Not really, but…. The photo to the left was taken mere hours before I5 was closed due to flooding in Chehalis on Wednesday, about 135 miles north of Portland. This is the second year in a row that I5 has been closed at this spot, creating a mess on the interstate that connects Canada, the USA and Mexico. This is huge people.
I have been traveling I5 to Chehalis and points beyond now for the better part of 11 years visiting in-laws and extended family. Many live in this area and while they do remember some flooding, they have no memory of it closing I5. I remember always commenting on the huge fields flanking I5 around this area being covered in water during the rainy season (which up there seems to be 365 days a year, but I digress…) Yet there was never flooding over I5 or of the rivers nearby until, interestingly enough, a huge Walmart/Home Depot complex was built. Hmmm. What are the odds that a huge development with pavement parking lots has anything to do with the recent flooding? I would say high probability. In an area that gets a huge amount of liquid sunshine, it has to go somewhere. When you pave over that “somewhere,” the liquid will find other places to go, like the freeway.
I can only assume that they did all the necessary environmental assessments and such because this is the NW. I just wonder if they took into account the 100yr and 101yr flood history. Also, I wonder if they were looking at the immediate gain of having such big box stores and not thinking of the millions that are currently being lost due to I5 being shut down for 5 days. Sad to see the mess these storms are wreaking and the personal cost in this down economy, but sometimes we should sit back and ask ourselves why this is happening more now when it didn’t in the past?
Thanks Walmart. Thanks Home Depot. Thanks Toyota dealership.
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check into flood of 96………….it floods at the same spot and that was pre airport development.
@tony – Did they close I5 due to flooding that year? I do remember how insane the flooding was in 96 and that spring was the time I began traveling more and more to the north. I spoke with my Grandfather-in-law and he has no memory of them ever closing I5 even though the area has always experienced some flooding.
Is there anything Wal-Mart doesn’t ruin? Aside from their abuse of their workforce, and their selling of the American economy to China, they’re just bad news for the landscape. I’m working with Wake-Up Wal-Mart to try to force the largest retailer in the history of the world to act like a responsible corporation… it’s an uphill battle.
I remember past flooding too…just up to the sides of the freeway, but never causing its closure. Perhaps an offramp or two would be inaccessible, but that was the worst of it (as far as interstate travel, that is — houses and businesses still were flooded, but again, not to this extent). Certainly points to a need for better planning and an understanding of how one thing impacts many. By the way, I came across a site that showed the old juvenile detention school (not sure what it is today) — since it sits on an elevated hill, it’s like an island, surrounded by water. Smart!
Yeah, that area of Washington State isn’t exactly known for their progressive land use planning and development. Pretty typical actually and it goes something like this: Former agriculture area gets rezoned by City Council under pressure of big box retailers/developers/land owners who cite JOBS! TAX REVENUE! GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY! Developer insists on waivers to existing flood and other land use conditions. City builds roads and other infrastructure to support big boxes based on permitting fees and sometimes for free with the idea that they are making a good investment for future growth and businesses. City Council also bows to pressure to waive certain requirements with regards to land use restrictions. Then we end up with a bunch of roads and big box developments in areas that are prone to flooding. Wonder how much this will end up costing the City, the State and Feds? LOTS.
Stupid and irresponsible.
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