Weather service warns of minor flooding at Tonasket

By Gazette-Tribune • May 19, 2014 11:44 am

TONASKET – A National Weather Service Flood Warning continues on the Okanogan River near Tonasket.

Minor flooding on the Okanogan River is due to recent snowmelt from the warm temperatures, according to the NWS. The Okanogan was expected to remain in minor flood stage through Tuesday afternoon, May 20. It will then lower to action stage through the end of the week, but then go into minor flood stage again next Monday, May 26.

The Flood Warning continues until further notice for the Okanogan River near Tonasket. Flood Stage on the Okanogan at Tonasket is 15 feet. At 5:15 am Monday, May 19 the stage was 15.78 feet. The river is expected to continue to rise to near 15.8 feet by late Monday then begin falling.

Flood Stages

  • At 17.5 feet, water will be behind the levee due to seepage, flooding the motocross track downstream of the City of Okanogan.
  • At 17.0 feet, low lying fields and pasture land in the flood plain along the Okanogan River Valley, from Oroville to Okanogan, will be flooded. Some homes near river in Okanogan may experience some basement flooding from seepage. Water will be between the railroad and Highway 97 near Cordell, south of Oroville. Water will be against the shoulder of Omak River Road across from Wanacut Creek.
  • At 16.0 feet, pasture land between rodeo track Road and Benton Street, on the east side of the river near Omak, will begin to flood.
  • At 15.0 feet, minor flooding of Low-lying areas is likely between Oroville and Tonasket.