Floods
Know the potential impact of flooding on your family and home. Flooding occurs along the four rivers and creeks in the valley: the White Salmon River, Trout Lake Creek, Bear Creek and Cave Creek. Most of the valley is not subject to serious flooding, but bridges and culverts might be destroyed, so access around and out of the valley might become difficult. Some homes may be isolated by road closures. See Ready.gov/floods.
- Know where floods are likely to occur. Know where high ground is closest to you. Stay aware of weather conditions especially in late winter and early spring.
- Make sure you have adequate flood insurance if you are in a flood zone. See FloodSmart.gov.
- Stockpile sandbags.
In the Event of a Flood
- Sandbag your house if there is time.
- Take your emergency kit.
- Evacuate to higher ground/your prearranged emergency location.
- Turn Around. Don’t Drown! Do not drive through flooded roadways. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
- If you are high and dry, try to help others who are not.
Lahars
Mount Adams is not a frequently active volcano. However, avalanches, landslides, mudflows (lahars) and floods have occurred in the recent past that affect valleys around the mountain.
The USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory is proposing five new monitoring stations for the White Salmon River drainage to detect large lahars (mudflows) within minutes. Station sites have been identified, permits have been submitted, and installation could begin by 2024.
To learn more about lahars and monitoring activity on Mt. Adams visit the Trout Lake Community Council Volcano Monitoring page.
The Trout Lake Emergency Handbook is a project of the Trout Lake Community Council, produced and published by TroutLake.org.