Our state has been pummeled by days of rain this week leading to historic flooding and dangerous conditions across much of western Washington. From the state of emergency that was declared yesterday afternoon, to mandatory evacuations and flood watches in several counties, many Washingtonians are feeling the direct impacts of these dangerous conditions.

We know that many farmers from the Cascades to the Coast are dealing with profound and unique challenges that severe flooding brings to those in our ag communities. While many have created flood and emergency plans, we know that the damages caused by these extreme conditions can last for days or months after the waters have receded:

• Crop damage
• Soil erosion
• Contamination & disease risk
• Equipment and infrastructure loss/damage
• Threats to the safety and health of livestock
• Economic loss

We at Tilth Alliance stand with Washington farmers, and are here to help connect you to resources, assistance, and information that might be useful during this crisis. Please explore the links below or reach out to us directly.

Take care of yourself, your neighbors, and your animals!

Immediate Safety & Alerts

If you’re experiencing a flood emergency, call 911.

Current Conditions:

• King County road closures
• State routes & highways
• King County Flood Warning Center: (206) 296-8200 or 800-945-9263 (24/7, free)
• PSE Outage Map (report and track outages; report outages for faster response)
• Public Works after-hours line: (425) 765-0508

Sign Up for Alerts:

• ALERT King County
• King County Flood Alerts (Snoqualmie & Tolt Rivers)
• Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance – Floodzilla (real-time water levels across roughly 30 river miles in the lower Snoqualmie Valley, updates every 15 minutes)

Regional Resources:

• Ready.gov – Floods

Northwest

• Flood Recovery Small Business Development Network WWU
• Genuine Skagit Valley Flood Relief
• Sustainable Connections – Flood Relief Resources (Whatcom + Skagit)
• Whatcom Strong
• Whatcom County Sheriff’s – survey of damages
• Whatcom Family Farmers (Nooksack Watershed) (org coordinating relief)
• Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland (org coordinating relief)
• Snohomish County Public Safety Hub
• Pierce County Flood Preparedness

North Sound

• King Conservation District Flood Response Resources
• King County Damage Report—Business
• King County Sandbag Program
• Seattle Farmers Markets Good Farmer Fund
• Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance Farmer Relief Fund
• Coordinating relief: SnoValley Tilth (Snoqualmie Valley)

South Sound

• Tacoma SBDC
• Thurston County Emergency Management Alert System
• Thurston County Current Emergencies
• Thurston County Sandbag information
• Thurston County Damage Assessment Form
• Thurston County river flooding monitoring
• Well safety, post-flood

Shelter & Immediate Needs

Emergency Shelters

If you have been asked to leave areas that are in danger of flooding or have flooded, there are shelters available in the following locations:

• Evergreen State Fairgrounds (open 24 hrs, pets welcome): 14405 179th Ave SE, Monroe, WA 98272
• St. Matthews Lutheran Church: 1700 Edmonds Ave. NE., Renton, WA 98056
• Red Cross: Contact your local chapter or find an open shelter

Emergency Food (“Go Bags”)

• Eastside Fire & Rescue Station 87: 500 Maloney Grove Ave SE, North Bend
• North Bend City Hall: 920 SE Cedar Falls Way, North Bend
• Snoqualmie Fire Department: 37600 Snoqualmie Pkwy, Snoqualmie
• Snoqualmie Valley YMCA: 35018 SE Ridge St, Snoqualmie

Protect Your Property

King County Sandbag Program 
The City of Carnation, in partnership with King County, offers a free sandbag program to help community members protect their property ahead of potential flooding. This is a self-fill station. Shovels and bags available. 

Location: 
City of Carnation Public Works Yard 
33100 NE 45th Street 
Carnation, WA 98014 

Carnation’s Sandbag Station will be open overnight Wednesday, December 12. 

Recovery & Financial Assistance

Farm-Specific Support

• WSDA: Severe Storms & Floods
• Sustainable Connections: Flood Relief Resources
• FSA Disaster Programs
• Emergency Watershed Protection
• Agrisafe
• Flood Relief Resources and Direct Support compiled by Clara’s Canning (Ona Weatherford)*
• Good Food Forum – online messaging and communication platform

USDA Programs

• Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) – provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing).
• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) – offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather.
• Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disaster
• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) – provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs.
• Emergency Loan Program – available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Secretarial Disaster designation. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses due to flooding.
• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) – provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; includes fence loss.
• USDA Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool

Mental Health

• NFU Mental Health Resources
• WSU Free Mental Health

Cleanup Guidance

• CDC Guidelines for Cleaning Safely After A Disaster
• Food Safety for Flooded Farms- Produce Safety Alliance
• Flood Events and Food Safety Tips | USDA

Links for Supporters

• Eat Local First CSA Finder – Subscribe to a local farm’s CSA
• Eat Local First – Support Farms and Food Businesses Impacted by Flooding
• Flood Relief Resources and Direct Support compiled by Clara’s Canning (Ona Weatherford)
• Go Fund Me – PNW Flood Relief Fund
• Good Farmer Fund
• Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance Farmer Relief Fund
• WA State Combined Fund Drive – Washington Floods