The Brief
- December’s flooding shocked many in western Washington, but historians say similar — and worse — floods hit the region more than a century ago.
- Old records show valleys like Kent and Tukwila were once vast floodplains, with rivers repeatedly reshaped by both nature and humans.
- Experts warn that despite modern flood controls, future storms could still push rivers back toward their historic paths.
TUKWILA, Wash. – After floodwaters inundated western Washington in December, social media is still filled with disbelief, with many people saying they had never seen flooding like it before.
But local history shows the region has experienced catastrophic flooding, just not within most people’s lifetimes.
A valley under water
What may look like submerged farmland in Skagit or Snohomish counties is actually an aerial view of Tukwila from more than a century ago. Before Boeing, business parks and suburban development, the Kent Valley was a wide floodplain.
In November 1906, much of the valley was underwater, according to city records. In some places, floodwaters reached up to 10 feet, inundating homesteads and entire communities.…