Flood Warning Issued for Grays River in Wahkiakum County Through Friday Night

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Portland, OR has issued a Flood Warning for the Grays River at Covered Bridge near Rosburg. The warning was issued on the morning of March 13 and remains in effect until late Friday evening.

Affected Areas

The alert specifically impacts Wahkiakum County in Washington. The primary area of concern is the Grays River at Covered Bridge near Rosburg.

What You Should Do

Motorists are advised not to attempt to drive around barricades or drive through flooded areas. The National Weather Service reminds residents to “Turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded roads, noting that most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Avoid the area if possible.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is forecast. At 9:15 AM PDT Friday, the river stage was 28.2 feet, which is already above the bankfull stage of 27.5 feet. The river is forecast to rise above the flood stage of 28.5 feet to a peak of 28.6 feet late this afternoon.

Impacts include expected flooding of roads along and near the Grays River, especially downstream of the gage. This includes roadway approaches to the Altoona Bridge over the Grays, and portions of Covered Bridge Road, Barr-Durrah Road, and Loop Road near Rosburg and Highway 4.

Timeline

The flood warning is effective starting at 3:43 PM PDT on Friday, March 13. The river is expected to fall below flood stage late this evening, with the warning currently set to conclude at 11:36 PM PDT.