For two weeks in early December, the Pacific Northwest experienced extreme rain and record levels of flooding from an atmospheric river, with a state of emergency declared in Washington State on December 10. As the water begins to abate, residents are starting to assess the full damage. The repercussions of the flooding will continue to be felt as saturated land combined with high winds can lead to things like downed trees, and power outages.
A road and farmland on Florence Island flooded by the Stillaguamish River. By PK-WIKI – Own work, CC BY 4.0, Link
For farmers, flooding at this time of year can have many impacts including damage to infrastructure, eroded topsoil, as well as serious damage to crops like garlic and flower bulbs tucked in the ground for a spring harvest. Our hearts go out to those impacted by these floods. We are heartened to see people come together to support their communities throughout the region.
As the waters begin to recede and you assess the damage on your land, it’s important to be aware of steps you can take to help you maximize your insurance claims and USDA disaster assistance programs as they are announced. Our partners at RAFI have a great list of Disaster Recovery Resources here, where they outline things to keep in mind in the wake of disaster, including steps like documenting the damage before clearing debris and FSA disaster programs that might be available to you.
The resources listed below will hopefully ease the process of recovery. Please be sure to check back as we will update these resources periodically.
Resources for Farmers Affected by Floods in Washington
View the resources below, or click here to view this on Google Sheets.
We work to keep this page up-to-date. If you know of additional resources you can share with us, please email farmhelp@farmaid.org or call our hotline at 1-800-FARM-AID.
