With the start of the flooding season two months away, the King County Council has authorized the county executive to declare a state of emergency in advance of any flooding.

A weakened Howard Hanson Dam that might not hold back as much of the Green River this fall and winter as usual has forced county officials to think ahead about shelter, cleanup and relocating county services in an emergency.

The authority allows County Executive Kurt Triplett to waive procurement and contracting rules to find places to move jail inmates, the animal shelter and courts in the Green River Valley.

If a major storm brings as much rain as fell in January, areas of Auburn, Kent and Tukwila as well as unincorporated areas in the Green River Valley could be flooded for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Valley cities and the county have been fine-tuning flood protection and emergency evacuation plans.

County officials have estimated that floodwater could be as high as 1 to 10 feet at some critical county facilities. Key concerns are the Regional Justice Center and jail in Kent and the new county elections center in Tukwila.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found last January that the dirt abutment next to Howard Hanson Dam was seeping water. That is forcing the Corps to restrict how much water the dam can hold back during a flood.

A temporary fix can’t be tested until next spring. Long-term repairs might take up to five years to design and construct.

Residents in the Green River Valley who might be flooded are urged to get flood insurance now. It takes 30 days for a policy to become effective.

Mike Archbold: 253-597-8692

mike.archbold@thenewstribune.com