Flood Warning Issued for Walla Walla River Near Touchet Through Sunday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Pendleton, OR, has issued a Flood Warning for the Walla Walla River near Touchet. This alert replaces a previous River Flood Watch and is effective from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically affects the Walla Walla River near Touchet, impacting geographic regions within Walla Walla County, Washington.

What You Should Do

Residents and motorists are advised to “Turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded roads. The National Weather Service emphasizes that most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Individuals in the affected area should avoid flooded zones and monitor local weather updates.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is forecast for low land areas along the river. As of 5:30 AM PDT Saturday, the river stage was 12.4 feet, which is already above the bankfull stage of 10.0 feet. The river is expected to reach a flood stage of 13.0 feet and is forecast to crest at 13.4 feet. For historical context, this crest is similar to a previous level of 13.6 feet recorded on January 17, 2011.

Timeline

The river is expected to rise above flood stage this afternoon, Saturday, March 14. It is forecast to reach its crest late tonight. Conditions are expected to improve as the river falls below flood stage early Sunday afternoon. The warning remains in effect until 7:29 PM PDT on Sunday, March 15.