2015 hasn't been an easy year for local farmers. In January the new year greeted farmers in western King County's Snoqualmie River Valley with a major flood. This summer—both the hottest and driest on record in Washington state—they faced severe drought.
Rains finally came, and were welcome. But when rains dump close to nine inches of water in less than 24 hours, that brings another set of challenges. While some farmland around the Snoqualmie River, known as floodways and floodplains, can expect seasonal, heavy rainfall and occasional flooding, this year the river has flooded four times since the first week of November, repeatedly putting nearby crops and livestock underwater and also damaging equipment, structures, and other property.
"It’s a tradeoff," says Sol to Seed Farm's Matt Tregoning who, with his wife, Deanna, farms two acres of their 20-acre property in Carnation. "We have some of the best agriculture land here in this valley, but when you have four, five, or six floods a year, the impact takes a toll—physically, emotionally, and financially."
Even before a flood hits, there's extra work and planning that needs to be done.
"We have chickens and we sell eggs, so we worry about where to move them," said Tregoning. Days before a flood hit on November 1, the Tregonings knew they needed to harvest their cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli before they went underwater. Other things on the farm needed their attention, too.
"Four days before a flood, when there's a warning, you have to decide what to do, what to prioritize," Tregoning continued. "There's deer fencing, so you think about taking that down so it doesn't act like a net and trap things. Then you think about all your equipment, and the harvesting that you need to do. You have to ask 'What do I want to save? What can I harvest and store?'"
Siri Erickson-Brown of Local Roots Farm in Duvall also talked about the importance of planning ahead. "At one point in the lead-up to this flood [on Wednesday, December 9] they were forecasting a 60.5-foot flood, which we were pretty sure would get into the coolers, so we spent Tuesday getting everything moved up onto pallets and shelves to get them off the ground."
By thinking ahead, Local Roots was able to continue their usual CSA and restaurant delivery schedule throughout all four floods. Although both the street and driveway to Local Roots have been shut down (sometimes for several days straight), the farmers strategically pre-packed delivery vans and drove them off site. They later accessed them via rowboat.
"Miraculously, we have not missed a day," said Erickson-Brown.
But even with careful planning, all local farmers incurred losses. Tregoning says that this year's floods have dramatically shortened Sol to Seed's season.
"When we got hit with that flood in late October, a lot of our kale, collards, and other greens went under," he said. Sol to Seed lost all the greens they would have harvested and sold through the month of November, which Tregoning estimates is about 400 to 500 bunches. While the Tregonings had already harvested and stored crops like beets, carrots, and winter squash, they estimate they lost around $1,200 worth of leafy greens.
Wade and Judy Bennett of Rockridge Orchards and Cidery in Enumclaw also took a big hit from last week's downpours. Their winery, cider processing site, and other buildings were flooded, causing damage not just to their property, but also to their product. Rockridge will need to repackage most of this year's wines and spirits.
Additionally, said Wade "[About half] of our stored apples are contaminated and cannot be used for cider." While insurance will likely cover most of their building costs, it will not cover product loss.
It's not just fruit and vegetables that have been lost. At Nature's Last Stand Farm in Carnation, John Huschle lost three pigs and nearly lost a truck and a tractor. Huschle says three of the five floods he's seen this year are among the worst he's ever had to deal with. "One in the top 10, two in the top 15. It's been a grueling fall."
In the spring, work on farms will turn to planting, but also preparing for even more floods. Tregoning says that over that last few years, floods have not only become more frequent, but faster and more intense.
One of the ways farmers can ensure they have safe, higher ground to move equipment and livestock onto during floods is by building farm pads, raised areas of earth. Having served on the King County Agriculture Commission from 2010 to 2015, Tregoning says the county has listened to local farmers' concerns and made the permitting process to build farm pads better, but that, as with most things related to farming, there is still more work to be done.
