keep the public informed of road closured. Mr. Rosenberg responded that staff works to keep the information current and there is a list on the website linked to the County's website listing road closures.
Ms. Bjornson asked about sandbags. Chief Boyd replied that there were sandbag supplies available for people at PW Ops and that people should use the best tools they have available, garbage bags, boards used as barricades. He recommended websites about diverting water flow.
Mr. Weiss asked about the City's contingency plan if the flood gates are opened at Lake Whatcom. Chief Boyd responded that it is mostly the local watershed and Fever Creek and those tributaries below the gates that are causing the water. That is not to say that the character of the run-off event will not change. If it does then they intend to open the gates as slowly as possible so that they can minimize disruptions downstream.
Mr. Rosenberg described that rainfall intensifies in the mountains. Higher temperatures contributed to the intensity of this event adding melting snow in the higher elevations to the groundwater.
Terry Bornemann added that earlier snow melt had already saturated the ground so that there was no absorption room left when it rained. He commented that individuals living along floodplains, low-lying areas, around streams and on steep hillsides have a responsibility to protect their property.
Mayor Pike read a Proclamation of a State of Emergency affecting the City of Bellingham.
GK/LB MOVED FOR COUNCIL CONFIRMATION OF THE PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY. The motion passed 7-0.
Mayor Pike commended the city staff for being proactive in addressing incidents around the city.
Stan Snapp thanked Chief Ramsay and Public Works for responding to flooding at Silver Beach Creek and blocking the area off immediately.
Council President Buchanan thanked the staff for all their hard work and the Council for being responsive and assembling quickly for this meeting.
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business Council President Buchanan adjourned the meeting at 1:44 p.m. Barry Buchanan, Council President ATTEST: J. Lynne Walker, Legislative Assistant APPROVED:
