HAMILTON, Wash — The Skagit River swelled Thursday evening and into Friday morning causing flooding in towns like Lyman, Hamilton and Concrete.
“With us being a flood-prone town we’re very, very sensitive to the way the water is coming up and receding,” said Scott Bates, Hamilton Fire Chief
Bates has dealt with a lot of floods in his decades-long tenure with the department.
“I remember them as a child and now that I’ve been an adult and a 30-year veteran of our fire department, it’s a way of life in this town,” he said.
Friday was mainly clean-up for the city after a frantic and sleepless night for public works and first responders as they informed the community the floodwaters were on their way.
“We always keep a wary eye on that river and if there’s ever an issue we’re one of the of the first people know about it, whether our own education or there’s outside forces saying ‘hey you know what, you’re going to get 6 inches of rain in two days. You might want to brace for it,’” Bates said.
While Evacuations weren’t necessary in this flood, Bates said the community is ready for what could be a busy flood season.
“This by far is an early one for us. Nine times out of ten we don’t get them till late to mid-November,” he told KING 5.
While they’re always watching the river, and in contact with county and state agencies preparing for floods, what the season itself holds is unpredictable.
“Do we expect any more? I can’t really say right now, but there always is that potential,” said Bates.
A flood warning remains in place from Concrete to Mount Vernon along the Skagit River until early Saturday morning.