By Steven Schauer, Deputy Executive Director, and King County Staff
In December 2025, King County experienced one of the most significant flood events in the region’s history. Between December 8 and December 30, powerful storms brought prolonged heavy rainfall, swollen rivers, and widespread flooding across the region. Several rivers reached record-setting flows, damaging flood protection infrastructure and testing emergency response systems throughout King County.
Despite the severity of the flooding, there was no loss of life from flooding in King County, which is a testament to the dedication of emergency responders, local governments, residents, and decades of investment in flood risk reduction led by the King County Flood Control District.
Since its inception in 2007, the King County Flood Control District has invested more than $623 million in flood risk reduction projects throughout King County. Those investments have supported the completion of 123 projects designed to help protect people, homes, businesses, roads, farmland, and public infrastructure from flooding. From levee improvements and revetment repairs to property buyouts, floodplain restoration, and home elevation projects, these efforts have strengthened our communities and reduced flood risks across the county.
Response to Historic Flooding
The December flooding damaged nearly 170 flood protection facilities countywide, highlighting both the importance of flood infrastructure and the growing challenges posed by increasingly severe weather events. Along the Cedar River, flows reached a historic peak of 12,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Cedar River at Renton gage, surpassing the previous record of 10,600 cfs set in 1990.
In response to the extensive damage caused by the floods, the King County Flood Control District’s Board of Supervisors approved a supplemental budget amendment on February 10, 2026, allocating nearly $3 million to King County for emergency repairs completed during the flood event. These emergency projects helped stabilize damaged riverbanks, protect public infrastructure, and restore critical flood protection facilities throughout the County.
This blog is the first in a three-part series highlighting the emergency repair projects funded through the supplemental budget amendment.
Cedar River Emergency Repairs
There were two emergency repair projects funded through the February 10th supplemental budget amendment, totaling $90,426.
Cedar River Trail 3 Emergency Repair Project
One of the emergency projects funded through the supplemental budget amendment was the Cedar River Trail 3 Emergency Repair Project, located along the left bank of the Cedar River between River Mile 7.71 and 7.78.
During the December flooding, King County Flood Patrol staff observed significant erosion dangerously close to both the Cedar River Trail and a nearby fiber optic line. High river flows washed away protective toe rock along portions of the riverbank, leaving sections of the bank vertical and undercut. Without immediate repairs, continued erosion threatened important public infrastructure and increased the risk of additional riverbank failure.
The emergency repair project restored approximately 220 feet of damaged revetment by replacing lost toe rock and rebuilding the riverbank to its original position. Crews also completed tree trimming and vegetation management work to help stabilize the area. Removed trees and vegetated material were strategically placed along the riverbank and downstream of the project location to support habitat functions while protecting the repaired area.
The project was completed at a budgeted amount of $70,180.
Tabor-Crowall 2025 Repair Project
A second emergency project funded through the supplemental budget amendment was the Tabor-Crowall 2025 Repair Project, located on the right bank of the Cedar River at River Mile 2.8.
During the December 2025 flood event, significant erosion was observed by King County Flood Patrol staff at the Tabor-Crowall revetment, a critical flood protection facility that helps protect State Route 169 and a regional fiber optic trunk line. The damage raised immediate concerns about the stability of the facility and the potential consequences of additional flooding.
Had the damage not been repaired quickly, the regional fiber optic line would have been at risk of service interruption, while State Route 169 could have faced the possibility of roadway failure. Such impacts would have created significant safety concerns for motorists and disrupted important transportation and communications infrastructure.
Emergency repair efforts began during the flood event itself to address the most immediate threats. Following the worst of the flooding, crews implemented additional repairs to stabilize the site and reduce future risks. The emergency work approved through the supplemental budget amendment was budgeted at $20,246.
Additional work was later completed at the site as part of the broader countywide flood recovery effort. Those post-flood repairs will be highlighted in a future blog series focused on the actions taken immediately after the flood to restore damaged flood risk reduction facilities.
Investing in Recovery and Resilience
Together, these two Cedar River emergency projects demonstrate the importance of rapid emergency repairs taking place during major flood events. By acting quickly to repair damaged flood protection facilities, the King County Flood Control District and King County helped protect transportation corridors, utility infrastructure, public recreation assets, and nearby communities from additional damage.
As flood recovery efforts continue, the King County Flood Control District remains committed to maintaining and improving the more than 500 flood facilities that help reduce flood risks for residents, businesses, infrastructure, and the environment.
Stay tuned for the next blog in this series, which will highlight additional emergency flood repair projects along the Green River funded through the King County Flood Control District’s February 2026 supplemental budget amendment.