W. Richland braces as Yakima flooding expected to be worst in 3 decades

Officials in West Richland and other communities along the Lower Yakima River are bracing this week for the worst flooding in nearly 30 years.

The National Weather Service in Pendleton issued a flood warning Tuesday for the Yakima River from Benton City to its confluence with the Columbia River in Richland.

The expected flooding follows an “atmospheric river” that dumped copious amounts of rain in the Cascade Mountains.

The weather service expects water levels to reach 15.8 feet by late Friday, the highest since the river crested at nearly 21 feet in 1996. The next highest level was 15.55 feet in 2009.

At nearly 16 feet, extensive flooding is expected at the RV park at Benton City and between the Twin Bridges in West Richland and the Columbia River in Richland.

Low-lying agricultural