Flood Warning Issued for Cowlitz River at Castle Rock in Cowlitz County

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Portland, OR, has issued a Flood Warning for the Cowlitz River at Castle Rock. The alert was issued following observations that the river is approaching minor flood stage levels.

Affected Areas

This warning specifically affects Cowlitz County, Washington, with the primary impact zone located along the Cowlitz River at Castle Rock.

What You Should Do

Residents and motorists in the affected area should adhere to the following safety guidelines:

• Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive through flooded areas.
• Exercise extreme caution at night when it is significantly harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.
• Remember the phrase: “Turn around, don’t drown.” Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is forecast for the region. At 1:30 AM PDT Saturday, the river stage was recorded at 47.7 feet, which is above the bankfull stage of 46.0 feet. The river is forecast to rise above the 48.0-foot flood stage to a peak of 48.6 feet early this morning. At these levels, flooding is expected to impact several roads and low-lying agricultural lands in areas not protected by levees.

Timeline

The Flood Warning is effective as of early Saturday morning, March 14, and remains in effect until further notice. Current forecasts indicate the river will rise above flood stage early this morning and fall back below flood stage by early Saturday afternoon.