December WA flooding created new drowning hazards, officials warn

Thinking of taking a dip in the lakes and rivers to cool down while the weather heats up? Think twice.

Catastrophic flooding that rocked Western Washington in December has created new potential drowning hazards in rivers throughout the region, King County officials say.

Rivers flooded to historic levels, leading to overtopped banks and failed levees. Officials say those historic flows moved logs, rocks and other hazards and shifted riverbeds, creating deeper or shallower pools that can be dangerous for swimmers, tubers, boaters and kayakers alike.

"If you go to the same river corridor you've gone to in previous summers, be aware that there could be new drowning hazards that aren't visible above water," said Mo McBroom, interim director of the county's Department of Natural Resources and Parks, in a news release. "When in doubt, stay out."

It might be a better idea to cool off in safer water bodies like public pools with lifeguards, officials said.

Twenty-five people died of preventable drowning last year in the county, officials said. The number had begun to rise in 2018 and peaked in 2020 when there were multiple 100-degree days in the early summer and 33 people drowned.

Of those drownings in the last few years, nearly 30% happened in Lake Washington, 11% in Puget Sound, and 17% were in the Green River and Snoqualmie River, according to the county.

Officials also warn that even though it may be hot outside, Lake Washington and Puget Sound are still dangerously cold, which can cause muscle failure in seconds for even the most experienced swimmers.

When you go out in the water, officials say you should:

* Wear a life jacket.

* Don't consume alcohol or drugs near open water.

* Always tell someone where you plan to enter and exit a river before you go out.

* Reach, throw, don't go when helping others out of a river.

* Have an adult watch children swimming or playing near the water at all times.

* Stay out when water conditions are in doubt.

For more tips on staying safe in chilly Pacific Northwest waters and navigating other dangerous situations, visit st.news/staysafe.

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