Are you ready for flood season and the Howard Hanson Dam?

With summer no longer here, it is time to prepare for the winter months. With all the rain that falls this time of year, there is a greater chance of flooding due to the rivers rising. By preparing now, you can help your family and property stay safe when the rain begins.

This year we have a higher risk of flooding due to the problem at the Howard Hanson Dam. The higher risk is due to water seeping more rapidly through an earthen bank next to the dam after record high water last year. Until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) can make repairs, it must limit the amount of flood water it stores behind the dam.

If heavy and prolonged rain occurs this flood season (anywhere between October through March), many homes and businesses in the valley that don't typically see flood water--including parts of Auburn, Kent, Renton, South Seattle and Tukwila--could be flooded.

There could possibly be evacuations in some communities. Transportation routes and transit service could be disrupted, and power outages and sewage back-ups are possible even outside the immediate flood zone. Due to the power outages that could happen during this flood season, it is a good time to start looking for generators.

Does your homeowners policy cover damage caused by flood?

The answer to this question is no. Your homeowners policy does NOT cover damages caused by flooding. Your homeowners policy also does not cover sewer back-ups that happen because of flooding. You would need a flood insurance policy to cover those occurances. We would be happy to do a flood quote for you in order to see what kind of coverage you would need in case of a flood.

Here is a good website to look at for additional information about flooding:

King County Flooding Services

This website has all kinds of good links to look at to get prepared for flooding. They even have a link to take you to the site that will let you set up automated alerts. They can send you alerts by email or by phone (voice or text messages).

If you have any questions about flooding, please give our office a call!