Flood history in Chehalis, Washington
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The city of Chehalis is located in Washington state and rests upon the Chehalis River. Due to the city's location in the Chehalis Valley and the nearby confluences of the Newaukum River south of Chehalis and the Skookumchuck River in neighboring Centralia, the community has suffered from numerous floods. Some floods have occurred resulting from overflows of creeks and minor tributaries in the Chehalis river basin, and severe cresting of the Cowlitz River has occasionally led to flooding in the Chehalis area.
The flood stage levels of the Chehalis and Skookumchuck have fluctuated upwards historically, based on the height of dikes, levees, or floodplain surveys. As of 2024[update], the flood stage for the Chehalis is set at 63 feet (19.2 m) and the Skookumchuck's mark at 85 feet (25.9 m).
Water inundation from heavy rains and excessive snowmelt has led to a considerable number of historic flooding events in the area, with accounts traced as far back as early Native American settlement and since the beginnings of the city of Chehalis. Most floods occur between November and February, with only one minor event, in April 1991, occurring after March.